Case walkthrough
What a 2,000-graft FUE session looks like
From pre-operative trim to the last implanted unit, with the timings that make the difference to survival.
The sequence
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1
Donor trim and mapping
The donor zone is clipped and divided into sectors so extraction is spread evenly rather than concentrated.
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2
Anaesthesia
Occipital blocks numb the donor field; the recipient area is blocked before site creation begins.
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3
Extraction
Units are scored with a 0.9 mm punch and lifted individually, sector by sector, at a pace set by transection rate rather than the clock.
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4
Inspection and sorting
Each unit is checked under magnification; damaged units are discarded rather than placed.
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5
Site creation
Sites cut to graft calibre at the correct angle — the stage that decides whether the result reads as natural.
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6
Implantation
Placement to planned density, singles forward, larger units behind.
- ~2,000
- Follicular units
- ~4,400
- Hairs moved, typical
- 6–8 hrs
- Session length
- Same day
- Discharge
Why the pace matters
Grafts do not fail because they were placed badly as often as they fail because they waited too long outside the body, dried on a tray, or were crushed by forceps. A session run to the clock rather than to the tissue produces a lower survival rate that nobody can see until month six.
Talk to the surgeon who would perform your procedure
Consultations are free, measured and without obligation — in Newport Beach or by video.