Categories: FUE, FUT, Treatment Options2.9 min read

By: Anderson Center for Hair

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Anderson Center for Hair is the leading hair restoration practice and hair surgery center in Atlanta

Any time you’re looking to have an elective surgery, it’s important that you do your research and consult a trusted doctor before you make your decision to ensure you are proceeding with the right type of surgery for your specific situation and needs. In hair restoration that means deciding between a linear hair restoration or an FUE hair restoration. No matter how small the procedure, you should be aware of the best plan of action and be willing to follow through with the necessary care. For hair restoration procedures, you should see a surgeon who can differentiate between the different types of hair loss as this will affect their recommendations for your procedure. In order to partake in either surgery, it’s imperative that a surgeon clear you as a candidate.

We offer both a linear strip procedure and a Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) procedure. In addition, we will thoroughly explain the difference between both surgeries and why we recommended them.

Linear Strip Procedure

In this procedure, a surgeon removes a strip of scalp and then closes with stitches. If the patient has a viable donor area, a surgeon can perform this procedure on the majority of candidates. You should note that this procedure leaves a linear scar on the scalp. If the patient has longer hair, they will likely not have an issue with a visible scar. However, you are more likely to notice some scarring if you enjoy short, buzzcut-like haircuts. With an experienced, board-certified surgeon, this scarring will be minimal despite your hair length, but it’s highly recommended that you seek out an experienced hair restoration surgeon. The skin of the scalp is thicker than anywhere else on the body and is more prone to scarring. You don’t want to trust your head to just anyone.

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) Procedure

This procedure utilizes technology to remove a single follicle for transplantation with no scalpels or stitches needed. With our ARTAS robot, we can safely and efficiently conduct this procedure. It sounds great, right? While it’s certainly a viable option, it’s not the best option for all patients. In preparation for this surgery, the patient must shave their hair to about 1/32nd of an inch. For some patients, this doesn’t sound so bad, but for others, it’s not viable option given their work and social obligations. If you cannot imagine a scenario where you’d ever have a buzzcut so short that you could see your scalp, harvesting using this FUE method might not be the best option for you.

When to Choose Neither Linear or FUE Hair Restoration

Hair restoration isn’t for everybody, and we strongly encourage you to speak with a surgeon about your concerns and your goals to make sure hair restoration is right for you and then to determine if a linear or FUE hair restoration would be best for you. Sometimes it might even be the right choice to forego hair restoration. Whether you’re too young right now or just not sure about the procedure, we want you to have complete peace of mind regardless of what your choice is. You can always revisit the idea at a later time.

Are you interested in learning more about the possibility of hair restoration? We would love to help! Dr. Ken Anderson is available for consultations at our Avalon and Atlanta offices. Simply click here to schedule a consultation.