FUE Hair Transplant Explained
How follicular unit extraction works and who it suits.
A FUE hair transplant extracts individual follicles with a micro-punch and places them into recipient channels – no strip, no linear scar.
FUE is the most widely used hair transplant method, extracting follicles one by one without a linear scar.
How it works
Follicles are harvested with a micro-punch and implanted into channels. See Sapphire FUE, DHI and the full guide.
How FUE actually works
In Follicular Unit Extraction, individual follicles are removed from the donor area at the back of the head with a micro-punch (0.7–1.0 mm), then placed one by one into recipient channels. There is no strip removal and no linear scar – instead, many tiny dot-shaped micro-scars that can show at very short haircuts.
What decides success
Transection rate: the share of follicles damaged during extraction. Under 5% is good. It depends on the surgeon’s hand, not the device.
Ischemia time: how long a graft spends outside the body without blood supply. Shorter is better.
Channel angle and depth: determine growth direction and naturalness. At experienced hands the graft survival rate is about 90–95%.
The donor area is a lifetime budget
The single most important fact: donor hair does not grow back. On average a person has 4,000–8,000 usable grafts over a lifetime, and only about 40–50% of donor capacity can be safely harvested while keeping the area looking natural and preserving reserves for later sessions.
A clinic that harvests to the maximum today is selling you your own future.
The honest timeline
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| Week 2–6 | Shock loss: up to 90% of transplanted hair falls out – normal, follicles remain |
| Month 3–4 | First new growth |
| Month 8–10 | Clearly visible result |
| Month 12–18 | Final result; only now is it judged |
See the full timeline and how a transplant is performed.
Who is suitable – and who should wait
Stable hair loss, sufficient donor density, realistic expectations. The ISHRS advises against transplanting before age 25 in most cases, and starting medical therapy (finasteride, minoxidil) first. See medication vs. transplant.
This page is for general information and does not replace medical advice. Results are individual and cannot be guaranteed.
FUE hair transplant: key points
At experienced hands the graft survival rate is about 90–95%. Transection rate, ischemia time and channel angle decide the outcome – not the device.
The donor area is finite: 4,000–8,000 grafts for life, and it does not grow back.
For the full overview, see our main page on hair transplants in Istanbul.
Frequently Asked Questions
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