The Process of FUE Hair Transplant

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is a hair transplant method that moves healthy hair follicles from one part of your own scalp to areas that are thinning or bald. The follicles are usually taken from the back and sides of the scalp, where hair tends to resist balding.

The procedure is performed by a hair restoration surgeon, typically as outpatient surgery under local anesthesia, sometimes with mild sedation. Results depend heavily on skill, so it is crucial to choose an experienced, qualified surgeon.

Unlike the older strip method (FUT), FUE removes follicles one at a time. It leaves tiny dot scars instead of a linear scar, and recovery is usually faster than with FUT. In this post, after speaking with Parsa Mohebi, we are confident to discuss FUE in detail to help you make an informed decision about it.

Who Can Use FUE Hair Transplant?

A good candidate has stable hair loss and enough healthy donor hair. Possible candidates include:

• Men with male pattern baldness, the most common reason for a transplant
• Some women, such as those with hair loss from traction, injury or a male-pattern thinning pattern
• A patient who has lost hair due to scalp injury or burns

However, it is worth noting that not all people can get a hair transplant even if they have a problem that requires it. The procedure may not be ideal for the following persons:

• Persons who don’t have enough donor hair to move.
• Persons whose hair loss is caused by an untreated medical condition, or hair loss that is still changing quickly.
• Individuals who form thick and fibrous scars, such as keloids, after surgeries.
• Women with diffuse thinning across the whole scalp.

FUE Hair Transplant Procedure

Here is what you can expect when on your FUE hair transplant procedure.

Design

First, the surgeon will design the hairline, keeping the existing hairline and your expectations in mind. The design will include the estimated number of grafts required to create a natural looking hairline.

Anesthesia

The surgical team numbs the donor and recipient areas with local anesthesia, so you should feel little pain during the transplant. Some clinics also offer mild sedation.

Extraction

The surgeon removes individual follicular units of one to a few hairs from the donor area using a tiny punch. The grafts are counted and kept moist until they are placed.

Site Making

The surgeon makes tiny incisions in the thinning areas. The angle and direction of these sites help the new hair grow in a natural direction.

Implantation

The surgeon or team carefully places the follicles in the recipient sites and makes sure they match the angle and curvature of your existing hair.

A session can take several hours, depending on how many grafts are moved. FUE does not need stitches; the tiny donor wounds heal on their own. Your doctor may cover the scalp with bandages or gauze for a short time.

Some patients need more than one session for the fullness they want. Sessions are usually spaced several months apart to allow healing.

How Much Does FUE Hair Transplant Cost?

The cost of FUE hair transplant procedure varies from one clinic to another. Typically, the cost is affected by different factors, including:

• The experience of the surgeon/doctor
• The level of the patient’s baldness
• The work that needs to be done
• Type of FUE hair transplant to be used

What to Expect after FUE Hair Transplant Procedure

Most patients have some soreness and swelling of the scalp after the procedure, which is normal. Your doctor may prescribe or recommend:

• Anti-inflammatory medicines to help keep swelling down.
• Painkillers
• Antibiotics in some cases, to reduce the risk of infection.

Most people feel well within a day or two, but you may want a few days off work while swelling and redness settle.

It is normal for the transplanted hairs to fall out within the first few weeks. New growth usually starts after about three months, and full results take many months.

Hair transplants don’t stop ongoing hair loss in the rest of your scalp. Your doctor may suggest medicines such as minoxidil or prescription finasteride to help keep the hair you have.

Complications Associated FUE Hair Transplant

Most side effects are mild and go away on their own, but you should know about them. These effects include:

• Bleeding
• Swelling of the scalp and forehead
• Itching
• Numbness near the treatment site
• Temporary shedding of transplanted or nearby hair
• Bruising around the eyes
• Infection or inflamed hair follicles (folliculitis)
• Scarring or poor graft growth

Call your doctor if you have spreading redness, pus, fever or pain that gets worse.

What is the Long-term Look?

Generally, if the FUE hair transplant procedure is successful, the hair will start growing naturally in the treated areas. The hair may appear less or more dense depending on the density of follicles used, hair curl, scalp laxity, and your hair quality. Please discuss the expected results with the doctor before you begin the treatment.

Sources

• Hair Replacement Surgery/Hair Transplant, Cleveland Clinic
• Complications in follicular unit excision hair transplantation: current evidence and practical approaches, Frontiers in Medicine (PMC)