FUE – Follicular Unit Extraction
In this technique, Micro Follicular units from donor site harvested with help of a small tubular punch individually (each follicle in separate manner), followed by their placement into micro slits made (0.7 – 0.8 8mm size) in recipient area. It is best suitable in small hair transplant (Typically 1000-1500 grafts).
Pearls
It is scar-less technique (because, scars of micro follicular harvest are not apparently visible), so, beneficial when person wants very short hair style or shaved hairs on back.
It is said that it is painless technique, but it is not a real advantage of FUE, as you will be given local anesthesia before and pain medicines after procedure in both FUE & FUT. Considering this, with us, both Techniques are pain free.
Pitfalls
Follicles are being harvested with a blind tubular punch, while a Follicular unit contains multiple follicles and their directions are different. So, chances of transaction of harvested hair roots (damage to one or more hair root among harvested follicular unit) as well of surrounding follicle is much high with this technique. So less number of hair grow from transplanted follicles than FUT Technique.
With this technique, maximum we can harvest up to 1500-2000 follicles from safe-permanent zone. If we have to get more number of follicles, we need to go outside it. Transplantation with such technique is a very common reason for loss of transplanted hairs couple of year after procedure. This is reason why we don’t recommend FUE technique where more number of grafts is required.