What is Follicular Unit Excision?

Follicular Unit Excision (FUE), formally called Follicular Unit Extraction, is a meticulous method used for harvesting small, naturally occurring groups (units) of individual hairs for hair transplantation. Dr. Darling uses the FUE method to create natural-looking results that age well and require a very short recovery time.

Before (left) & after (right) of a FUE hair transplant procedure.

Hair naturally grows in groupings that we call “Follicular Units”. Each hair in the unit will be roughly similar to the others in growth rate, direction, and texture. By using the FUE method, Dr. Darling can harvest these individual groupings while minimizing trauma. For most patients, the harvest sites heal over within a couple days and become almost undetectable once the hair starts to regrow.

Since most men maintain shorter hairstyles, the FUE method is the best approach because it allows hair to be worn very short (e.g. fades) without worrying about the presence of visible scars. In fact, having a shorter hairstyle before and after the procedure can make recovery even easier, since FUE typically involves trimming the donor areas very short.

The donor site will begin healing almost immediately after the procedure. Within the first day or two, hair will begin appearing on the site again. If your hair was already cut short, then the donor area will likely be back to its original length within the first week.

Please note that while you will be able to wear your hair very short, scars may become noticeable if choose to shave your head completely. The donor sites can sometimes have small scars that look like white dots which can become visible if the area is completely shaven (this phenomenon is very common and is called hypopigmentation). Form more information see our post on “What To Expect After a Hair Transplant“.