Comparison table FUT/Strip and FUE IM
Compare different hair transplant methods.
| Observation | FUT / Strip | FUE | FUE IM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pain after procedure | Minor to medium and beyond | None | None |
| Percent of time doctor operates on client | 10-30% | 60-70% | 70-80% |
| Stitches required | Yes | No | No |
| Extensive bleeding during or after procedure | May occur | No | No |
| Wearing hairstyle short in donor area | A linear scar will be visible | Small diffuse scars may be noticeable | Scarring not visible to naked eye |
| Natural results | Possibly | Yes | Yes |
| Nerve damage, numbness, permanent pain | Possibly | No | No |
| Healing time: donor area |
Months | 7-10 days | Approx. 5-7 days |
| Healing time: recipient area |
Approx. 14 days | 10-14 days | Approx. 7-10 days |
| Transection rate (grafts damaged during extraction) | Varies. 10-60% | 5-10% | 0-2% |
| Time before exercise is possible | 1-2 months | 1 week | 1 week |
| Time before client may return to work | 1-4 weeks | Possibly the day after | Possibly the day after |
Technical problems with FUT/Strip don’t fully help patients
• Technique depends on scalp elasticity, which limits the number of sessions in Strip or FUT
• Strip can have a huge transection rate if not performed properly
• Strip puts patient at high risk of infection, bleeding and other side effects
• Strip has a poor yield if not performed properly
• Poor FUT technique leads to a “doll hair” appearance
• Most often 4,000-5,000 grafts is the limit for strip technique
Benefits of FUE IM treatment
• Patient may be treated multiple times
• Transection rate is very low (usually 1-3%, seldom as high as 10%)
• Patient is not put at any risk
• Yield is very high when done properly
• Natural-looking results because of anatomically correct graft sizes
• Up to 8,000 grafts may be harvested without significant changes to the donor area
