Follicular unit extraction also known as FUE is a fairly new procedure in hair transplant methods. Published after 7 years of research this new method has been developed so that the extraction of hair from the donor area can be achieved without a linear incision. This breakthrough was very similar to other minimal invasive surgeries such as operations on the stomach and intestine and has proven to increase recovery time from other techniques as well as minimising other risks involved with surgery.

So why choose FUE? Well after discussing with your surgeon whether or not this technique is suitable for you there are many advantages to choosing FUE. With moderate sized procedures it leaves hardly visible scars on the donor area once completely healed and during the post operative period there are hardly any restrictions placed on the patient. Patients rarely report pain after the operation either on the excision area, so all areas of the head can be cleaned as they need to be, so all wounds can be kept clean at all times. Also within one week after an FUE donation there will be a layer of hair the length of a beard that ensures the donor excisions are hardly visible on the scalp.


The FUE technique however is very specialist and is a hard task for physician and surgeons to perform. It takes a skilled professional to decide whether or not FUE will be successful on individuals as the treatment is not ideal for everyone. Overall though, patient's reactions to follicular unit extraction have been positive and demand for this surgery has notably grown in recent years. However when deciding on which clinic to use for such treatment it is worth searching around and not being afraid to ask surgeons on how much experience they have with FUE, as done incorrectly or without experienced surgeons can result in it failing.

The best extractions occur when the entire follicle unit is removed intact including the bulb and the dermal papillae. The more of the unit that is kept intact the more chance the growth potential, if the outer root sheath is left untouched and some fat remains below the bulb, you can presume the unit was taken without damage. If some of the outer root is damaged, you can expect there to be an impact on the re-growth of the transplant. So in summary, for best results for this surgery the skill is in being able to remove suitable donor hair that will grow after it's moved.