Due to the new developments of incision punches and devices and a variety of different extraction techniques, it was necessary to more accurately define the procedure.
[3][4] Follicular unit excision takes considerable time and expense to learn and to develop skills to a high standard.
The hair follicle grouping or follicular unit is a full thickness skin graft containing epidermis, dermis and fat.
Each follicular unit is excised one at a time being very careful not to cut the underlying hair matrix cells and injure or fracture the graft with transection.
[6] Additional care must also be taken when extracting the grafts with forceps to insure the hair follicles are not crushed or manipulated too aggressively which could also affect the growth.
[11] Additionally the risk of long term nerve damage, leading to chronic numbness and/or pain in the donor area, is significantly reduced with FUE vs the strip (FUT) procedure.