Unshaven FUE Hair Transplant (UFUE)

An unshaven FUE hair transplant (UFUE) is hair transplant that can give patients greater secrecy and discretion. If you are concerned about shaving your head – an unshaven hair transplant allows you to return to work and social life quicker. The procedure leaves your hair long so that you can hide areas of surgery in the hairline or crown easier in your recovery.

At The Treatment Rooms London, our expert Surgeons are world renowned in being able to carry out unshaven and minimally shaven transplants to give patients greater discretion when it comes to having their operation. They are often able to get back to work within 5-10 days following the procedure.

In this article, we will cover the topic of unshaven hair transplants; explaining how they work, outlining the benefits, and discussing who would be a good candidate.

Can you get a hair transplant without shaving your head?

You can get a hair transplant without shaving your head. An unshaven FUE hair transplant (UFUE) is identical to a standard FUE hair transplant, apart from you will have less of your head shaved, or won’t need to have your head shaven at all, ahead of the procedure. You can also undergo an unshaven FUT (UFUT) procedure where the a minimal amount of hair is shaved at the back to facilitate surgery.

UFUE or UFUT patients can keep their hair mostly or totally intact. There are a few types of unshaven hair transplants, these are summarised below. In all types, part of the donor area, the hair at the back and sides, will need to be shaved with a fade up to length hair on top. In FUT hair transplant surgery, only a small strip of skin will need to be shaved at the back allowing the donor area to be concealed with long hair too.

Recipient area partial shave

This will require the recipient area to be shaved but keeping hair behind or around the recipient area long so you can comb over and conceal the transplant. This is shown below where the gentleman underwent an unshaven hair transplant to his hairline where he only need to shave a minimal amount into the hairline.

Recipient area no shave

This type of unshaven hair transplant requires no shaving or a minimal hair cut to the recipient area so you have your implanted grafts placed in-between existing long hair. This is summarised below in an unshaven crown hair transplant. These types of transplants can be more time consuming and there is a limit on how many grafts can be transplanted in a given day of surgery. They do allow for greater discretion for those looking to hide their hair transplant in their recovery.

Unshaven FUT surgery

This procedure involves a different technique called FUT or strip hair transplant surgery where a strip of skin is taken out from the back and sides of your scalp. It allows your hair to be kept long at the back of your scalp to cover the area that has been operated on. You can also opt to keep your hair long in the area being transplanted in too.

This type of no-shave procedure allows even greater discretion when it comes to going back to work and social life. The only area that must be shaved in this procedure is the strip of skin that needs to be taken out at in the donor area. Patients may opt to have little to no hair shaved at the front or the crown in this procedure.

Who is an unshaven FUE hair transplant for?

There are numerous reasons why an UFUE could be suitable for you. UFUE hair transplants are for people who:

• Need to return to work quickly, therefore cannot afford to wait for their hair to grow back. This can include people who have representative jobs, or who are constantly in the public eye. An UFUE allows them to undergo a hair transplant without anyone noticing.
• Want to keep their original hair in the same style and length, both during and after the procedure. A UFUE hair transplant can work especially well for people with long hair.
• Are daunted by the prospect of shaving their head. They may have always had long hair, or simply don’t like the idea.
• Are happy to have a more gradual hair transformation than after a standard FUE hair transplant where the head is shaved

Unshaven FUE hair transplant recovery

After you’ve had your UFUE hair transplant, the aftercare and recovery process is similar to the period following an FUE hair transplant. However, with a UFUE, patients can return to work quicker, whereas, with a normal shaven FUE recovery, patients are advised to wait 2 weeks before going back to work.

Despite the shortened time for resuming daily activities, you can still expect a degree of swelling and redness for the first two days or so after the procedure. You might be given painkillers for any soreness or discomfort.

During the recovery period, you should follow your aftercare instructions closely. These are likely to include advice such as:

• Sleep with your head in an elevated position
• Avoid washing your hair for a few days, and when you do, letting it air-dry

Benefits of an unshaven FUE hair transplant

An unshaven hair transplant is a complex procedure that requires a highly skilled surgical team. UFUEs are favoured by people for many reasons, including:

• Being able to return to normal activities quickly, with no disruption to everyday life
• Your original hairstyle can be maintained
• Post-operative scabs and redness will be less prominent as they are easier to hide

Unshaven FUE hair transplant results

So when can you expect to see results following an unshaven FUE hair transplant? Here is an approximate hair transplant timeline:

Immediately after unshaven hair transplant: 

Month 1: During the first month following your UFUE, the healing process will take place, and you must follow the aftercare instructions that you are given. The swelling and redness you may have encountered during the first few days will subside, and compared to a normal FUE hair transplant, there should be fewer scabs to cause irritation. Any shedding hair that you notice is a natural part of the hair growth cycle – your new hair is forming in the follicles.

Month 2: Your transplanted hair will be in the resting phase before the old hairs fall out and new hairs form to take their place. For this reason, you may not notice significantly thicker hair in the recipient area yet.

Month 3: By this time, the recovery process is out of the way and your new hair will be growing gradually. Remember, a UFUE typically takes longer than an FUE and there is not much you can do to speed up the process, aside from certain supplements and considering medication like Minoxidil.

Month 4: You may notice a slight thickening at the recipient area where your new hair has been implanted, but as these new hairs are typically ‘wispy’ in appearance, a discernible difference may not yet be visible.

Months 5-12: During this period, your transplanted hair will continue to grow. And by around a year after your procedure, you will be able to see the full results of your UFUE hair transplant.

Unshaven hair transplant cost

An unshaven hair transplant tends to be more expensive as the procedure is more delicate and labour intensive. However, if you are concerned about having your head shaved for a hair transplant, then this will be the best option for you.

A UFUE is sometimes priced ‘per session’ or ‘per area’, and you can expect to pay from £3,000 upwards for a session or area involving 200 to 400 grafts.

UFUE hair transplants at Treatment Rooms London

At Treatment Rooms London, we can offer UFUE as well as traditional FUE hair transplants.

Book a consultation today with one of our expert surgeons to discuss your hair treatment options. Our experienced professionals will be able to examine your hair, your hair loss and create the best hair transplant plan for you.

For more information about hair transplants, please visit our page on ‘how does a hair transplant work?’.