Rogaine, the brand name of generic minoxidil, comes in formulations for both men and women. The men’s versions come in a 5% solution and a 5% foam while women’s products are the 5% foam and 2% solution. Of these, the strongest and most effective is the 5% men’s solution. This is due to the inclusion of propylene glycol, which is a vehicle that helps the active ingredient, minoxidil, to more readily penetrate the scalp. As the other products do not contain propylene glycol, they may be slightly less effective.

A hair transplant is a surgical procedure in which hair is moved from the back and/or sides of the scalp, where it is permanent (donor area), to areas that are thinning or bald on the front, top, or crown of the scalp (recipient area). Once transplanted, the hair will continue to grow for a person’s lifetime. At Bernstein Medical we perform the two most effective types of hair restoration procedures, Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). For the latter, we use new robotic technology.

Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) is a hair restoration procedure in which naturally-occurring groups of one to four hairs, called follicular units, are transplanted from the donor area to the recipient area. In FUT, after the patient’s scalp is numbed, the doctor removes a thin strip of tissue from the back and/or sides of the scalp. The donor strip is then separated into hundreds to thousands of individual follicular units using precise stereo-microscopic dissection techniques. As the follicular unit grafts are being prepared, the doctor makes tiny slits in the scalp (recipient sites), into which the grafts are placed. If well executed, the use of follicular units ensures that the transplant results will look completely natural and be undetectable. Follicular Unit Transplantation was conceived by Dr. Bernstein and first described in the medical literature in his landmark 1995 publication.

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is a method of extracting, or “harvesting,” follicular units one-by-one directly from the scalp. In FUE, an instrument is used to make small, circular incisions in the skin around follicular units, separating them from the surrounding tissue. The follicular unit is then extracted (pulled) directly from the scalp, leaving a small open hole that heals with a small white mark. This method of donor harvesting is what differentiates the FUE procedure from Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT), in which the donor hair is removed in a long strip that is dissected into individual follicular units under a stereo-microscope. The creation of recipient sites and the placing of follicular unit grafts are essentially the same in FUE and FUT procedures. The FUE technique was conceived by Dr. Ray Woods in the 1990s in Australia and was introduced into the medical literature by Rassman and Bernstein in 2002. In 2011, Dr. Bernstein began performing FUE using robotic technology, and now all FUE hair transplants at Bernstein Medical use the speed, precision, and consistency of the robotic hair transplant system.

The best way to find out is to be evaluated by a board certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon specializing in hair restoration. The answer will depend on the cause of your hair loss, your age, the stability of your donor supply, how extensive your hair loss is, your expectations and a number of other important factors that will be taken into account. Read more about Candidacy for Hair Transplant Surgery.

In general, FUT yields the most donor hair. Therefore, the procedure is best suited for more extensive hair loss and in patients where the main concern is the maximum use of one’s donor supply. The hair is maximized because of the precise nature of stereo-microscopic dissection and the fact that all the hair is harvested from the mid-portion of the permanent zone where the hair is most dense and stable. A limitation of FUT is that it leaves a line scar in the donor area. With normal styling, this is easily covered with hair, but it precludes someone from wearing their hair very short. FUE is more appropriate for patients who would like to keep their hair very short or who can’t limit strenuous activities in the post-op period. In general, younger patients who need to keep their styling options flexible choose FUE, whereas those who desire the most coverage opt for FUT. Read a detailed comparison of FUT and FUE on our FUE Pros & Cons page.

The answer may be counterintuitive in today’s age of specialization, but the answer is that you should always go to the practice that offers both. To deliver the best care, hair restoration physicians should have expertise in both Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) techniques and should offer both in their practices. There are at least five good reasons why:

1. FUT and FUE are both excellent techniques but have different indications for use
2. The same patient may benefit from both procedures
3. There is a cross-over set of skills from FUT to FUE
4. Practices that offer both procedures are usually more experienced
5. Better decision making

For a full explanation of each of these reasons, please read our Answers post on the topic.

Bernstein Medical has been on the forefront of hair restoration since Dr. Bernstein’s pioneering work on follicular unit hair transplants in 1995. As an authority in the treatment of hair loss, we are dedicated to providing the most advanced, highest quality treatments for our patients. The list below provides you with some of the best reasons to visit our state-of-the-art facility in New York City. See the full list of reasons for visiting Bernstein Medical – Center for Hair Restoration here.

Smaller sessions of FUT (less than 800 grafts) can take about 4 hours, while larger ones (2500 grafts or more) can take all day. Sometimes large sessions of FUE are split over two days. The main determinant of the length of the session depends on the number of grafts being transplanted.