What is the FUSS technique?
The FUSS (Follicular Unit Strip Surgery) technique, also known as strip micrografting, is a surgical procedure used to perform hair transplants. In fact, it is the most performed technique worldwide.
It is a procedure performed under local anesthesia and on an outpatient basis, which allows natural results to be obtained, because the specialist inserts the follicular units following the natural orientation of the patient’s hair.
Why is it performed?
The FUSS technique is performed on patients with large areas of alopecia, because this technique allows more follicular units to be obtained and grafted. In addition, it requires fewer sessions to obtain good results, so the economic cost is also lower.
What does it consist of?
The hair graft performed with the FUSS technique consists of extracting follicular units by means of a strip of scalp from the occipital area, that is to say, from the nape of the neck. Once the strip is extracted, the hair is separated from the strip, preparing it for implantation. After this process, microincisions are made in the scalp of the recipient area and then proceed to the implantation of each follicular unit.
The FUSS Technique surgery, which usually lasts between 3 and 5 hours, is performed on an outpatient basis, so that after the intervention, the patient can go home without the need for hospitalization. In any case, the surgical procedure is painless, which is why it is performed under local anesthesia.
The area from which the follicular units are extracted is closed using the cosmetic surgery suture technique and, after fifteen days, these sutures are removed. In some cases, there may be minimal scarring in this area.
Preparation for the FUSS technique
The preoperative period for this surgical procedure includes a series of preliminary tests and special care, as well as an evaluation to decide the most appropriate treatment in each case.
Care after the operation
After the operation, the surgeon checks all the implanted grafts. In addition, he provides postoperative instructions to the patient.
In this sense, after the intervention, the patient must follow a series of cares, such as resting for a few days and doing the postoperative controls indicated by the surgeon.
Alternatives to this treatment
There is another alternative treatment, known as the FUE technique, which consists of extracting the follicles individually from the donor area without the need for sutures and without leaving scars.