Can you have a hair transplant with long hair?
Hair transplant techniques such as FUE and FUT traditionally involve shaving the patient’s head to extract and implant hair follicles. Many patients are not aware that they have the option of retaining their existing hair with unshaven hair transplants. Read on to learn more about hair transplants with long hair, their challenges, results, and overall costs.
Fast Facts
| Method | Unshaven or minimally shaven |
| Hair Transplant Options | FUE and FUT |
| Pros and Cons | Patients can maintain original hairstyle |
| Cost | $1,600 to $4,000 per session |
How does a hair transplant with long hair work?
Much like a shaven hair transplant, the two main techniques available are FUE and FUT. The process of extraction and implantation is essentially the same for both shaven and unshaven hair transplants.
Here are some of the options you have if you want to retain your long hair after the transplant:
- Partly shaven FUE – In minimally or partly shaven FUE your doctor will only shave the recipient area and conceal the donor area with surrounding hair so you can easily hide it after the surgery. These are particularly effective for receding hairlines and crown transplants. The rest of the procedure is the same as your regular shaven FUE hair transplant.
- Unshaven FUT or Long Hair Transplantation – An unshaven FUT is essentially the same as its shaven counterpart. The only difference is that your surgeon will transplant long hair instead of short hair. Unshaven FUT does not require shaving any part of the head, reducing the preparation time and allowing patients to see immediate results right after the procedure.
- Unshaven FUE – A rare form of transplant where doctors extract and implant long hair through the FUE method. This technique is not widely used as extracting individual hair follicles when the hair is long can be highly complicated.
- Free
- Fast
- Non-binding
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Patients can maintain their original hairstyle and return to their daily routine with more confidence. | Multiple sessions may be needed to restore full hair density as a lower number of follicles are transplanted during each session. |
| Keeping the hair long is a great way to cover up scars, scabbing, or redness caused after the procedure. | It is way more complicated and time-intensive, requiring multiple sessions and a lot of expertise. |
| Patients can preview their results immediately after the hair transplant instead of waiting for months up to a year. | Due to the time-consuming and challenging nature of long hair transplants, they are more expensive than shaven transplants. |
| It may require fewer grafts and is known to have a lower transection rate. | You may still experience shock loss that will cause your hair to fall out after the hair transplant. |
| Shorter recovery time as hair is kept long. | The aftercare is more complicated as long hair covers the areas that need to be healed. |
Save up to $3,200
Save time and compare without obligation, free of charge
and quickly several hair transplant offers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to cut my hair before a hair transplant?
How long should your hair be for a hair transplant?
Sources
