Are they limited to beard hair only?
Follicles for beard transplantation are typically taken from the back of the scalp, in an area known as the donor site. This region, often referred to as the occipital area, is chosen because it has hair follicles that are genetically resistant to balding and tend to be more robust. The process involves extracting individual hair follicles from the donor site and transplanting them to the desired areas of the beard.
There are two main techniques for follicle extraction:
- Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE): In this method, individual hair follicles are removed directly from the donor area using a small, punch-like instrument. This technique leaves minimal scarring and has a shorter recovery time.
- Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT): Also known as the strip method, this technique involves removing a small strip of scalp tissue from the donor area. The strip is then dissected into individual follicular units, which are transplanted to the beard area. This method can result in a linear scar at the donor site but can yield a larger number of grafts in a single session.
The choice of technique depends on various factors, including the patient’s specific needs, the surgeon’s recommendation, and the amount of hair available in the donor area.
