Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) – One Procedure, Many Uses

The 2021 document "Follicular unit extraction [FUE] – One procedure, many uses" discussed the versatility of the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) procedure, a minimally invasive hair transplant method. Originally discovered in 2002 for treating androgenetic alopecia, FUE's uses have expanded to include alopecia areata, facial hair restoration, tractional alopecia, scarring alopecia, body hair transplant, vitiligo, and hirsutism. The procedure involves extracting individual follicular grafts from a donor area and implanting them in the recipient area. Benefits of FUE include minimal scarring, faster healing time, less downtime, and fewer required technical staff. The document also emphasized the importance of patient selection and counseling in hair transplantation. It also provided case studies of successful FUE procedures in various conditions, including a study of 63 patients with stable focal vitiligo, where 72.1% reported excellent color match and 26.2% reported good color match. The document concluded that FUE is a versatile technique with proven utility in various indications, and that good clinical knowledge and surgical skill can help achieve optimum results.