FUE Hair Transplant

How FUE Works, Step by Step

FUE is a two-step procedure. First, donor follicles are extracted one at a time from the back and sides of the scalp (the safe zone, where hair is genetically resistant to balding). Second, recipient channels are made in the thinning or bald area and the grafts are placed into them at the correct angle, depth and direction.

• Step 1 — Donor area trimmed to 1–2 mm and anaesthetised locally
• Step 2 — Each graft (containing 1–4 hairs) extracted with a 0.7–1.0 mm punch
• Step 3 — Grafts stored in chilled holding solution to maximise survival
• Step 4 — Recipient channels created at the planned hairline and density
• Step 5 — Grafts implanted one by one, each at the planned angle and direction
• Step 6 — Bandaging, photos, post-op instructions, and overnight recovery

Why FUE Replaced FUT for Most Cases

FUT — the older "strip" method — removes a single ribbon of donor scalp and leaves a permanent linear scar. FUE removes follicles one by one and leaves only pinpoint scars that are invisible at any haircut length above about 3 mm. For nearly all aesthetic cases, this is the right trade-off.

FUT can still be appropriate when very large graft counts are needed in a single session, or when the donor density is too low for FUE to be efficient. Our intake assessment will tell you which is the right fit for your specific case.

What Determines a Great Result

Three variables drive every outcome:

• Hairline design — the macro-geometry and micro-irregularity of the front line
• Graft survival — protected by short out-of-body times and atraumatic placement
• Density gradient — single-hair grafts at the front line, multi-hair grafts behind

The Day of Surgery

You arrive in the morning, are checked in by the patient co-ordinator, and meet the surgeon for a final hairline review and design approval. Local anaesthesia takes 30 minutes to take effect, after which the procedure is comfortable. Most patients listen to music, watch a film, or doze through the central hours.

You leave the same day with a custom protective cap, written aftercare instructions, the first set of medications, and a personal contact for anything that comes up overnight.

Recovery — A Realistic Timeline

Crusts form around each graft within 48 hours. They begin softening on day 4 with the first wash and fall off naturally between days 8 and 14. The transplanted hairs themselves shed at week 2–4 (this is the expected shock-loss phase — the follicle remains under the skin). New growth emerges from month 3, density builds visibly through months 6–12, and the final result is judged at 12–18 months.