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If you already have a scar from FUT, should your second surgery be FUT, not FUE?


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I already had one FUT. I figure, since I have a scar anyway, my second surgery might as well be FUT again, and not FUE. Any thoughts? I know the scar will get bigger from a second FUT, but I don't think it gets very much bigger.

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I can't speak from firsthand experience, but a second FUT procedure doesn't guarantees a bigger scar. In fact, some patients who had larger scars from their first procedure have had it lessened by a second one with a skilled surgeon. A lot of it depends on the surgeon's skill, a lot of it depends on the patient's physiology, which may be why some people opt for FUE - it's too much of a grey area.

 

I don't think there's one right approach to follow-up sessions. I've seen people have FUT on their first procedure that resulted in a good scar and not want to risk it a second time and do FUE. Some people have said they will 'strip out' then do FUE. It just depends. Do your research and find what you're comfortable with.

3,425 FUT grafts with Dr Raymond Konior - Nov 2013

1,600 FUE grafts with Dr Raymond Konior - Dec 2018

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If you don't want a FUT scar there's no point in getting another... I would do FUE and if you don't like your current FUT scar see if the same doctor can improve it during the FUE.

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Like I suggested in your other thread, FUT+FUE is a good combination. In fact I think 2 FUE's by a top FUE doctor is better than 2 FUT's by a top FUT doctor, but that's just me. I am sure you can get two real low profile FUT scars if you go to some top 5 FUT doctor like Dr. Feller, H&W, True and Dorin etc. but also with top doctors like those, you pay top dollar.

 

Have you ever thought even doing FUE into the scar? or SMP into the scar to make it blend a little bit? It would give you the option of getting your haircuts a bit lower I think.

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#1 My current FUT scar is good. No complaints. (I would be better off spending FUE donor hair on the forehead, instead of diminishing the FUT scar.) True, if I could do it all over again knowing I could get FUE for only $1.40 a graft with Dr. Bhatti, I would probably do FUE with him to avoid the scar. I did FUT in part to save money.

 

#2 My doctor did a double layer closure, instead of a trichophytic closure. He believes the trichophytic closure should be left for the last FUT because it risks leaving ingrown hair and losing viable donors for the next transplant.

 

The double layer closure I got left a bigger scar than a trichophytic closure would have. So it is feasible a second FUT with trichophytic closure will actually lessen the scar or perhaps only moderately increase it. And again, the current scar is pretty good anyway. I think this makes me more of a candidate for FUT.

 

Even if I get FUT, I will have to decide whether to get a trichophytic closure or double layer closure. I plan to get a third transplant, so it may be best to get the second FUT with another double layer closure, anticipating a third FUT with trichophytic closure.

 

In sum, I have three options for the second transplant:

 

1) FUE

2) FUT with trichophytic closure, in anticipation of a third transplant via FUE.

3) FUT with double layer closure in anticipation of third transplant via FUT (with final trichophytic closure).

 

I am Jewish and have a religious prohibition against tattoos, which includes SMP.

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I can't speak from firsthand experience, but a second FUT procedure doesn't guarantees a bigger scar. In fact, some patients who had larger scars from their first procedure have had it lessened by a second one with a skilled surgeon. A lot of it depends on the surgeon's skill, a lot of it depends on the patient's physiology, which may be why some people opt for FUE - it's too much of a grey area.

 

I don't think there's one right approach to follow-up sessions. I've seen people have FUT on their first procedure that resulted in a good scar and not want to risk it a second time and do FUE. Some people have said they will 'strip out' then do FUE. It just depends. Do your research and find what you're comfortable with.

 

I agree with these sentiments. No one on here can tell you the right approach as everyone is different.

 

If you still have a pretty loose scalp I'd be inclined to go with another FUT, especially if you have a good chance of extensive baldness.

4,312 FUT grafts (7,676 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - August 2013

1,145 FUE grafts (3,152 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - August 2018

763 FUE grafts (2,094 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - January 2020

Proscar 1.25mg every 3rd day

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all good points above, remember FUE is also a scarring process and in some cases can thin out your donor area due to shock loss, so even if you have FUE there may still be limitations on how short you can cut your hair

 

choose a highly recommended doctor whichever you choose

go dense or go home

 

Unbiased advice and opinions based on 25 plus years of researching and actual experience with hair loss, hair restoration via both FUT & FUE, SMP, scalp issues including scalp eczema & seborrheic dermatitis and many others

 

HSRP10's favorite FUT surgeons: *Dr. Konior, *Dr Hasson, Dr. Rahal

HSRP10's favorite FUE surgeons: *Dr. Konior, *Dr. Bisanga, Dr. Erdogan, Dr. Couto

(*indicates actual experience with doctor)

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If FUE is so risky for scars, how can they do it on beards?

 

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/174716-beard-chest-fue-now-standard-operating-procedure.html

I find that the scars are fairly undetectable. There was one case in which there was a slight depression to the sites and I performed a small dermabrasiion procedure which made this difference disappear. Mike Beehner, M.D.
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I don't believe there is a hard and fast rule here. If an individual prefers the qualities and advantages FUE brings, they should choose FUE. If they had excellent yield with strip and their scar was very thin, I can certainly understand why they would choose to go through strip again. Having either procedure does not necessarily pigeon hole the patient into what their future options are but certain factors can limit the amount that can be obtained. A strip scar will limit the amount of FUE grafts that can be harvested because the surgeon must leave the area above and below the scar untouched so the scar can remain hidden. FUE can make future strip more difficult due to the scar tissue in the strip zone. These are factors that have to be considered also.

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go dense or go home

 

Unbiased advice and opinions based on 25 plus years of researching and actual experience with hair loss, hair restoration via both FUT & FUE, SMP, scalp issues including scalp eczema & seborrheic dermatitis and many others

 

HSRP10's favorite FUT surgeons: *Dr. Konior, *Dr Hasson, Dr. Rahal

HSRP10's favorite FUE surgeons: *Dr. Konior, *Dr. Bisanga, Dr. Erdogan, Dr. Couto

(*indicates actual experience with doctor)

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A lot of people say you can get more grafts in one FUT session than you can get in one FUE session.

 

But let's say you committed to do multiple FUE's, instead of multiple FUT's. Will you get fewer grafts? Can you simply have one extra FUE procedure, and thereby get as many grafts, as you would have gotten with FUT's?

 

I have heard people say that FUE will kill more grafts because the doctor blindly harvests with FUE, and I have heard the opposite claim that FUE kills no more grafts than FUT.

 

If a guy is going to Dr. Bhatti at $1.20 / FUE graft, price is really a lot less of a factor in the FUT / FUE decision.

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Please don't let price be the main deciding factor. I understand it is a factor, but if you like Dr. Bhatti's work and you think he can and has done that on a consistent basis, with your best interest in mind and if its affordable than by all means go for it. Ethics first, then quality my friend good luck...

You only live once...

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