Hair Restoration Techniques
Hair restoration, also called hair transplant techniques, are used to extract hair follicles from donor areas (such as the back of the head), and implant them in thinning areas of the scalp. The aim of this procedure is to restore a natural looking head of head. Hair transplantation methods have evolved over the years and these days the techniques used are cutting edge. Knowledge in this field has improved, as demonstrated by the changes in hair transplant methods below.

Early Hair Restoration Methods
Eyebrow transplants help with the long term problem of hair loss. It is also important to understand the reasons why you may be experiencing hair loss in the first place. This will ensure that your eyebrow transplant has the greatest chance for success.
a) Hair plug transplantation
The use of hair plugs was the first surgical method in hair restoration that gained widespread popularity. It was first introduced on the 1950’s based on the donor dominance theory of Dr. Norman Orentreich. The results of hair plug transplantation were not satisfactory, yet they were still used for decades. There are a few different ways to transplant hair plugs.
- Punch graft method – A 3-4 mm punch tool to removes a cylindrical graft of hair-bearing skin from the donor area. Each graft contains approximately 20 hairs. The graft was then transplanted into holes made in the recipient area, and the holes were sutured or allowed to heal naturally. This practice left a lot of scarring and looked widely unnatural, and because of this reason it was largely abandoned.
- Mini/micro grafts – In the 1980’s, the punch graft method superseded by mini or micro-graft technology. This procedure consisted of tiny strips of hair harvested from the donor site. They were transplanted by placing them in a very small slit made in the balding area. This method was a welcome improvement from the doll-like hair clumps seen after a punch graft. However, the restored hair still didn’t resemble the original pattern of natural follicles. Luckily modern-day methods have rectified this problem.
Modern Hair Restoration Methods
b) Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)
Hair restoration was revolutionised in the 1990s with a new method known as FUT. The idea was to only implant the naturally-occurring units of 1 to 4 hairs, called follicular units, for natural hair growth. In this technique a strip of hair is removed from the donor site at the back of the head. The length of this strip depends on the number of follicular units needed and the quality of the hair. This strip could range from 1.5cm in length up to 30cm. The donor site is then sealed after the strip is removed. The surgeon then microscopically dissects the strip to extract the follicular units. These individual follicles are finally transplanted into the recipient area.

This procedure causes a different form of scarring when compared to its predecessors. The patient’s remaining hair can cover the markings left at the donor site and so hide a significant linear scar. This avoided unwanted stares and comments. The ability to hide the extraction scars, and a natural-looking hair result ensured FUT gained a lot of popularity up to 2014-2015.
c) Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)
FUE Hair Transplant is the most recent and most effective hair restoration method because it creates the appearance of a full, natural head of hair. In FUE Hair Transplant, the follicular units are harvested directly from the donor area, rather than the strip transplant in FUT.

In this procedure, the follicular units are painstakingly extracted one by one from the donor site. It makes the procedure more time-consuming compared to FUT, but the results are worth the effort. Furthermore, the donor area must be shaved, so the follicular units can be harvested. At first glance this can be disconcerting for some patients.
FUE Hair Transplant is the most superior hair transplant technique because it is minimally invasive, leaving little or no scarring. The final result of the procedure is virtually indistinguishable from the original hair growth. This procedure continues to advance as surgeons acquire more experience in the field. Additionally, new and more specialized surgical implements are also being created.
Smaller punch holes are created with these specialized tools. As a result, scars disappear in a matter of days. Experiments are also underway to automate the follicular harvesting process, ensuring a more rapid extraction of units from the donor area. As a result, these transplant procedures will be much cheaper in the future. FUE is definitely the gold-standard of hair restoration techniques and it is continuously improving, so perhaps FUE clould be right right option for you.
FUE Hair Restoration
Today, the ratio of FUT vs FUE is around 20:80. There is no advantage to offer FUT for the most Hair Transplant Clinics. A combination of FUE Hair Transplant, Body Hair Transplant, and Scalp micro pigmentation can avoid FUT surgery. The Hairline Clinic will ensure you get the most appropriate treatment for your condition.