Follicular unit extraction, or FUE, is the most popular hair transplant technique worldwide, producing natural-looking results in thousands of patients every year. FUE involves extracting each hair graft individually, leaving a tiny wound in the donor area, then implanting the graft in the balding area for future growth.
FUE (follicular unit extraction) is a popular hair transplant method that moves healthy follicles from a donor area to thinning or balding spots. It’s minimally invasive, leaves almost no visible scarring, and produces natural, permanent results with quicker recovery compared to older techniques like FUT.
Key takeaways
Follicular unit extraction — or FUE — is a type of hair restoration surgery that involves harvesting healthy hair follicles from one area of the body and transplanting them to a spot where hair is sparse or balding. Grafts are taken from a safe donor site: an area where the follicles are unaffected by male pattern baldness or female pattern hair loss.
Most commonly, hair is taken from the back and sides of the head and relocated to thinning areas on top of the scalp, such as a bald spot on the crown or areas of temple hair loss.
FUE is a minimally invasive procedure which, unlike more traditional hair transplant techniques, leaves very little scarring around the donor areas. So you can get a hair transplant without anyone knowing, even if you cut your hair short on the back and sides. This is a key reason why FUE is the most popular hair transplant technique, chosen by 85% of men and 68% of women according to 2025 data [1].
Find out what to expect on the day of your FUE hair transplant surgery from Wimpole Clinic surgeon Dr Peter.
Discover which hair transplant technique gives you faster recovery from our surgeon, Dr Umear.
Mihir explains how we guide you through the FUE process to help you get the best results.
With the FUE method, grafts are extracted individually with a tiny punch tool. FUE punches are typically 0.8 mm to 1 mm in diameter, with 89% of surgeons opting for a punch within this range [1-2]. Larger punches pose less risk of graft damage as a greater area of tissue is removed, but this can result in slightly more visible scarring.
The extracted grafts are stored in a protective solution while your surgeon makes small incisions in the recipient area using a thin blade or needle. When the incisions are prepared, the grafts are inserted into cuts using forceps or an implanter pen.
FUE surgery itself takes just a few hours, but the growth process takes several months. Most of the transplanted hair will shed within a month. However, as the cuts heal and the grafts settle, they’ll begin to produce new hair growth, starting around 3-4 months after the transplant [3].
The key benefits of FUE are [4]:
Here’s a step-by-step guide to what happens before, during, and after FUE surgery at the Wimpole Clinic.
At your consultation your patient advisor will check that you’re eligible for a hair transplant and determine whether it is the most suitable treatment for you. They will conduct a thorough hair and scalp exam (performing hair loss blood tests if necessary) to understand why your hair is falling out and ensure you’re a good hair transplant candidate.
You’ll also have the opportunity to ask any questions you have about the procedure, FUE recovery, and expectations for your hair in the long-term. We encourage you to raise any concerns or queries at this stage so you have all the information you need to make an informed decision.
In the videos below, our patient advisors answer some of the most frequently asked consultation questions:
From shaving your head to FUE longevity, Adam answers your most frequently asked questions about hair transplants.
Caj explores some of the common myths we hear about hair transplants, and reveals the realities of this surgery.
Clinic manager Tarah explains some of the common misconceptions patients have about FUE surgery.
Hairline design is a critical element of the hair transplant process. It’s important for your new hairline to follow the original, while taking your age, face shape, and donor hair availability into account.
Your medical team should be realistic about the results you can expect. If you have widespread hair loss (stages 5+ on the Norwood Scale), a full head of hair may not be possible — but you can still increase hair density in targeted areas.
On the day of surgery, your consultant and surgical team should answer any last-minute questions and prepare you for the procedure. Preparation includes:
The surgeon and technicians will start your FUE procedure by extracting individual follicular units (known as grafts) from the donor area. They’ll also make tiny incisions in your scalp using a needle or fine blade, then insert the grafts into these cuts.
The video below demonstrates the FUE extraction process and the graft insertion process:
The team will patch up your head after the surgery and give you thorough hair transplant aftercare instructions for the first few days. If necessary, you’ll also have follow-up appointments to ensure everything is healing as it should, and to allow you to ask questions about your hair transplant recovery as they arise.
In the UK, any part of the surgery that involves cutting your skin must be performed by a surgeon. So as a minimum, you can expect your surgeon to cut the skin to extract the grafts, and make the incisions in your recipient area. Technicians may extract the grafts after the cuts have been made, and assist with graft placement.
Unshaven FUE is a technique that enables you to get a hair transplant without (fully) shaving your head. It works the same way as regular FUE, except that your head isn’t shaved before the procedure. Your hair stays intact during surgery and recovery, but also makes graft visibility more difficult for the surgical team during extraction and implantation.
UFUE is popular among those who are worried about concealing their hair transplant, and those who worry what they’ll look like with a shaved head. Both are valid reasons to seek an unshaven FUE transplant.
However, there are trade-offs for getting an unshaven procedure. Lack of visibility can make it difficult to see exactly where to extract and implant grafts, possibly leading to longer procedure times and less precise graft placement. It also tends to cost more, due to the increased surgery duration and skill required.
FUE eligibility depends on many factors, but the majority of people are suitable for FUE. Here are the key eligibility criteria for FUE hair transplants:
Follicular unit transplantation (FUT) is the main alternative technique to FUE. Rather than extracting each graft individually, it involves removing a strip of skin from the back of the scalp, then dissecting this into single grafts.
FUE is more common than FUT these days, mainly because it’s less invasive and leaves less visible scarring. However, there are some instances where it may be recommended over FUE:
Dr Thomas explains the difference between FUT vs FUE in this video:
Yes, many female patients opt for FUE. For best results, FUE requires some of the hair to be shaved, but with long hair, this can be done tactically so that the rest of your hair conceals the shaved area.
Dr Barron explains why FUT is often the preferred method for women:
“Ladies typically prefer the FUT method for extraction because it doesn’t need as large an area of the donor area to be shaved, they’re less likely to see the linear scar as they will typically keep the hair at the back of their head longer than men. Whereas men don’t mind shaving their donor area for FUE and can be versatile with hair styles at the back and sides.”
Yes, though FUT is often recommended. Curly, coily, and kinky hair types are at higher risk of graft transection when using FUE extraction [5]. Graft transection happens when the punch cuts through the hair bulb or root during the extraction process, causing irreversible damage that prevents future growth.
Regardless, FUE is still possible for those with Afro-textured hair. You just need to find a surgeon with a good understanding of your hair type, and the appropriate technique for effective graft extraction in Afro hair transplants. They may also recommend using a larger punch than normal, or devices specifically designed for extracting grafts in those with curly hair types. Dr Gadhia explains more:
“Hair texture can significantly influence whether we recommend the FUT or FUE procedure. In extreme cases — such as when a patient has extensive hair loss in the temporal region, hairline, frontal forelock, and midscalp — FUT may be a more optimal solution, especially when combined with FUE, as this approach can yield a higher total graft count.
In Afro-Caribbean hair types, where curlier roots can make FUE extraction more challenging, FUT may be a more desirable option as it reduces the risk of follicular transection.”
Research suggests the upper limit of harvestable hair grafts from a healthy scalp is 6000 [6]. This is the maximum number of grafts you can take without leaving the scalp looking depleted or overharvested.
However, unless your hair has severely receded across most of the scalp, you probably don’t need a hair transplant of this scale. The average FUE hair transplant involves extracting and implanting 2262 grafts [1].
The number of grafts you need depends on the extent of your hair loss, and whether you’re likely to need additional procedures in future. If you’ve had previous hair transplants or there’s scarring on your scalp, you may have lower graft availability in your donor region. Your surgeon will assess your scalp and estimate the number of grafts needed to restore your hair.
It takes around 10-14 days for a hair transplant to heal fully, though the most intense phase of recovery usually only lasts 5-7 days. In this section, you’ll learn more about recovering from an FUE hair transplant.
Grafts are fully secure 10-14 days after your hair transplant. One study found that grafts were no longer at risk of being dislodged from day nine post-procedure [7].
However, this depends on all your scabs having been removed by this point. For some people, scabs can linger beyond day nine. You shouldn’t consider your grafts fully secure until all your scabs have come away from your scalp.
Post-transplant hair shedding, also known as shock hair loss, is a common hair transplant side effect that happens around 2-4 weeks after an FUE procedure. It happens when your grafts shed their existing hairs to make way for new growth. It can leave your scalp looking thin and sparse, but this is a normal part of the recovery process.
For the first few days and weeks after an FUE transplant, you can expect some side effects. These include:
These side effects are normal and expected. However, certain symptoms can be a sign of complications and need medical attention. These include fever, pain that’s getting worse instead of better, and increased bleeding or pus. Seek medical attention if you experience these or other signs of hair transplant infection.
FUE does leave scars, but these are normally so small they’re not visible. That’s why it’s important that your surgeon uses an appropriately-sized punch and doesn’t overharvest your hair transplant donor region.
Patients who are prone to keloid scars may see more extensive scarring after FUE surgery [8]. Keloid scars are areas of thickened scar tissue, and have been known to occur after FUE [8-9]. It’s important to discuss this possibility with your surgeon if you’re genetically predisposed to keloids.
FUE results are expected to start emerging after around 6 months, though final results can take around 12-18 months to grow in.
Research shows that FUE is generally safe [10]. But all surgeries come with a certain level of risk, and FUE hair transplants are no different. Risks of FUE include:
Good clinics take steps to mitigate these risks wherever possible, but less scrupulous clinics can put you at greater risk of complications. So it’s important to choose a clinic that complies with safety regulations and has an excellent safety record.
Hair transplant costs depend on several factors, from how many grafts you need to the location of your chosen clinic. According to our research into UK hair transplant costs, you’ll pay around £4,820 on average for a 1610 graft FUE procedure.
At the Wimpole Clinic, FUE prices start at £3,499. Your quote includes all consultation and appointment fees, a comprehensive aftercare service, and all costs associated with the procedure itself.
FUE prices in Turkey are lower than those in the UK, thanks to cheaper operational costs and favourable exchange rates. But some clinics cut corners when it comes to safety and results in order to offer very low prices. So it’s really important to research your clinic, and to consider cost as an indicator of hair transplant quality.
In many cases, it’s possible to have a second FUE hair transplant if you need it. In fact, good surgeons will plan your initial procedure to ensure you have enough donor hair left for future transplants if you need them.
You might not be eligible for additional FUE procedures if your donor area has been overharvested, you’ve developed another type of alopecia, or your hair loss is too extensive to benefit from another procedure.
FUE is often used to correct previous botched hair transplants. For example, it can hide thick or wide FUT scars or fill in patchy hairlines. 2.7% of men’s hair transplants are performed to repair scars, while 4.1% are undertaken to repair previous black market hair transplants [1].
If you’re considering repair surgery, it’s important to find a clinic and surgical team you trust. We’ve repaired many black market hair transplants from unlicensed clinics in Turkey and elsewhere, so book a consultation to find out how we can help.
Yes — FUE is the only technique that’s suitable for harvesting grafts for a body to scalp hair transplant. (FUT may only be an appropriate alternative if you’re extracting grafts from the armpit.)
FUE allows surgeons to select the best possible grafts from each area, then extract them without leaving visible scars.
Body hair transplants may be used if you don’t have enough grafts available in the scalp donor region to repair a previous transplant or achieve your desired look. Body hair characteristics (such as texture and growth potential) differ from those of scalp hair, though, so it’s important to discuss these differences with your surgeon beforehand.
At the Wimpole Clinic, our experienced surgeons are at the forefront of innovation. Our experienced surgeons have helped refine the FUE technique, and we’re proud to offer it to patients seeking the highest quality hair transplant results. Watch this interview with Wimpole Clinic surgeon Dr Ahmad Moussa and trichologist Marie Royce-Book to learn more about our approach to hair transplant surgery:
With award-winning patient care, nationwide clinic locations, and finance options available, we’re on hand to guide you through your FUE procedure. Book your free consultation today to learn more about FUE at the Wimpole Clinic.
Discover more about FUE hair transplants in these frequently asked questions.
FUE is the most popular hair transplant technique, thanks to its lower scarring risk, faster recovery time, and widespread availability. But it’s not necessarily better than FUT — it all depends on your personal circumstances. Those with long hair who don’t want to shave and those with tightly curled hair types can benefit from FUT.
At the Wimpole Clinic, our FUE success rates are 97% and higher. Studies into FUE have consistently found success rates of at least 90%, even at high graft volumes [6, 11]. So when performed by qualified surgical teams in safe environments, FUE is likely to generate good results.
Yes, FUE hair transplants are permanent. Your surgeon will select grafts that are unaffected by dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the hormone that leads to progressive pattern baldness. So your transplanted hairs should give you permanent, lifelong hair density.
However, it’s still possible to lose the native hairs around your transplanted grafts if you don’t take steps to avoid this. Treatments like minoxidil and finasteride are recommended to minimise ongoing hair loss and maintain your hair transplant results.
While FUE is a highly successful procedure, not everyone gets the results they want. Whether it’s down to low graft survival, inattentive aftercare, or poor suitability, it’s possible you won’t be completely satisfied with your results.
Speak to your clinic first and foremost. Reputable clinics may be able to suggest corrective action, whether it’s a top-up transplant or a non-surgical intervention.
If you’ve lost confidence in your original clinic, seek out other clinics with great track records of repair surgery.
Wimpole Clinic Services:
Hair Transplants, Beard Transplants & Eyebrow Transplants.
Talk to a specialist
Dr. Michael May (GMC No: 1642315) is the Medical Director and Principal Surgeon of the Wimpole Clinic. He has 25 years experience in the field of hair transplant surgery has completed over 10,000 hair transplant procedures, accumulating an unmatched breadth and depth of experience that is exclusively available to Wimpole Clinic patients.
Dr. May entered private practice in 1982 when he first became involved with hair surgery, since then, he has dedicated his career exclusively to the science and practice of hair transplant surgery and hair restoration.
He qualified at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London after which he trained and registered as a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. Dr. May was instrumental in developing the revolutionary technique of follicular unit transplant (FUT), and subsequently he also presented papers and lectures in the UK and Europe to professional colleagues. He quickly became recognised by his peers and colleagues as a leader in the field of follicular unit hair transplantation. He specialises in hair restoration surgery covering; FUE, FUT lateral slit, eyebrow, eyelashes, beards, side burns, burns, repairs
As a leading authority in his field, Dr. May became a founder member and past President of the BAHRS and is the current president of the European Society of Hair Restoration Surgeons. In addition, Dr. May is a registered member of The Trichological Society and a Diplomat of Hair Restoration Surgery (ABHRS) in 2002. Dr. Michael May full list of associations are as follows:
Dr. May is available to prospective Wimpole Clinic patients during their consultation and carries out many of the hair transplant procedures at the clinic.
