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Follicular Unit Extraction Pros and Cons

Follicular Unit Extraction offers the right patient the opportunity to have a hair transplant without a linear scar in the donor area.  However, there are limitations and it is not for everyone.  This list of advantages and disadvantages offers some explanations:

Advantages Of FUE

  • No linear scar
  • Quicker recovery
  • Less down time following surgery
  • Reduced pain and discomfort in donor area
  • A wider/larger donor area can be utilised
  • Useful for patients who have a tendency to scar
  • Ideal for scar revision or scar repair
  • Can be used to harvesting body hair and beard hair
  • May suits younger patients who need a small number of grafts in the hairline
  • Option for patients who only need hair restoration in the frontal area of the head

Disadvantages Of FUE

  • The donor zone must be completely shaved short
  • Smaller donor hair yield than single strip method
  • More expensive due to increased time spent harvesting donor hair
  • FUE procedure may distort the donor area, restricting future FUE procedures
  • There may be decreased survival of grafts, due to increased transection rates of follicular units and grafts not having much protective fatty tissue
  • Possible spotty scarring in the donor area with larger cases
  • Larger procedures can take 2 or more successive days
  • Buried grafts more common
  • Time spent on extraction may shift the focus away from the overall artistry and design of the hair transplant

Learn more about the follicular unit extraction technique.