subject: Hair Transplant- What Technique Should You Choose? [print this page] What technique should I choose for hair transplantation? FUE, FUT or Dr Bhatti"s "FLUTE COMBO" ?
What is Dr Bhatti"s "FLUTE COMBO" TECHNIQUE" ?
Dr Tejinder Bhatti is famous for innovations in the filed of hair restoration surgery. Since he promises only results and not techniques to his clients, he is neither an "FUE alone" dermatologist or "FUT alone" plastic surgeon, but takes pride in being a "Hair Transplantation alone" plastic surgeon.
After years of training at the best centers the world over, he has accomplished hundreds of successful hair transplants and has recently set up the most advanced hair transplantation laboratory in North India. His happy clients from across the globe bear testimony to his technique due to their natural, pleasing and superior results.
His technique, called the "FLUTE COMBO", devised using his own specially designed instrumentation carries the good points of both the techniques to give the best combination to his clients. ("FL"- follicular; "U"- unit; "T"- transfer; "E"- and extraction)
FUT, unlike the hype in media, is the most advance single procedure today in hair transplantation and is done by over 95% of leading hair transplant clinics in the USA. In India, the TOP 5 hair transplant plastic surgeons do the FUT method (www.ahrsindia.com) . FUE, on the other hand, is the oldest method, renamed due to commercial compulsions as FUE- just like old wine in a new bottle. The punch technique has been in vogue in dermatologic practice for more than a century.
Highlights of Dr Tejinder Bhatti"s "FLUTE COMBO" TECHNIQUE-
For less than 1500 grafts, Dr Tejinder Bhatti does the FUE technique since with such less grafts, the back hair does not look less dense.
For 1500- 5500, he prefers the FUT in the first stage and FUE as a top up with variations in technique.
There are hardly any scars with FUT and "FLUTE COMBO".When FUE is done for a large area, the hair at the back gets sparse and looks good only with a buzz cut. With a FUT (strip) the scar is hardly visible as a fine line if the procedure has been done by an experienced plastic surgeon.
Dermatologists and some plastic surgeons who do not devote all their time to hair transplant surgery, seldom like the FUT method since-
1.They may not be trained in superior advanced plastic surgical techniques.
2.They cannot invest heavily in the hair laboratory required for the FUT and "FLUTE COMBO" method since their practice does not have space for a single procedure like hair transplantation.
3.They are not "Hair Transplant alone" plastic surgeons and are more busy with other procedures and leave the work of graft harvest and plantation to their staff since FUE can be done by non-medical staff due to the simplicity of the procedure.
4.FUT and "FLUTE COMBO" method requires a minimum of 8 highly trained medical staff members, whereas FUE requires just 3.
Advantages of FUT method ("FLUTE COMBO") over FUE Punch Technique
Points FUT or Dr Bhatti"s "FLUTE COMBO"FUE or Punch technique
Preferred byMostly preferred by Plastic Surgeons who do only hair transplants. Over 90% of the world"s top centers prefer the FUT technique or its variants. In India, the TOP 5 plastic surgeons doing hair transplants perform the FUT technique (www.ahrsindia.com)Mostly preferred by Dermatologists and Plastic Surgeons who do other procedures too while the technicians harvest and place the punched out tissue.
PainNone- since the harvesting procedure lasts just 30 minutes, the effect of anaesthesia cannot wear off in such a short timeThe metallic punching procedure lasts 5-7 hours and requires repeated injections of anaesthetic agents to prevent pain
ScarEvery procedure carries a scar. However, a plastic surgeon by virtue of his training can hide it better. The scar is hardly seen even in a short cut. Most bad scars shown on websites to deter patients from FUT technique are those which had been performed by non- plastic surgeonsSince there are multiple holes leaving hair in 1:2 ratio, your back hair gets 50% less dense. This becomes very noticeable when more than 1500 grafts are required to be harvested. It is unlike the FUT method where your density is maintained just like before the procedure. If you compare the length of a scar needed for say 1500 grafts- In FUT the length is 700mm. In case you take the length of 1500 punches combined, it adds up to 1800 mm (taking an average punch diameter as 1.2 mm). So, quantitatively you get a 2.5 times greater amount of scar tissue with the FUE technique.
People like to have a buzz cut (short cut) after FUE to make the sparse hair less noticeable. However it is advertised that people who prefer to have a buzz cut go in for FUE! Then why get a hair transplant done at all?
Is the Doctor with you all the time?Since only the plastic surgeon and not a technician can harvest the FUT strip, the doctor remains with you all through the procedure.In most centers, since the punching is technically simpler, the punch bores are made by technicians while the doctor is busy with consultations, laser treatment, peels, etc.
ResultsThe grafts are sent to the center"s laboratory where a 6 member team prepares the grafts painstakingly under 25-50 times magnification. (Please visit Dr Bhatti"s laboratory to see for yourself).There is no laboratory in FUE. The physician uses bare minimum equipment and magnification. Most non-plastic surgeons get a headache while using magnification over 2X.
Loss of precious donor hair ("daylight heist")No grafts lost. Your precious donor site is shown maximum respect and is preserved for future use.Since it is a blind harvesting technique, upto 30-50% graft transection takes place with FUE technique. Since you have only a limited donor site, this can spell doom for future efforts when you reach a plastic surgeon to revise your poor result.
CostIt is ironic that FUT or Dr Bhatti"s "FLUTE COMBO" are better techniques but are more affordableA premium is added to the cost since the cost of marketing required for FUE is heavy
DensityThe best density is obtained since all the donor hair are available 100% for adding to densityThe precious donor site gets depleted and value additions are not possible at a later date even by a plastic surgeon
In BriefYou get a plastic surgeon to personally do a better job with a technique which has withstood the test of time, with minimal scar, showing utmost respect to your valuable donor site at the same cost as lesser qualified doctors and plastic surgeons
