FUE or FUT? Positives and negatives.

[Dr Abhinav Kumar]

16 hours ago, nordicwarrior said:

@Dr Abhinav Kumar what do you suggest is the best option for people wanting to do a buzz cut later?

It has to a very conservative FUE with around 1200 to 1800 grafts. See the follicular groupings are different in different people so a conservative surgery with FUE can also make donor look scarred if extractions are not eide apart.  A better approach is FUT in a good clinic if it suits u, for  people wanting to have buz cut.... go for conservative FUE with less graft number and base your on those conservative estimates.

[1978matt]

19 hours ago, gilgamesh said:

Also 1978Matt, I'm surprised you're not able to find cases from Couto's patients? How about recuperarelpelo? Just turn auto translate on if you can't understand Spanish. His donor extractions are large, but his yields within a single surgery are solid. Freitas and Lorenzo are strong as well, though possibly a half step below in some instances. There are a few other names there, I think they've figured something out.

My hunch is that the numbers will eventually show us that stripping out then FUE has the most robust and greatest lifetime yield, and that the excellent short term results from the FUE files of Couto, Freitas etc will be outweighed by a devastatingly low lifetime yield, but you never know. It could end up being the exact opposite.

To be honest I have no reason to search out his results, but will take a look later.

Time will tell.  Some will fade badly and others fare better I suspect.  You only have to look at the back of older balding heads to see an assortment of good and bad donors.

16 hours ago, elduterino said:

Why are we seeing all these threads on FUT scar revision, FUE into FUT scar, SMP into FUT scar etc.. and none related to FUE scars ? 

There can be good and bad FUT and FUE.  Sure, a scar can be a problem if you go to a bad doctor.  

I feel like I'm seeing mostly people complaining of FUE overharvesting more than anything else.  Not many FUE scar complaints because so few actually shave down.  Funny that.

Edited January 3, 2020 by 1978matt

[1978matt]

13 hours ago, Dr Abhinav Kumar said:

Hi , thanks for raising a query.  I am Dr Abhinav , MD dermatologist and a FUE hair transplant surgeon from India. I am unique in the way that , I am veteran of 3 FUE surgeries myself over a period of 7 years. This means that my baldness progressed rapidly even after transplant. Patient who are destined to be NW grade VI or VII but are currently in NW grade 3 or less should ideally opt for FUT as a first surgery. Contrary to the popular belief that FUE will allow a buzz cut but FUT doesnt , the opposite is true. FUT if done in a rightly chosen patient may reuslt in a thin scar in the middle of SDA which can be easily hidden with SMP or is hardly visible with Buzz cut. The only thing is its should be good closure in a rightly chosen patient. Secondly the way of implantation has nothing to do with the surgery techniques FUT or FUE. FUT is a dissection but FUE is scoring and drilling so prone to heat damage while drilling which is not visible. The results which u can get with FUT with same graft number will be denser than FUE unless bigger puches ( where in fue also transaction is minimal) are used in FUE, as it being a dissection ensures no transactions.   FUE surgery will never be limited to Safe donor area , so transplanted hair have higher chances of thinning over time compared to concentrated strip of FUT which have relatively permanent hair. In a patient who thinks that he will go to grade VII based on his pattern and family history, he should opt for little higher hairline. To change the look of the patient covering 3/4th of the scalp and maintaining it at high density is the key. Anyone with good scalp donor with good beard can do so with multiple surgeries over years.  Dont focus on the crown even when u lose the crown as there may some thinning in transplanted front zone in future and u may need grafts for the same. Take finasteride life long. First surgery should be FUT in my humble opinion . It can be followed by a FUE surgery or subsequent FUT. Beard can be taken by FUE. Hairline should be slightly conservative to ensure lesser circumference and lesser graft requirement at hairline. Believe me everyone doesnt go on to grade VII. Take medicines . But transplanted hair thin and u may need grafts in the transplanted zone in future as nothing is absolute so keep reserves. Seocndly focus on the 3/4th of the potential bald area and maintain it with subsequesnt surgeries as needed. A consistent look over the years is the key for a person. The key is choose the right surgoen. I m myself a FUE surgeon😊

Thank you doctor, that sums it up very well.  I wish you all the best in your career going forward.

[Dr Abhinav Kumar]

8 hours ago, 1978matt said:

Thank you doctor, that sums it up very well.  I wish you all the best in your career going forward.

Thanks buddy... A true surgeon is never biased about the technique he does. Every technique is good in hands and poor in poor hands. Do comment or rate on my community reputation , so that commercially unbiased answers gets credibility. 

Edited January 4, 2020 by Dr Abhinav Kumar

[karatekid]

Hi guys, very interesting thread about those methods. I myself wonder which method should I choose for my coming procedure. I get the pros and cons, but interested on the practical matter - If I go for FUT, what is the minimal guard number I can have on my donor, without the scar be visible? I seriously consider FUT since Im not going to shave my head to zero guard ever, just not suites me, but I do shave my back and sides a bit closer than the top, so I was wondering.  Assuming average scarring, from reputable surgeon of course. I also have fair skin with dark hair if it matters.

[1978matt]

54 minutes ago, karatekid said:

Hi guys, very interesting thread about those methods. I myself wonder which method should I choose for my coming procedure. I get the pros and cons, but interested on the practical matter - If I go for FUT, what is the minimal guard number I can have on my donor, without the scar be visible? I seriously consider FUT since Im not going to shave my head to zero guard ever, just not suites me, but I do shave my back and sides a bit closer than the top, so I was wondering.  Assuming average scarring, from reputable surgeon of course. I also have fair skin with dark hair if it matters.

Probably a grade 4 (about 12mm I think), maybe a 3 (9mm) if better than average. Grade 2 if outstanding. 

Grade 5 on the worst case side I would think. 

I can do a grade 4 comfortably. Grade 3 is good on one side, but a bit more visible on the other. As far as visibility goes, only people looking for it would potentially notice. 

Of course you can always FUE into the scar in the very worst case and around 300 grafts would be needed for one 3-4mm.

Edited January 5, 2020 by 1978matt

[Dr Abhinav Kumar]

1 hour ago, karatekid said:

Hi guys, very interesting thread about those methods. I myself wonder which method should I choose for my coming procedure. I get the pros and cons, but interested on the practical matter - If I go for FUT, what is the minimal guard number I can have on my donor, without the scar be visible? I seriously consider FUT since Im not going to shave my head to zero guard ever, just not suites me, but I do shave my back and sides a bit closer than the top, so I was wondering.  Assuming average scarring, from reputable surgeon of course. I also have fair skin with dark hair if it matters.

FUT is still the best approach if u consider longevity of surgery. The strip dissection  should be good and so shoudl be suturing after proper assessment. IF YOU are planning for a smaller surgery with say 1600 to 2000 grafts, FUE is also good option, As downtime is minimal and results come faster in FUE. Only thing is graft quality shoudl not be extremely  poor as thin grafts may fail in FUE due to less tissue around graft and pressure of pull and thermal damage while extraction. In that case trumpet punch based extraction is better in FUE. My personal experience. Some FUE may also be needed with FUT to get good single grafts. Advantage of FUE is , u are never limited by the strip for the scalp donor.. a combination technique is also adopted in some cases.

[Melvin- Admin]

For full disclosure and transparency, I have had to hide some responses made from a physician. Apparently, this physician was affiliated with another clinic, and some of the information he has been providing has been brought into question. I need to research this a bit further and speak with the physician and the clinic, until further notice some of his responses that give personal experience information will be hidden. 

Best wishes, 

 

Melvin 

[bismarck]

  

On 1/2/2020 at 8:37 PM, Dr Abhinav Kumar said:

Although Dr counto  results are wow.. it will well evident that safe donor area is breached for the results for high density. The density can dip after 3 to 4 years as thinning happens even when you are on finasteride. 7 to 9 months results is no guarantee to longevity of results. 

 

Interesting point, very interesting point. Let me see if I can find any long term follow up pics.

 

Quote

results come faster in FUE

My understanding from the Beehner study was the opposite.

Edited January 9, 2020 by bismarck

[elduterino]

Hi guys - take a look at this FUE result and try to find all those 5000 FUE scars

 

 

[Melvin- Admin]

On 1/9/2020 at 1:03 PM, bismarck said:

  

 

Interesting point, very interesting point. Let me see if I can find any long term follow up pics.

 

My understanding from the Beehner study was the opposite.

The so-called doctor you quoted turned out to be a lying hack. Take anything he says with a grain of salt.