Hair Transplants - Follicular Unit Extraction

The second of the principal hair transplant techniques is known as Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). The FUE technique has become an increasingly popular technique in recent years as the equipment used for the surgery has improved. How does this technique differ from Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)?

To start with, the surgeon will shave down the donor area completely so they are able to see the individual hair follicles clearly. They will then proceed to extract each individual graft with a punch. The punch sizes vary from 0.8-1.0mm typically. In some difficult cases a wider punch might be needed to extract the grafts. the surgeon will drill each individual graft for extraction and then a technician will remove the graft as the surgeon moves onto the next graft. These grafts are then placed in a holding solution to keep them hydrated. A typical session could see up to 2000 grafts extracted to then be reimplanted into the donor areas.

Each graft could have anywhere between 1-4 hairs and these are then strategically placed around the recipient area to create the best looking result. As with FUT the surgeon will create the incisions for the grafts to be implanted into to. This is where the experience and artistry of the surgeon and his team are key. 

The end result leaves the patient will small dot scars on the donor area. These scars are small and tend to not be visible unless you have the area completely shaved down. FUE also tends to be a more expensive surgery due to it being more labour intensive for the surgeon.