Select patients for F.U.E. will shave a portion of the posterior donor area or even the lateral temporal donor area. Follicular units can then be extracted one at a time in a dot-matrix pattern removing one follicle for every 3 -5 surrounding follicles. The resultant donor site can re-grow with a slightly less dense but full appearance. These 1, 2, 3, or 4 hair follicular units can then be placed into micro scalpel incisions in a frontal or crown area at the appropriate angle of hair growth. The donor site then recovers quickly within 24 - 48 hours due to the small .5mm or .75mm punches that are used to core and extract the select follicular units.

Fewer units can be transferred in one session of equal time but no donor scar will be visible as in the case of donor strip harvesting. This is amenable and appropriate for military personnel who wear a very short and almost shaved hairstyle. African Americans with short hairstyles may select to have this procedure preferentially, but a test site is usually necessary. This will assess the percentage yield of anatomically undamaged follicles to those that have an extraction loss at a root level.

The cost per follicle is usually higher due to the procedure time and lower number of grafts that can be extracted and transferred in one surgical session. The outcome is essentially the same as can be achieved with traditional donor strip harvesting but minimal donor site discomfort is present and no linear donor scar will be evident. If you feel this will be a desirable option for you, be sure to request a specific consultation with Dr. Bilowus regarding Follicular Unit Extraction and Transfer.