What is FUE?

FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) is a procedure where groups of healthy hair follicles are removed – usually from the back or sides of the head – and reimplanted back into bald or thinning areas of the scalp.

A surgeon will extract hair follicles one by one using an FUE punch trumpet that makes tiny holes to get grafts of skin that contain 1-4 hair follicles. The punch trumpet is usually less than 1mm in diameter to avoid triggering hair transplant trypophobia.

FUE can create an incredibly natural-looking result (see our hair transplant before and after photos) and offers speedy recovery times with minimal scarring.

What is DHI?

Direct hair implantation (DHI) is a newer version of FUE that has recently gained popularity among those worried about their hair loss.

During DHI, a surgeon will use a specialised pen that cuts graphs and reimplants hair follicles at the same time. The process itself is very similar to FUE and patients can enjoy equally short recovery and minimal scarring.

Hair follicles are loaded into an implant device called a Choi Implanter Pen which is extremely sensitive and precise, preventing surgeons from having to manually make the incisions.

What’s the difference between FUE and DHI hair transplants?

The main difference between the two procedures is the method that the hair is extracted and re-implanted. During an FUE transplant, grafts are taken manually by the surgeon, whereas during a DHI transplant, it’s done through a specialised tool.

During DHI, extraction and implanting can happen immediately, without the need for surgeons to create channels for the grafts first.

DHI and FUE transplants are normally among the most preferred as they reduce the scars that FUT hair transplants usually cause – however they are also the two more expensive options.

Because it’s a lot newer, many people will say that DHI is the most advanced and effective option, but there aren’t actually many studies that have proved its superiority over other transplant options – there is still debate about what the most effective transplant method.

Benefits of FUE

• Impressive, natural results
• The surgery takes just 1 day to complete
• Leaves virtually no scarring
• Recovery is much faster than FUT surgery
• Covers larger areas than DHI
• At Orchid Clinic, our FUE transplants have a 97–100% success rate

Benefits of DHI

• Extremely precise and accurate as it’s carried out by a machine rather than manually by a surgeon
• The treatment causes minimal scarring
• Fast recovery period
• Can determine the direction and dimension of hair growth
• The average success rate is around 95%