What is FUT / FUSS (the strip technique)?
FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation), also called FUSS (Follicular Unit Strip Surgery) or the strip technique, is a hair-transplant method in which a narrow strip of hair-bearing skin is removed from the donor area —the occipital region, between the ears—, whose follicles are genetically programmed not to fall. That strip is closed with a fine suture, and the follicular units are dissected out of it under a microscope before being reimplanted one by one into the areas of loss.
The difference from FUE is not in what gets implanted but in how it is harvested: FUE extracts follicle by follicle and leaves no linear scar; FUT removes a strip and leaves a fine linear scar that stays hidden under the hair. In exchange, FUT yields the largest number of viable grafts in a single operation and often preserves follicles better, because they are dissected in plain view under magnification rather than blindly.
Techniques used by Dr. Arístides Arellano
There is no "best" technique in the abstract: there is a correct technique for your case, and choosing it is the surgical decision that weighs most on the result. FUT is one of several tools, indicated when the goal is to maximise graft numbers.
- FUT / FUSS (strip technique): the method on this page. Maximum grafts per session, follicular dissection under microscope and a hidden linear scar. The first choice in extensive baldness.
- Manual FUE: follicle-by-follicle extraction, no linear scar, ideal for those who want to wear their hair very short. See the full hair-transplant guide.
- ARTAS iX robotic transplant: AI-assisted FUE, with constant precision and lower transection in long sessions. See the ARTAS iX system.
- Long Hair FUE and beard, moustache and eyebrow transplant: further variants assessed case by case.
How is it performed?
FUT is an outpatient operation under local anaesthesia, lasting 4 to 8 hours depending on graft count. The patient is awake and comfortable. First the surgeon designs the hairline and sets the strategy; then a narrow strip is removed from the occipital donor area and closed with a fine suture —often a trichophytic closure— so hair grows through the scar and conceals it. The strip is handed to a team that dissects the follicular units one by one under a microscope, keeping them alive in solution. Finally the recipient sites are opened —setting the angle, direction and density of each hair— and the units are implanted.
Like any hair-transplant surgery, FUT has a shock-loss phase between weeks two and six: the transplanted hair falls out, the follicle stays alive, and new hair begins to emerge around the third or fourth month. The definitive result is judged at 12 months. All surgery carries risk and requires a prior medical assessment. Results may vary according to each patient, their anatomy and their individual healing process.
Who is a good candidate?
- Patients with extensive baldness (advanced androgenetic alopecia) who need a high number of grafts and want them in a single session.
- People whose donor area yields more by strip than by follicle-by-follicle extraction, something determined with HairMetrix hair diagnosis.
- Those who do not need to wear their nape hair very short, since the linear scar —though fine— shows if the donor area is shaved.
- Patients in good health, with realistic expectations and no known tendency to hypertrophic scars or keloids, assessed case by case.
Recommended aftercare treatments
Care of the linear donor-area scar is what sets FUT recovery apart from FUE. The suture is protected, tension and strenuous exercise are avoided in the first weeks, and once the scar has matured, measures can be used to improve its texture. In patients with a history of problematic scarring, precautions are taken from day one. See the full guide: Post-surgical recovery and care.
Before and after
Most patients want to see before-and-after photographs before deciding. Out of respect for each person’s privacy, Dr. Arístides Arellano shows real cases —always with documented consent— during your in-person consultation, where you can review results from patients with a starting point similar to yours. Results may vary from patient to patient.
Approximate price
FUT has no catalogue price, and publishing one would be misleading: cost is calculated on the number of follicular units (grafts) your case requires, and FUT is chosen precisely when that number is high. One patient may need 2,000 grafts and another 4,500. It is therefore defined at the consultation, after HairMetrix diagnosis, with a clear written quote that includes the exact planned graft count. Approximate price — the definitive cost is set at your private consultation with Dr. Arístides Arellano. See the price list.
About Dr. Arístides Arellano
Dr. Arístides Arellano is a plastic surgeon holding a specialty licence: he practises under a Mexican medical licence (D.G.P. 1125959) and a specialty licence in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (0002008), both issued by the Directorate General of Professions (DGP), which reissued his certificate of professional standing in 2025. His career began before Mexico’s present-day specialty-board system existed: he belongs to the founding generation of plastic surgery in Puebla, the second generation of a surgical tradition started in 1971 by Dr. Francisco Arellano Ocampo. Trust is verified, not promised: both licences are public and anyone can look them up in the DGP’s National Registry of Professionals.
Related patient guide
Because FUT is chosen precisely when a high graft count is needed, it helps to understand how that number is estimated: How many grafts do I need? A hair-transplant guide, from the series reviewed by Dr. Arístides Arellano.
Trust is verified, not promised. All 210 scanned documents —degree, licences, diplomas, publications and certificates, from 1977 to 2025— are open in Dr. Arístides Arellano’s credential archive, alongside an explanation of the difference between a specialty licence and a board certification.
Recovery · step by step
- Days 1–3Mild swelling; sleep semi-upright. The donor-area suture is protected and not touched.
- Days 7–10Recipient-area crusts fall. The donor suture is usually removed around day 10–14.
- Weeks 2–6Shock loss: the transplanted hair falls out. Normal and expected; the follicle stays alive.
- Months 3–4New hair starts to emerge, fine at first, and thickens over the months.
- Month 6Visible result; around 60% of the hair has emerged. The linear scar matures and fades.
- Months 12–18Definitive result. This —not before— is when the surgery is judged; the crown can take up to 18.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between FUT and FUE?
The difference is in how the hair is harvested, not in what is implanted. FUE extracts follicles one by one and leaves no linear scar, but yields fewer grafts per session. FUT removes a strip of donor skin and leaves a fine linear scar hidden under the hair, and in exchange allows the largest number of grafts in a single operation. The right technique is chosen at the consultation.
Does FUT leave a scar?
Yes, it leaves a fine linear scar in the occipital donor area, hidden under the hair when worn at normal length. With a careful closure —often trichophytic— hair grows through the scar and conceals it. It shows if the nape is shaved, so it is not the best option for anyone who wants to wear their hair very short.
When is FUT better than FUE?
FUT is preferable when a high number of grafts is needed in a single session, typically in extensive baldness, or when the donor area yields more by strip than by follicle-by-follicle extraction. FUE suits those who want to avoid the linear scar or wear their hair very short. The decision is made with the hair diagnosis.
How much does FUT cost in Puebla?
There is no single price: cost is calculated by the number of follicular units your case requires, and FUT is chosen precisely when that number is high. One patient may need 2,000 grafts and another 4,500. It is set at the consultation, after the hair diagnosis, with a written quote including the exact planned graft count.
Is FUT-transplanted hair permanent?
Yes. Hair is taken from the occipital donor area, whose follicles are genetically programmed not to fall, and it keeps that genetic memory once relocated. That is why it grows for life. What can keep falling is the native, non-transplanted hair, which is why the medical containment plan is part of the treatment.
Does FUT hurt?
It is performed under local anaesthesia: you feel the initial application and then pressure, not pain. The patient is awake during surgery and can rest, eat or listen to music. Later discomfort in the donor area is mild and controlled with simple analgesics.
How long until I see FUT results?
There is a visible result at around 6 months, when roughly 60% of the hair has emerged. The definitive result is judged at 12 months, and on the crown it can take up to 18. Before that, shock loss occurs between weeks two and six, which is normal and expected. Results may vary from patient to patient.
Every case is different. Discuss yours in a personal consultation.
Book a consultation on WhatsAppEvery figure published on this site is approximate and is not a quote. Any procedure or treatment first requires a private assessment consultation with Dr. Arístides Arellano —$800 MXN, charged separately— and it is at that consultation that the definitive cost of your case is determined.
Educational content; it does not replace a medical consultation. Results may vary from person to person.