FUE step by step: what happens on the day of surgery
A calm walk through the day itself, so that you know exactly what you are going into.
Preparation and hairline design
The day does not begin with the scalpel, but with planning. The surgeon draws your new hairline and goes through it with you, and this is one of the most important moments in the whole process, because the hairline shapes the face for decades to come. A good surgeon designs it to be age appropriate and natural, not artificially low.
Blood tests are then taken, the donor area (and often the recipient area) is shaved, and photographs are taken. You will typically be given a sedative and can eat lightly beforehand.
Local anaesthesia
The whole procedure takes place under local anaesthesia, you are awake but feel no pain. The injection of the anaesthetic itself is the most uncomfortable part, but it lasts only a few minutes, and many clinics today use vibration devices or pressure anaesthesia to reduce the sting.
Once the area is numb, you will feel at most light pressure and sound. Most patients watch films, listen to music or doze during the many hours.
Extraction of grafts
With a rotating micro punch (typically 0.7-0.9 mm) the follicles are extracted one by one from the donor area at the back and sides, the zones where the hair is DHT-resistant. Each unit contains 1-4 hairs and is called a graft.
The extracted grafts are placed immediately in a cool storage solution that keeps them alive. The time outside the body matters for survival, so a well organised team works efficiently to minimise it.
Get a free hair analysis
- 1Start
- 2Info
- 3Done
Channels and implantation
The surgeon now opens the recipient channels in the skin, and their angle, direction and density determine how natural the result will be. This is the most artistic step: the hairs have to follow the original direction of growth so that they do not stick out.
Finally the follicles are placed one by one in the channels (with DHI the channel is opened and the graft implanted in one step with a Choi pen). Only single hair grafts are placed at the front of the hairline for a soft, natural transition. In total the day typically takes 6-8 hours with breaks for lunch.
The journey home and the first hours
After the procedure a light dressing is applied to the donor area (the recipient area is left open). You are given medication, a written aftercare plan and instructions on sleeping position. Slight swelling of the forehead and around the eyes, along with small crusts, is entirely normal during the first few days.
You can usually travel home the same day or the next. The real work now begins with the healing, see the whole course in aftercare day by day.
How to prepare best
A good day of surgery begins in the days beforehand. Avoid alcohol and smoking in the run-up to the procedure, since both impair blood flow and healing. By agreement with your doctor, stop blood thinning agents and certain supplements that can increase bleeding. Sleep well, eat a light breakfast, and bring comfortable clothes that button at the front, so that you do not have to pull anything over your head afterwards.
Consider your transport home as well, you should not drive yourself after many hours on sedative medication. See what awaits in the days afterwards in the first 10 days.
© IdealofMeD Research Academy. Republished with permission.
Get a no-obligation assessment against fixed criteria, directly on WhatsApp.