Fut AFTER fue

[SS2382]

I get the consensus behind starting with stripping out and then moving to fue to maximize grafts, but why can’t it be the other way around? I get that if you did all fue and then went to strip you would get less grafts out of that strip, but wouldn’t those follicles you would have gotten already be transplanted in prior fue procedures?

Is there any reason that starting with fut is better or would yield more lifetime grafts? I don’t see how someone can’t do all fue and then move to strip to get the last bit of grafts if they need. Is there something with the fue procedure that would limit the amount of grafts you get vs if you started with strip? 

[mister_25]

Im pretty sure it was answered in this video:

 

[mafpe]

the extraction pattern. when you try to FUT after having FUE, the single line or area that you are going to be harvest is bound to have missing graft that was harvested after FUE.

[SeanT1]

You'll probably need a bigger strip due to less grafts in the area.  Bigger strip = bigger scar.

[Z--]

FUT first is (debatably) better to maximize lifetime grafts. You can do FUE first, but let the doctor know you want the option to do an FUT in future. With that, they can take hairs in a way that doesn’t limit the potential of a strip scar. For example, if planned right you can prob do around 2.5k+ FUE without impact or limitation to FUT. it’s going to be near impossible to strip max if you do a large fue session beforehand though. 

If you’re asking why FUT yields more generally, see the Shapiro study for more information — want to avoid that debate here; it’s done to death and different doctors have different opinions. 

[A Fue Good Men]

Fue has a tendency to lower overall density of the donor area, especially when not performed extremely meticulously. So when you get an fut, the scar can end up being very obvious.

[Gatsby]

The most important factor isn’t FUT or FUE but the doctor performing it. 

[SS2382]

When you say FUT is (debatably) better to start with, what is debatable about it? I saw the Shapiro study saying you can maybe get 2-3k more grafts starting with strip but is this fact or opinion? It seems some people lean certain ways with these FUT and FUE debates and there really is no absolutes. 
 

The reason I ask is because I want FUE but also understand the idea and importance of preserving donor and thinking long term, however if it isn't guaranteed starting with strip will give more grafts id rather not start with it. 

[Z--]

14 minutes ago, SS2382 said:

When you say FUT is (debatably) better to start with, what is debatable about it? I saw the Shapiro study saying you can maybe get 2-3k more grafts starting with strip but is this fact or opinion? It seems some people lean certain ways with these FUT and FUE debates and there really is no absolutes. 
 

The reason I ask is because I want FUE but also understand the idea and importance of preserving donor and thinking long term, however if it isn't guaranteed starting with strip will give more grafts id rather not start with it. 

It’s debatable because it’s the only study available and some ethical doctors ascribe to it and other ethical doctors don’t. It’s a matter of who you trust. It’s genuinely bizarre there is no consensus — perhaps different doctors have different experience — but that’s the truth.  

For example, Dr. Konior, Shapiro and Josephitus (all do FUT and FUE) agree that you can possibly get 2k grafts+. On the other hand, Pitella (FUE only) believes FUE yields more lifetime grafts. H&W (FUT and FUE, but nearly exclusively FUE now) and Eugenix (FUE only) think FUE and FUT yield the same at this point. All of them are ethical; your best bet is to read the study and decide whether the chance to *possibly* get 2k+ grafts is worth the scar. 

Personally, I did, so I went with FUT, but I recognize that may not be the best choice for every high Norwood - some like keeping hair very short or lack elasticity, so FUT may not make sense even if it does arguably yield more (though you can always fill in the scar with BHT later). A FUT scar can also very much very depending on doctor quality, so it may be tiny or very large. These are just things to think about. There’s no one size fits all, unfortunately. 

Edited August 10, 2022 by Z--