The good news for men today is that hair transplant procedures have significantly improved in both efficiencies and minimizing scarring from the procedure. Potential patients need to understand that a hair transplant is a full procedure and there is no such thing as “zero scarring”. If you’re in consultation with a doctor who tells you that they can guarantee no scarring at all you need to leave.
There are basically two different types of hair transplant procedures: 1) the follicular unit extraction (FUE) and the follicular unit transplant (FUT). This article will not go into in-depth details about either as this should be discussed with your doctor during your consultation as they will recommend which option is better for you. However, each of those procedures will produce a different type of scarring.
- FUE- Based on how many hairs are extracted from the donor site, which is the back of the scalp, this can result in hundreds or thousands of puncture marks. Fortunately, they only look like tiny white dots. Those hairs are then grafted on recipient areas of the scalp, usually on top of the head, where tiny incisions have been made.
- FUT- Instead of removing individual hair follicles like FUE, this procedure consists of the doctor actually removing a strip of the scalp from the donor area. Based upon how much donor’s hair is needed it could potentially run the length of your entire scalp from ear to ear. The hairs from the strip of the scalp are then extracted to be grafted into the area of the scalp where hair is needed. Typically, this procedure produces more visible scarring than the FUE.
There are creams, ointments, and even types of laser scar removal procedures available to diminish the appearance of scars. As with any type of scar treatment, the results will vary from person to person depending upon age and other genetics. Ask doctors to provide pictures of their previous patients to see the level of visible scarring. Additionally, you can always search online to see pictures of men who have had similar procedures. Some men state that it’s worth having minimal scarring on the back of their scalps where people don’t often look as they’ll have a fuller head of hair on the top which is what people first see and notice when they encounter someone.
If you trust everything you read online, you will be confused! But if your ultimate goal is to find a surgeon who can get you actual results, come for a free consultation. We care, and we do everything the way we do anything, with precision and with the utmost care.
