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As one of the few docs who does FUE routinely in my practice, I think it is interesting that all sorts of new methods for automating the process are being introduced. There have been many iterations of these machines and while none has yet panned out perfectly, I do see some hope on the horizon! For those of you who are novices to the idea here is a comparison of the two techniques;

TRADITION! The traditional FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) or “Strip” technique takes a thin strip of hair from the back and sides of your head. The two sides are brought back together leaving a thin line typically 1-2mm wide as the scar. Often, a “trichophytic closure” is used which allows the hair to grow through the scar, rendering the scar all but invisible. This scar is typically visible only if you buzz your hair shorter than a #2 on a pair of standard clippers (or if you shave your head with a razor.) It is typically NOT visible if you cut the hair at a #3 on clippers (or if you leave it even longer). This goes for wet and dry hair I find. Read the Story

This question was originally answered by Dr. Bradley Wolf on April 8, 2008. Below are Dr. Alan Feller’s comments for this same question.

To date, all FUE is essentially the same. That is, the follicular bundle is first targeted. Then the doctor scores around it with a punch or punch like tool. Then a forcepts is used to grab and pull the graft free of the lower layers of tissue that anchor it in. In theory, that would be it and all would be well. However, reality places certain limitations and obstacles in our way.

No matter which “form” of technique used, the current day FUE practitioner must subject his FUE grafts to THREE major detrimental forces:
1: Torsion (twisting)
2. Compression (Squeezing)
3. Traction (pulling)

If not for these three destructive forces, FUE would have replaced strip surgery as the mainstream method of surgical hair restoration in 2002. Read the Story