The Strip Method
Donor removal
Narrow strip
Donor scar
Linear scar
FUT Hair Transplant London
FUT means Follicular Unit Transplantation. It is also called the strip method: a narrow section of hair-bearing skin is taken from the donor area.
Under magnification, the strip is divided into individual follicular units. These grafts are prepared and placed where your hair has thinned.
In London, your surgeon examines your donor hair and scalp flexibility, then discusses the graft number and permanent linear scar. FUT is quoted individually. Your plan needs to suit your usual hairstyle and longer-term donor needs.
Certifications
What is a FUT hair transplant?
In FUT, the surgeon takes a narrow strip of hair-bearing scalp, usually from the back of the head. This is why Follicular Unit Transplantation is often called strip surgery.
The strip is divided under magnification into the small groups in which hair naturally grows. These follicular-unit grafts are checked, sorted and prepared before placement in the thinning area.
A permanent linear scar remains where the strip was removed. Surrounding hair will often cover it after healing, but a very short haircut may show it. Before treatment, discuss its position, length and likely effect on future hairstyles.
FUT avoids individual extraction across a broad donor area. This may make it an option for selected patients who wear longer hair or want to avoid wider donor shaving.
How a FUT transplant is planned and performed
The consultation
At your first appointment, Dr Harpreet Kalra assesses the cause of your hair loss and whether FUT is appropriate. He examines your scalp, treatment area and permanent donor hair. He also checks that the scalp has enough flexibility to remove and close the strip safely.
Your medical history, medication, previous surgery and existing donor scars are reviewed too. The graft estimate and quote follow this assessment; they are not based only on the size of the bald area.
Agreeing the design
The recipient area is marked before surgery begins. A hairline has to suit the face and allow for future thinning, while crown work must follow the direction of the existing whorl. The design also determines how many fine single-hair grafts and larger follicular units will be needed.
Removing and closing the donor strip
Local anaesthetic is given before a narrow strip of hair-bearing scalp is removed from the planned donor area. The wound is then closed. The closure leaves a permanent line that normally sits beneath the surrounding hair.
Preparing and placing the grafts
The strip is divided under magnification into individual follicular units. Fine single-hair grafts are kept for a soft visible edge, while grafts containing more hairs can be placed behind them for coverage. The recipient sites are made to match the angle, direction and spacing of the surrounding hair.
Going home
You normally leave on the day of surgery with written instructions for the donor wound and implanted grafts. The aftercare guide explains washing, sleeping, medication and activity. The growth timeline covers the months that follow.
Who may be suitable for FUT?
A large graft requirement or a wish to avoid wider donor shaving is not enough on its own to make FUT suitable. The donor hair must be strong, and your scalp needs enough flexibility for the strip to be removed and the wound closed without excessive tension.
Your usual hairstyle matters too. Longer hair at the back and sides can cover the FUT scar, whereas a very short cut may reveal it.
FUT may be suitable when:
- the cause and pattern of hair loss have been established;
- the donor area has suitable density and enough scalp flexibility;
- the required graft number fits the patient’s longer-term donor plan;
- the patient understands that FUT leaves a permanent linear scar;
- the patient is prepared for the recovery and aftercare required following strip surgery.
How much does a FUT hair transplant cost?
FUT hair transplant prices are quoted individually after consultation.
Our London treatment cost guide distinguishes individual FUT quotations from the published FUE and DHI guide prices. Ask for your proposed method, graft estimate, aftercare and total price in writing.
Your exact FUT cost is confirmed after the consultation. The doctor examines the donor area, calculates the graft requirement and agrees the treatment plan with you.
You will receive a confirmed quotation before deciding whether to proceed.
FUT recovery and scar care
Recovery involves caring for both the donor wound and the implanted grafts. Tightness, tenderness, altered sensation, redness, swelling and scabbing can occur early on. How long they remain noticeable varies between patients.
Follow the clinic’s instructions for washing, protecting the grafts and caring for the donor incision. They also explain exercise, heavy lifting, medication and follow-up, including care or removal of any sutures or staples.
The scar stays after the skin has healed. Surrounding hair may hide it, depending on healing, scar width, hair density and haircut length. A raised or widened scar can be harder to cover.
When does the transplanted hair grow?
Some transplanted hair shafts usually shed after the early healing period. New hair then appears gradually over the following months. Six months is normally an interim stage, with further length, thickness and maturation through the first year and sometimes beyond it.
Risks to discuss before surgery
Possible problems include bleeding, infection, delayed wound healing, altered sensation, donor tightness, shock loss, uneven graft growth and a scar that becomes wider, raised or more visible than expected. The surrounding native hair may also continue to thin after the transplant.
Severe or increasing pain, heavy bleeding, spreading redness, discharge, fever, breathing difficulty or signs of an allergic reaction need prompt medical attention.
How FUT compares with FUE and DHI
FUT and FUE describe how the grafts are taken from the donor area. DHI normally starts with FUE extraction and changes the way the prepared grafts are placed.
With FUT, the surgeon removes a narrow strip of hair-bearing scalp from the back of the head. The wound is closed, leaving one permanent linear scar. The strip is then divided under magnification into individual follicular-unit grafts.
During an FUE hair transplant, follicular units are removed individually from across the planned donor area. This avoids one continuous scar, although each extraction leaves a small round mark. The surgeon must spread the extractions across the donor area so the remaining hair does not look visibly thinned.
A DHI hair transplant normally uses the same individual extraction method as FUE. The prepared grafts are loaded into an implanter device before placement. DHI changes the placement stage; it does not provide another source of donor hair.
The choice takes account of donor quality, scalp flexibility and the graft number needed. Your usual hairstyle, previous surgery and longer-term treatment plan also matter.
Dr Harpreet Kalra
Before recommending FUT, Dr Harpreet Kalra examines your hair-loss pattern, donor strength and how much movement there is in your scalp. He also considers the graft requirement and how short you normally wear the back and sides.
At the consultation, Dr Kalra explains where the permanent linear scar would sit and how it could affect shorter hairstyles. He also discusses whether taking a strip is an appropriate use of your donor hair.
If FUE, DHI or another approach would suit you better, this is discussed before the plan is agreed. You receive an explanation of the proposed surgery, recovery and longer-term donor use.
GMC reference: 7126076