Contraindications of Strip Surgery?

Dear Dr. Rassman,

What are some possible contraindications in a strip surgery?

Also, is there any difference in the end cosmetic quality between FUE and strip? For example, would there be any difference in transplanted densities between the two?

Finally, if I were to get an FUE procedure done, would I most likely be able to shave my head later without noticeable “dot scarring”. I read on another forum that FUE creates a “confluence of scarring” where the tiny dot scars seem to merge into one another to create a big scar. Can you possibly clarify this?

Thanks

See the recent post, Is an FUE Procedure a Less Successful Hair Transplant?, which shows that if the quality of the extracted grafts are good, the end result will be the same for FUE or traditional strip surgery. Many FUE grafts are less than ideal, so there might be a difference if the extracted grafts are not perfect. ‘Dot’ scars may or may not be visible with a shaved scalp (razor shave). If your healing is good and the punch size is very small (0.9mm or less), the ‘dots’ may not be visible unless you look very closely. A short hair clipping (1/4 inch length) will not generally show ‘dots’.