Hair Transplant Surgery (FUE)
Hair Transplant Surgery(FUE)
A hair transplant is a surgical procedure that involves moving healthy hair follicles from areas of the scalp where hair is thicker (typically the back or sides of the head) to areas where hair is thinning or completely absent, often the front or top of the head. It's a popular solution for those dealing with male pattern baldness, female hair thinning, or even scarring alopecia.
What Is FUE Hair Transplant?
FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) is a minimally invasive hair transplant technique where individual hair follicles are taken from a donor area (usually the back of your scalp) and transplanted to areas with thinning or no hair (like the hairline or crown).
Unlike the older FUT method, FUE leaves no linear scar, has faster healing, and a more natural result
How It Works: Step-by-Step
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Donor Area Selection
Typically the back or sides of the scalp — where hair is genetically resistant to balding. -
Follicle Extraction
A tiny punch tool (usually <1mm) is used to individually extract healthy hair follicles. -
Graft Preparation
The extracted follicles are cleaned, sorted, and prepped for implantation. -
Recipient Site Creation
Micro-incisions are made in the target area following the natural angle and direction of hair growth. -
Implantation
Each follicle is carefully placed to ensure natural density and aesthetics.
Benefits of FUE Hair Transplant
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Natural-looking results
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No visible scarring
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Quick recovery time
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Permanent hair growth
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Can be used to restore hairline, beard, eyebrows, sideburns, etc.
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Ideal for people with short hairstyles
Recovery & Results Timeline
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1–3 days: Mild swelling, soreness
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7–10 days: Scabs fall off, healing complete
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1–3 months: Transplanted hair may shed (totally normal)
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4–6 months: New hair begins to grow
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9–12 months: Full visible results, thicker, permanent hair
Is There Any Downtime?
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Minimal — most people return to normal activities within 2–5 days
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Avoid heavy workouts, sweating, or sun exposure for the first week
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Sleep with head elevated for the first few nights
Your doctor will do a full scalp assessment to recommend the right number for you.
Cost Range
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Varies based on location, clinic, and number of grafts
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Usually priced per graft
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FUE is more time-consuming, so typically costs more than FUT
Aftercare Essentials
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Use gentle shampoo after 3–5 days (as per surgeon’s advice)
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No scratching, rubbing, or direct water pressure on the scalp
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Avoid alcohol, smoking, and supplements that thin the blood
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Follow prescribed antibiotics and anti-inflammatory meds
Is FUE Right for You?
Ideal if:
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You have enough donor hair
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Your hair loss is stable
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You want a scar-free procedure
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You’re seeking a natural look
Not ideal if:
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You have very advanced baldness with poor donor density
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You’re still experiencing aggressive hair loss (you might need to stabilize it first)
FAQ
1. Is a FUE hair transplant permanent?
Yes, a FUE hair transplant is permanent. In general, hair grafts transplanted during FUE by an experienced hair surgeon skilled in FUE should survive in most cases. However, if grafts were not chosen correctly in the safe donor area, those grafts may fail over time. Further, if grafts were taken that were miniaturizing, that is, susceptible to hair loss, by mistake, those grafts would also most likely not survive.
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2. Do I have to shave my head for FUE?
Yes, in most cases, but not always. Shaved FUE is the most common way of performing the procedure. Non-shaved FUE may be performed in select cases but requires much more labor and time and is usually charged at a higher price.
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3. Is FUT cheaper than FUE?
Usually, FUT is cheaper than FUE because FUT requires less surgeon labor to perform. However, with the onset of the “black market” where unlicensed technicians are performing the surgery, there may be cases where FUE may be less expensive than FUT. However, remember always that you get what you pay for, and ruining your donor area is an irreversible problem and irreplaceable source.
4. What is the failure rate of FUE?
With modern instrumentation and the experience of a qualified surgeon, the failure rate is very low. However, with newer surgeons or with black market cases with unlicensed individuals performing the surgery, failure rates can be much higher.
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5. Does FUE look natural?
In qualified hands, FUE should look very natural. Remember that FUE and FUT are only tools for donor harvesting. The naturalness of the result has also a lot to do with how the hairline is designed, how the recipient sites are angled and distributed, and how the grafts are placed atraumatically with the direction of the hair curl and with the right-sized grafts placed into the right sites.
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6. Does the donor area for FUE grow back?
No. Donor hair, once removed, is gone forever. This is why the judicious use of donor hair with the intent of always having enough hair for future use defines the parameters of safe hair surgery.
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