FUE – Follicular Unit Extraction Hair Transplant
Undetectable results, minimal scarring and discomfort
The evolution of hair restoration that has occurred over the last 25 years is staggering. We have proven and safe medical treatments that can stop or reverse hair loss in many patients and modern hair transplantation has advanced to the point that when performed well by the experienced team at the Follicle HT Clinic, the results can be both astonishing and undetectable.
The hair used in a follicular unit transplant is your own and it will continue to grow naturally and can be washed, brushed, cut, colored and styled just like any naturally occurring hair.
When examined under a microscope, hair can be seen to grow in natural groupings that generally contain between one and four hairs. These natural groupings are called follicular units (FU’s). At Follicle HT, we achieve completely natural-looking results that are generally permanent by using exclusively single follicular unit grafts.
Follicular Unit Extraction or FUE is a minimally invasive technique for harvesting hair follicles from the safe donor areas at the back and sides of the scalp. By using state of the art technology including specialized hybrid punches measuring less than 1mm in diameter, we are able to safely extract thousands of follicles with extremely low rates of transection. For most patients, FUE is associated with minimal discomfort and downtime and yields results that are totally natural and virtually undetectable.
Hair loss can be a harrowing experience and can result in a loss of confidence. We view hair transplantation as a freedom granting procedure that restores not just hair, but self-confidence.
Ideal candidate for an FUE hair transplant
The time to consider a hair transplant is when you look in the mirror, or at a photograph of yourself, and the hairline that you see does not reflect the way that you feel or the image of yourself that you wish to project to the world. Both men and women who have visible hair loss, are generally healthy, and in whom there is no underlying medical condition requiring further investigation or treatment are candidates for hair transplantation.
While FUE surgery does leave tiny scars in the donor area, at Follicle HT Toronto, FUE is preferred by approximately 80% of our male patients because it is minimally invasive and does and not leave a linear scar. This generally allows one to cut the hair at the back and sides of the scalp short, or even shave without issues of donor scar visibility.
How it works
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) refers to a technique of harvesting donor follicles from the back and sides of the scalp for transplantation to the hairline and other areas. With the FUE technique, follicles are removed one by one using a small punch. The donor sites are so small that they do not require stitches, but rather heal over on their own within a few days.
At Follicle HT, we do not use automated or robotic extraction systems. Our surgeons and highly experienced expert team extract each and every follicle by hand for maximum precision. Once the follicular units have been harvested, we utilize microsurgical instrumentation and high magnification to place the grafts into the hairline and the areas of the scalp or face that are bald or thinning.
Donor area preparation
Once in the procedure room, the donor area at the back and sides of the scalp will be carefully trimmed and prepared. If you are having an FUT procedure, only a narrow strip of hair is trimmed. If you are having an FUE procedure, a larger area will be prepared.
Anesthesia
Next, you will be positioned face down, on something similar to a massage table, and local freezing will be administered. Hair transplantation is performed under local freezing and not a general anesthetic, so our patients rarely require an intravenous. This part of the procedure can be associated with some discomfort, but almost all patients report that this is minor.
Harvesting the grafts
Once the scalp is fully anesthetized, the surgeon and his team proceed with the harvesting the grafts. This precise and painstaking process is performed under magnification in order to ensure that each delicate hair follicle is selected and extracted with maximal precision. If you are having an FUT procedure, the donor area will be carefully sutured using our “trichophytic” technique that encourages hairs to grow directly through the scar in order to minimize visibility. If you are having an FUE procedure, no stitches are necessary as the donor sites are less than one millimeter in diameter and will heal over by themselves withing a few days.
Recipient site creation
Once the grafts have been harvested and as our team prepares them for implantation, the doctor will administer freezing to the recipient areas where the follicles are to be placed. Once again, this can be associated with a few minutes of relatively minor discomfort. After this has been completed, your surgeon will personally create the recipient sites that will define your new hairline. This is where the artistry of the procedure, the skill and experience of your surgeon come into play, where we mimic the natural angulation of hair growth in order to create total naturalness.
Recipient site creation tool
There are number of different instruments to create a recipient site to receive the follicle unit transplants. One of them is to use 20 gage hypodermic needle, that creates 0.9mm recipient site, which is ideal for the single follicle unit grafts previously harvested.
Implanting the follicular units
After the hairline has been created, the team will spend the next several hours meticulously implanting the follicular units one by one into the recipient sites that have been created by the surgeon. At Follicle HT, we use a combination of pre-made sites and “stick and place” techniques that allow for maximal precision, fine tuning, and micro-adjustments along the way to ensure a totally natural final result.
View more details about your hair transplant journey
Benefits of FUE hair transplantation
Enjoy a permanent solution to your hair loss problem
When performing FUE surgery, we select follicles from the “permanent donor area” at the back and sides of the scalp. This means that the transplanted hairs are expected to grow as they did in their original location for the rest of your life. For most male patients, the results of FUE hair transplantation are permanent.
Minimal Downtime
The FUE procedure is minimally invasive with no linear scar at the back of the scalp and no need for sutures. The donor sites are less than 1mm and generally heal over within 2-3 days with minimal discomfort.
No Linear Scar
FUE surgery is sometimes marketed as a “no cut” or “no scalpel technique” which in our opinion is potentially misleading to patients. While it is true that FUE does not involve a long, linear incision and does not require stitches, it does leave very tiny scars that in some patients, can be visible if the hair is cut very short or shaved. In most patients however, the hair in the donor area can generally be cut to a fade, or even shaved with little or no visible scarring.
Improved Appearance and Self-Confidence
The goal of FUE surgery is a completely natural and undetectable result that restores not just your hairline, but your self-confidence. The transplanted hair is your own, and can be washed, cut and styled however you wish. You can swim and play sports and face the world with your old confidence.
Scar Revision and Optimization
At Follicle HT Toronto, our hair transplant physicians are board-certified in head and neck and facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. They are trained and experienced in the most advanced techniques for scar reconstruction, revision and camouflage. FUE hair transplants can be used to correct scarring of the scalp, eyebrows and moustache and beard areas and can be used to correct scarring caused by previous FUT strip surgery procedures.
In our hands, FUT strip surgery performed using trichophytic techniques generally results in a fine-line scar that is only 1-2 mm thick and is often virtually undetectable. In some cases, particularly among patients who have undergone multiple strip surgery procedures elsewhere, donor scar visibility can be an issue. At Follicle HT, we can utilize FUE techniques to transplant directly into old FUT scars in order to camouflage and conceal them. Other techniques that can be used to improve old scars may include re-excision and closure or scalp micropigmentation.
FUE Recovery Timeline
Day 1
You will leave the clinic with a light gauze dressing over the donor area. There is no dressing applied to the grafts themselves, but you will be asked to keep the recipient area clean and moist using a gentle spray bottle. There can be some minor swelling and discomfort and you will receive detailed instructions.
Day 2
The dressing will be removed from the donor area. You may have some ongoing minor discomfort, swelling and redness that can be managed with the medications that have been provided. You may go back to non-physical work and resume your regular low impact daily activities.
Day 3 to 5
You may notice that swelling peaks at this time. Some patients will notice swelling that tracks into the eyelids and cheeks and can lead to a puffy appearance. This is nothing to worry about and always resolves withing a few days. You may start gently washing your hair, following the instructions that you have received.
Day 5 to 6
Swelling will subside and only minor discomfort will remain.
Day 7 to 10
You may start washing your hair more normally, gently rubbing the grafts with your fingers to encourage any remaining scabs to fall away. You may resume light exercise.
Day 14-21
All residual scabbing and crusting will be resolved. Most of the donor hairs will have fallen away with the scabs, but the follicles are still present and dormant in the scalp. You may start to resume more strenuous exercise and swimming.
Months 3-6
You will start to see the transplanted hairs slowly growing in. Be patient!
Month 12-18
You will see the full effect of your hair transplant procedure.
WE ARE HERE TO HELP!
We encourage you to take the next step and schedule an in-person or virtual consultation with one of our surgeons so that we can discuss the hair restoration treatment plan that is right for you.
Results
The transplanted hair follicles will generally begin to grow within approximately 2-3 months and some of our patients will use medical treatments such as topical minoxidil (Rogaine) or injections in order to promote graft growth and prevent further loss of surrounding non-transplanted hair over time. Within 4-6 months, most patients will notice a significant improvement and the full effect of the transplant procedure can take 12-18 months. The transplanted hair is your own and will continue to grow for a lifetime. You can cut and style it, use product, swim, and engage in sports and other activities just like normal.
28 year old man who had 2100 follicular units by FUE. The results are about 3-4 months post-op.
38-year-old male shown following placement of approximately 3700 Follicular unit in two sessions.
32-year-old man shown approximately one year following 1800 follicular units obtained via FUT.
FAQ
How painful is FUE hair transplant surgery?
We perform hair transplantation using local freezing in a comfortable, fully accredited outpatient clinic setting. There is normally only minimal discomfort associated with our techniques and a general anesthetic is not required. Pain medication and light sedatives are given orally to ensure that any discomfort is minimized and we utilize advanced techniques of local freezing administration so most patients report that they experience only minimal pain. Most patients spend the day listening to music or podcasts, watching Netflix, or just relaxing.
How much time does FUE hair transplantation surgery take to complete?
An FUE hair transplant typically takes around 4 to 10 hours to complete depending on the number of grafts necessary. A typical session of 2000-2500 follicular units can take up to 10 hours. It is a long process, but all of our patients report that it is a comfortable and relaxing experience overall and spend the day listening to music or podcasts, watching Netflix or movies, or just relaxing. We provide lunch, snacks, and plenty of breaks throughout the process.
Is FUE hair transplant permanent?
In males, the transplanted hairs are taken from the permanent or “safe” areas at the back and sides of the scalp so the results of transplantation are generally permanent. In women, the results are also long lasting or permanent, although the donor area can be less reliable than it is in men. As time goes on, there can be ongoing loss of the surrounding non-transplanted hair so sometimes patients will return for a second procedure to catch up with progressive hair loss in the transplant area
What is the downtime after an FUE hair transplant?
We generally recommend taking at least 2-3 days off, although most patients resume taking phone calls, answering emails and doing computer work on the first post-procedure day. Some of our patients even take business calls or work on their laptops or phones during the procedure itself! Typically, within a week or so, any swelling and redness has settled down and the transplant is invisible. Light exercise and other activity may be resumed in 5-7 days and we recommend 2-3 weeks off of strenuous exercise and swimming.
What is the cost of FUE hair transplant?
The total cost involved for an FUE session depends on a number of factors including the number of follicles that will be transplanted, previous procedures, and donor and recipient site characteristics. At Follicle HT, we do not charge per graft as some large commercial clinic chains do. We encourage people to think about the procedure as a whole, and about the result that we are trying to achieve. Follicle HT is able to assist patients that are looking for financing options.
Why choose Follicle HT for your hair transplant procedure?
Ultimately, the choice of where to have your hair transplant procedure is a personal one. At Follicle HT, our objective is total patient satisfaction. We accomplish this by providing state of the art follicular unit hair transplant surgery in a comfortable, fully accredited surgical facility where we adhere to the highest standards of comfort and safety.
Dr. Korman and Dr. Solomon's ultimate goal is to achieve outstanding results for their patients. They will help you decide which specific techniques will yield the most appropriate balance of coverage, density and complete naturalness from your hair transplant. Our doctors will be personally involved in every step of your journey from initial consultation to the procedure itself.
AM I A CANDIDATE?
Our Hair Loss Self Evaluation tool can help you decide if a hair transplant is the right procedure for you.
START YOUR TRANSFORMATION TODAY
Your hair transplant journey begins with your decision to make a positive change.
At Follicle HT, our philosophy is that modern hair transplantation is a freedom granting procedure. We strive to help all our patients look and feel their very best by having the full range of options available.
Let’s open a discussion, see how we can help!