Do I Need To Have My Hair Shaved Before FUE Hair Transplant Surgery?

At Carolina Hair Surgery, Dr. Vories performs all graft harvesting and implanting of the hair grafts. He will offer a No-Shave or Long Hair FUE option for select patients. Both options provide select patients with the ability to better camouflage that they had a procedure, especially if the patient is in a high-profile position or desires to be as discreet as possible about their procedure.

A No-Shave Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) hair transplant is a method of hair restoration where the patient’s hair is only shaved in a small area. This technique contrasts with the traditional FUE hair transplant, where the entire scalp is shaved so that the grafts are more easily harvested, and the implanting of the tiny grafts are not impeded by long hairs in the recipient area:

Benefits of No-Shave FUE Hair Transplant

Minimal Shaving or No Shaving:

    • The donor area is minimally shaved. Hair in the donor region is lifted up and an area is then shaved that can later be covered with the hair from above after surgery, preserving the appearance of the existing hair.
    • The recipient area is not shaved at all, and the surgeon implants the harvested hair grafts in-between and around existing hair.

Recovery and Appearance:

    • Since the hair in the donor area remains intact, there is minimal visual evidence of the procedure immediately after it is performed.
    • This is particularly beneficial for individuals who prefer to keep their procedure discreet and continue with their daily activities without noticeable changes in their hairstyle.

Suitability:

    • Best suited for individuals with longer hair who want to avoid the shaved appearance during the recovery phase.
    • Not ideal for patients with very short hair or those who need a large number of grafts.

Hair grafts are safely implanted between existing hair without shaving.

The donor area is covered by the existing hair above to immediately camouflage the shaved donor area.

Long Hair FUE Option

With the Long Hair FUE hair transplant procedure, the donor area in the sides and the back of the scalp does not have to be shaved at all. Dr Vories will only clip the hair in small patches, so when the hair above the patch is let down it gives immediate camouflage. The recipient area is also not shaved and Dr. Vories will work around the existing hair to implant the grafts.

Once the patient begins showering, he or she will be able to comb and style their hair normally. This allows for a much faster recovery time aesthetically. We limit No-Shave and Long Hair FUE cases to 2000 FUE grafts or less.

Summary

The primary difference is that a No-Shave FUE maintains the patient's existing hairstyle and provides a more discreet recovery, while traditional FUE is more efficient for larger procedures but requires shaving the entire scalp. The choice between the two methods depends on the patient’s preferences, lifestyle, and the extent of hair restoration needed.