Hair Transplant (Long Hair Follicle Unit Excision - FUE)

Long Hair Follicular Unit Excision (FUE) is a refinement of the standard FUE method. In this approach, the donor hairs are left long (unshaven) before extraction. Using microsurgical punches, the surgeon delicately removes follicular units with the full-length hair shaft attached, allowing for real-time assessment of graft angle, curl, and direction during placement.

Unlike traditional FUE, where the donor area must be shaved, Long Hair FUE maintains the existing hair length, offering discreet healing and faster social recovery. It’s ideal for patients who prefer to avoid visible signs of surgery or need a “preview” of the final result immediately post-procedure.

This technique requires specialised skill and longer procedure time, as each graft must be handled carefully to prevent damage to the longer hair shafts.

Who is a candidate?

• Men and women who:
  
  • Desire natural, discrete hair restoration without shaving the head
  • Have mild to moderate hair loss (especially at the hairline or crown)
  • Have adequate donor density at the back or sides of the scalp
  • Need a smaller session (Long Hair FUE is usually limited to 800–1500 grafts per session)
  • Are in good overall health with realistic expectations.

Recovery timeline

May vary with provider.

• Hospital stay: Outpatient procedure (typically 6–10 hours)
• Initial recovery:
  
  • Mild swelling or redness for 3–7 days
  • Because the donor area isn’t shaved, scabs and redness are easily concealed
• Return to work or social life: Within 2–3 days
• Shedding phase: Transplanted hairs often fall within 2–4 weeks (normal)
• New growth: Starts around 3–4 months, with visible results by 6–8 months
• Final results: Achieved at 9–12 months.

Benefits

• No shaving required - maintains normal appearance immediately after surgery
• Instant preview of how results will look post-healing
• Discrete and socially comfortable recovery
• Natural-looking results with precise control over hair direction and density
• Minimal visible scarring (tiny dot scars hidden under existing hair).

Risks

• Longer surgery time due to careful graft handling
• Higher cost compared to standard FUE
• Potential for increased graft fragility, as longer hairs are more delicate
• Temporary swelling or redness at donor or recipient sites
• Patchy early growth (normal as follicles adjust)
• Limited graft number per session compared to shaved FUE.

Long Hair FUE combines the benefits of FUE precision with discrete, no-shave convenience, making it ideal for professionals or public figures who want immediate cosmetic results and minimal downtime. However, it is technically demanding and time-intensive, best performed by highly experienced surgeons.

This is just an outline. Your specialist surgeon will be able to talk to you about these issues in more detail and make sure that there is informed consent.