FUE vs DHI — which is better?

FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) removes follicles one at a time from the donor area with a tiny punch and places them into small channels in the thinning area. It leaves dot-like marks rather than a linear scar and is the most widely used technique today.

DHI (Direct Hair Implantation) extracts follicles like FUE but implants them with a Choi pen that creates the channel and places the graft in one motion. It allows precise angles and dense packing, especially at the hairline.

Sapphire FUE is FUE where the recipient channels are made with sapphire-tipped blades instead of steel. The finer, smoother incisions can allow denser packing and usually heal faster with less crusting.

FUT removes a thin strip of scalp from the back of the head, which is then divided into grafts. It can yield many grafts but leaves a linear scar, so most patients today prefer FUE.

An unshaven or partially shaven transplant keeps most of your existing hair long so the procedure is less noticeable. It takes more time and is generally suitable for smaller graft counts.

A Choi implanter pen is a pen-shaped instrument with a hollow needle used in DHI. The graft is loaded inside and implanted directly at a controlled angle and depth.

Robotic systems automate part of the extraction step. The quality of the final result still depends heavily on hairline design and graft placement, which are decided by the surgeon.

BHT uses hair from the beard, chest or other body areas when scalp donor hair is not enough. It is mainly used to add density in advanced baldness.