Follicular units also contain sebaceous (oil) glands, nerves, a small muscle, and occasional fine vellus hairs.
[1] FUT is considered an advance over older hair transplantation procedures that used larger grafts and often produced a pluggy, unnatural look.
The strips were then cut into smaller pieces, a process that would break up follicular units and risk additional damage to the follicles.
This can be accomplished by trimming away the excess tissue around the follicular units and then inserting them into small recipient sites on the patient's scalp.
In contrast; the larger wounds produced by mini-micrografting and plug transplants caused cosmetic problems that included dimpling and pigment changes in the skin; depression or elevation of the grafts; and a thinned, shiny look to the scalp.
After surgery, the snug fit facilitates wound healing and helps to ensure that the grafts will get enough oxygen from the surrounding tissue in order to maximize their survival.