Hair loss is primarily caused by a combination of aging, a change in hormones, and a family history of baldness. As a rule, the earlier hair loss begins, the more severe the baldness will become. Hair loss can also be caused by burns or trauma, in which case hair replacement surgery is considered a reconstructive treatment, and may be covered by health insurance.
Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT), or “strip method,” is a surgical procedure that involves transplanting hair from a donor area of your scalp to the areas that are bald or thinning. The donor site in FUT is typically in the back or sides of the scalp, in which a group of one to four hairs (or follicular unit) is extracted from a thin donor strip. The donor site is closed with sutures, leaving a thin surgical scar.
Once the follicular unit is removed, Dr. Cappuccino and his team prepare the graft follicles for permanent implantation with careful and precise microscopic dissection techniques. Many potential patients shy away from (or are not candidates for) the traditional “strip method” of hair replacement because of the slow recovery time, the loss of feeling at the incision site, the linear scar on the back of the head, or the amount of post-operative pain involved.
While our practice continues to offer the strip method of hair replacement for select patients, we are proud to offer a more advanced technique, Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). This revolutionary technique can be more expensive but eliminates the concern for linear scarring because FUE harvests each individual hair follicle instead of extracting a thin strip. Our clinic staff will gladly take the time with you to educate you on each procedure option and recommend the best solution for your specific hair loss condition.