Hair transplant with scalp strip removal - FUT (classic technique)

Hair loss is physiological (on average 100 per day), as each hair "lives" according to a hair cycle in which it grows and then falls out. Each hair follicle is thus "programmed" to perform between 20 and 25 cycles before dying definitively, with no possibility of regeneration.

Androgenetic alopecia is characterized by an acceleration of the hair cycle due to the action of a molecule derived from testosterone, 5-DHT, resulting in earlier permanent hair loss: baldness.

This is why it develops earlier in males, sometimes in their twenties, particularly on the temporal lobes.

Androgenic alopecia occurs later in women, often during the menopause, following a relative increase in testosterone levels.

The only solution to baldness is hair transplantation.

For Dr Christelle Santini, there's no such thing as a "better" technique for treating baldness, as each patient needs to be tailored to his or her own goals and desires.

While FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) guarantees no scarring, it cannot be used on all hair types, such as curly or frizzy hair.

Instead of harvesting the grafts individually, they are harvested through a flap of skin. It is this strip that is re-cut and re-implanted.

FUT grafts are always removed from the Hippocratic crown above the nape of the neck, as this is where the hair remains full of vitality even in cases of advanced androgenetic alopecia. The hair implant strips are then transposed onto the balding areas of the forehead, vertex and tonsure.

Dr Christelle Santini then combines the technical gesture with a complete artistic look, to restore a denser, fuller head of hair, which will profoundly rejuvenate the face.

Before a hair transplant, you need to meet with Dr. Santini so that she can assess the state of your baldness, clearly identify your needs, rule out any contraindications and take medical photographs. She will also analyze your hair texture to determine the best hair transplant, between the scarless FUE technique or the strip FUT technique.

You will generally be asked to have a blood test and to wait 15 days, corresponding to the forensic period between the first consultation and the hair transplant. It is also forbidden to take any medication containing aspirin for 10 days prior to the procedure.

The procedure is very light, and is performed under local anaesthetic in the operating room.

On D-day, Dr. Santini's assistant will welcome you, make you comfortable before the operation and offer you a pre-medication to help you relax. Your surgeon will then shave the donor area under local anaesthetic, so that the procedure can be carried out in the most comfortable and aseptic conditions.

The first step is to harvest the follicular units, with the assistant checking the quality of the grafts before storing them in a sterile saline-based storage bath.

Dr. Santini removes a strip of scalp from the Hippocratic crown, where the hair never falls out and grows back. Hemostasis is ensured and the wound is then sutured with a very fine thread. In the end, after healing, a slight scar line will remain, almost invisible in most cases.

The harvested strip of hair measures between 10 and 20 cm long and 1.2 cm wide. This strip is then cut, under a microscope, into multiple grafts of 1 to 3 hairs (micrografts).

In a second step, the micro-grafts are then re-implanted one by one in the balding areas. Thehair is implanted using a needle, enabling the micro-slit to be made while the graft is introduced at the same time. The meticulous operation takes between 3 and 6 hours, depending on the number of hairs implanted. During this time, you can either lie on your stomach or sit up and read or watch a film. At the end of the session, the results are immediately visible, and no bandages are applied.

A small crust will form on each implant, which will fall off after around two weeks, causing the implanted hair to fall out and grow back around the 3rd month. This hair loss is spectacular for the patient if he or she has not been warned, but it is completely normal. The hair root, which ensures regrowth, is not affected.

Several sessions may be required on the same receiving site to achieve a suitable density.

It is important to take care of yourself and your health, but also to follow your surgeon's recommendations after the operation to optimize the results of the hair transplant:

• Plan to take a short week off work
• Avoid shampooing for 4 days
• Do not practice sports before the 3rd week post-op.
• Attend a follow-up visit 10 days after surgery.

Scalp tension and aches and pains are common in the first few days, but can be soothed by painkillers. The same applies to swelling and bruising, the extent and duration of which vary from one individual to another.

Finally, in the case of micrografting, a small scab may form on each graft, then fall out 8 to 10 days later. The hair will also initially fall out, which is normal: it will grow back from the graft, deep into the scalp.
In all cases, you'll need to wait between 3 and 6 months to appreciate the results.

• Faster than FUE grafting
• Same-day return home
• 4 to 7 days of professional downtime
• Regrowth from 3 months
• Can be applied to all hair types.

Before a strip hair transplant

• Prior medical check-ups: 2 cosmetic surgery consultations.
• Recommendations: stop smoking 1 month before, stop taking aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs 10 days before the hair transplant.
• Signature of quotation, informed consent, and systematic medical photography.
• Reflection period: 15 days between the 1st consultation and the hair transplant.
• Shampoo prescribed just before hair transplant surgery.

The strip hair transplant procedure

• Anaesthesia for capillary implants: local, usually with premedication, or neuroleptanalgesia.
• Duration of procedure: 3 to 6 hours, depending on the amount of hair transplanted.
• Same-day return home after hair transplant surgery.

Follow-up and results of a strip hair transplant

• • Special care: none for the first 10 days, then shampoo after applying sweet almond oil to break down scabs.
  • Removal of hair staples: day 14.
  • De-socialization after hair transplant: 24 to 72 hours.
  • Resumption of physical activity: 1? months.
  • Return to work: 24 to 72 hours, depending on the professional context.
  • Normal hair loss for the first few days.
  • Time to final result: Regrowth starting at 3 months, for a final result at 1 year.