Why is the FUE hair transplant technique so popular?
Over the past 10 years, the FUE procedure has involved individual follicular bundles of 1-4 hairs excised with a tiny surgical punch, usually less than 1mm in diameter. This technique avoids the typical linear donor scar from FUT strip harvesting, allowing patients to trim their hair very short on the sides and back of the scalp, which is popular with younger men.
FUE immediately post-op and 7 days post-op
FUE is a slightly more comfortable procedure because no long incision or sutures are required. The donor area heals faster and is often not detectable in 7-10 days after surgery.
What is the downside of FUE?
FUE surgery is more taxing on the surgeon and staff since each follicle is individually excised and requires great attention for hours to harvest each graft safely. FUT donor strip harvesting removes a large area of hair-bearing tissue quickly, and the area is then sutured closed while the technicians dissect the individual grafts under a microscope.
Also, in larger FUE cases the scalp needs to be shaved since the incisions need to be safely spaced to avoid any visible scarring. FUT requires a more condensed area that is removed and then the hair from above and below is brought together and the fine scar is covered by the hair above. This is why women and older men who have no desire for a short hair cut in the back of the head prefer FUT in most cases.
The Good News!
Regardless if a patient elects to have FUE or FUT the transplant hair result in the bald or thinning area is the same. Once the hair is harvested, the procedure is identical, and grafts are placed in a pattern replicating your original hair growth and look completely natural.
Can You Do a No-Shave FUE?
Yes, for patients with smaller areas to cover or who need ultimate discretion because of personal sensitivity or highly visible positions, a no-shave FUE can be performed. As a result, the patient may need more procedures to achieve their ultimate cosmetic goal.
Although all hair transplants require some shaving or haircutting, to safely remove the hair follicles from the donor area, the surgeon needs to cut the hair very short so only the bristles remain and help guide the surgeon when making the incision. If the patient has enough hair length, the surgical team can lift the hair in the donor region and trim only the area needed for harvesting. After surgery, the patient can then comb the hair back down to cover the shaved area. This is almost always done when female patients have FUE.