Published On December 9, 2021. Last Updated on August 15, 2022.

Long Hair FUE With Dr.UGraft® Zeus™

The Zeus Way

Long Hair FUE: The Basics

FUE, or follicular unit excision, is the act of extracting hair follicle grafts one by one with intent to transplant them to the head, filling in balding areas and creating a growing head of hair that is natural-looking and filled in. Long hair FUE, also called no shave FUE, removes the hair follicle without requiring the patient to shave their head. There are two types of no shave FUE: long hair and short hair. Short hair FUE can be slightly easier and less time consuming than long hair FUE, but both are advanced forms of FUE often not performed by hair transplant doctors with basic tools. Long hair FUE requires specialized tools to be completed successfully, so it is important to do your research when looking for a practice to perform this type of hair transplantation surgery.

Advantages of Long Hair FUE

Although long hair FUE takes longer than basic FUE, there are numerous advantages to having it done this way. Transplanting long hair grafts allows the patient to immediately see after surgery what the results are going to look like once their scalp has fully healed and hair has begun to grow. The newly grafted long hair will also cover a lot of the initial wounds and or scabs from surgery, which allows the patient to heal without feeling the need to cover up. Long hair FUE will also help to hide any patchiness that may be more visible with shorter hair and will aid in covering the scar footprint as well. These advantages make the higher cost and longer procedure worth it for many patients. Practices with long hair FUE available may also notice an increase in female patients, as women usually prefer to keep their hair longer.

Challenges and Disadvantages of Long Hair FUE

While long hair FUE provides patients the opportunity to see their results right after surgery, there are some downfalls. As with every form of FUE surgery, the newly grafted hairs will eventually fall out as they heal and then begin growing back. The patient will get to know what the hair is going to look like once it grows back, but they will still experience the initial fallout. Long hair FUE is also a more time-consuming process, making it a bit more expensive than shaven FUE. The doctor has to constantly comb and part the hair, performing the surgery in little sections at a time. The long hair also makes it a bit more difficult for the surgeon to see the scalp pattern. Despite these caveats, long hair FUE has continued to grow in popularity as patients seek an alternative to shaving their head for treatment.

Long Hair FUE Before the Dr.UGraft® Zeus™

Basic FUE methods and previous technologies did not allow for long hair FUE, as the shape and spinning motion ended up cutting or tangling the hair while trying to extract the graft. A couple different methods were created to try to overcome this. First, a slot was added in the punch tool for the hair to go through, intending to hold the hair out of the way. With the slot, the device could no longer spin, so additional technology was needed to oscillate the tool from side to side and while keeping the slot lined up in the correct position. This makes it a more difficult tool, as the user will need to check that the slot is in the optimal position and is not accidentally cutting the hair. Another modification of the punch tool was the addition of a groove along the bottom. This groove was meant to bend the hair and hold it in place while the graft is being extracted. The groove held the same problems as the slot, as the device couldn’t spin and the positioning was constantly needing to be checked. Until recently, there was no such device that could perform long hair FUE as well as all other types of FUE without needing to change the punch tool. With the creation of the Dr.UGraft® Zeus™, not only is this possible but it has become easy.

Video: Device for Long Hair FUE Transplant

Dr.UGraft® Zeus™: Long Hair FUE

Unlike past technologies that were created in an attempt to harvest long hair, the Dr.UGraft® Zeus™ performs long hair FUE without a groove or slot. The Intelligent Punch™, or Dr.UPunch i™, has a specially-designed flared tip with a larger, rounded inside space meant to extract hair follicles of any kind. The spinning motion creates a vortex effect that effectively sucks the long hair inside, allowing the punch tool to spin and successfully extract the follicle without needing any kind of modification or position correction. The Dr.UGraft® Zeus™ also includes a handpiece called the Nurture™ handpiece that facilitates hydration of the wound through fluid irrigation into the punch. This intuitive technology allows for minimal injury and quick healing, so that patients receiving long hair FUE experience minimal scarring and excellent results. The Zeus Console™ includes the following FUE settings: Regular Scalp, Thin Scalp, African Hair & Thick Scalp, Typical Body & Beard, Long Hair & No Shave, and Custom. This inclusive, all-purpose device also allows for easy long hair FUE on patients with afro-textured hair, which is something that most other long hair FUE devices are unable to perform. With the addition of the Dr.UGraft® Zeus™, dermatologists, hair transplant surgeons, and plastic surgeons treating alopecia can create a more inclusive and accommodating practice for their patients. Doctors can now perform all types of FUE with just one device.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does long hair FUE cost more than other FUE procedures?
- Because of the extra time and skill required to perform long hair FUE, it will cost more than more basic forms. However, patients often desire the advantages that come along with long hair FUE, such as not having to shave, and find the increased cost worth it.
Who is eligible for long hair FUE?
- With the Dr.UGraft® Zeus™, patients with any hair texture, including African patients and patients with African influence, are eligible. Patients with scarring from previous procedures may also be eligible.
Do all FUE practitioners offer long hair FUE?
- Not all FUE practitioners offer long hair FUE. Speak with your doctor to find out if they have the Dr.UGraft® Zeus™.

For more on the Dr.UGraft® Zeus™ and its all-purpose abilities, click here to view Dr. U’s most recent publication.