Dr. Mark DiStefano has been elected to the Board of Directors for the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery & International Board of Hair Restoration Surgery (ABHRS/IBHRS).

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)

The process of Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) begins with a patient-doctor discussion to decide which areas of the head will receive the transplanted hair. An important part of this conversation is determining the patient’s expectations and making sure that they are realistic.

FUE is a new alternative to Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT). Although the newer procedure is less invasive and reduces healing time, some believe it takes a more skilled surgeon to obtain a satisfactory result. While FUT removes a strip of follicular units from the back of the head to transplant to the designated areas, FUE removes individual follicular units.

A Closer Look at FUT and FUE

In performing the FUT method, the surgeon removes a strip of follicular units, which is then put under the microscope and divided into individual units of one, two, three, or four hairs. FUE is a more tedious time consuming hair transplant procedure that takes longer to complete as each unit is removed individually.

The FUE approach might limit the surgeon to transplanting 500 to 600 units per day. As a result, this time-consuming tedious method is also more expensive, sometimes costing twice as much as the FUT technique.

The Follicular Unit Extraction Process

  • Hair is cut short at the donor area at the back of the patient’s head so that the doctor can see the location from which he will remove the hair to be transplanted
  • Using a sharp and tiny round punch-like tool, about one millimeter in size or smaller, the surgeon scores the skin surrounding a single follicular unit
  • Next, the surgeon cuts deeper into the tissue around the follicular unit with another, duller punch
  • The doctor separates the singular follicular unit from surrounding skin
  • The surgeon then removes the scored section either with a very small forceps or by pulling on the hair
  • The selected follicular unit is then implanted into a strategically placed recipient area of the scalp between existing hairs

The Healing Process

  • A tiny hole remains in the area from where the hair was removed
  • Several days later, the hole is healed
  • During the healing process, the hole contracts leaving behind only a tiny white scar
  • These small scars are often virtually invisible

Advocates of the FUE approach believe that because the scar cannot be seen by the naked eye, the patient’s hair can be cut shorter than if the FUT technique were used. However, hair transplant surgeons are using newer methods of closing the scarred areas of FUT, making the scar much less visible than previous methods of suturing the scars.

Learn More About Follicular Unit Extraction

DiStefano Hair Restoration Center has extensive experience in hair restoration techniques, including Follicular Unit Extraction. To find out more information, or to schedule a private consultation to discuss your hair transplantation needs, contact DiStefano Hair Restoration Center today. We will evaluate your specific needs to determine the right procedure for you.