Frequently asked questions

There is no single answer — it depends on the size and location of your thinning or balding area, the density you want to achieve, and how much donor hair is available. Some people need as few as 800 grafts to restore a receding hairline; others require 3,000 or more to cover a larger area. Your doctor determines the right number at your consultation using a scalp assessment and, where appropriate, advanced diagnostic imaging.

Yes, women can be candidates for FUE hair transplantation. Female hair loss often follows a different pattern to male hair loss — it tends to thin diffusely across the top of the scalp rather than receding from a defined hairline. Not all patterns of female hair loss are suitable for transplantation, so a thorough assessment of your donor area and the cause of your hair loss is essential before deciding whether a transplant is the right option.

A graft — also called a follicular unit — is a naturally occurring grouping of one to four hairs that share a single exit point in the skin. When your doctor quotes a graft count, each graft may contain multiple hairs. This means 2,000 grafts could represent anywhere from roughly 3,500 to 6,000 individual hairs, depending on your natural follicular groupings.

Most FUE procedures run between six and ten hours depending on the number of grafts being transplanted. The day is structured with breaks for food, drinks and rest. You will be under local anaesthetic, not general, so you remain awake and comfortable. Many patients watch films, listen to podcasts or simply rest throughout the session.

FUE is a well-established procedure performed under local anaesthetic. As with any medical procedure, there are risks — including infection, bleeding, swelling, numbness and the possibility that some grafts may not survive. Scarring in the donor area is minimal but not invisible. Your doctor discusses all risks with you at your consultation so you can make an informed decision.

There is no strict age cutoff, but age is a factor. Younger patients — particularly those under 25 — may still be experiencing active hair loss, and transplanting too early can lead to an unnatural pattern as further loss continues. Older patients can be excellent candidates provided their donor area and general health support the procedure. Your doctor considers your age alongside the stability and pattern of your hair loss.

Many patients return to desk-based work within two to four days. If your job involves physical labour, heavy lifting or exposure to dust, dirt or direct sunlight, your doctor may recommend a longer break — typically five to ten days. The recipient area will have small scabs for roughly a week, and some redness may be visible for a few weeks after that.

Yes — and that is expected. Most transplanted hairs shed within the first two to six weeks after the procedure. This is a normal part of the growth cycle. The follicles remain in place beneath the skin and begin producing new hair from around three to four months. It can feel unsettling, but shedding is a sign that the follicles are transitioning into their active growth phase.

Most patients see meaningful new growth from around six months. The full result — including density maturation and the final texture of the transplanted hair — is typically reached between twelve and eighteen months after the procedure. Growth is gradual, so the change tends to look natural to the people around you.

Transplanted follicles are taken from genetically resistant donor areas and are expected to continue growing long-term. However, your existing non-transplanted hair may continue to thin over time depending on the nature and progression of your hair loss. Your doctor discusses this at your consultation and may recommend non-surgical treatments — such as medical therapy — to help preserve your existing hair alongside the transplanted grafts.

Yes. Before the procedure, you will be asked to avoid blood-thinning medications, alcohol and smoking for a specified period. After the procedure, you should avoid strenuous exercise, swimming, saunas and direct sun exposure for at least two weeks. Specific aftercare instructions are provided by your doctor and tailored to your procedure. Following them closely gives your grafts the best chance of survival.

You should wait at least four weeks after your procedure before applying any hair dye or chemical treatments to the transplanted area. The scalp needs time to heal, and the chemicals in hair colouring products can irritate freshly healed skin and potentially affect graft survival. Your doctor will advise when it is safe to resume colouring based on how your scalp is healing.

In the first week or two, small scabs and some redness are visible in the recipient area. Many patients wear a loose hat or cap during this period. Once the scabs fall off and any redness fades — typically within two to three weeks — the area looks like normal scalp. Because transplanted hairs shed and then regrow gradually over months, the change is progressive rather than sudden, which makes it far less noticeable to the people around you.

Yes, but only a loose-fitting hat — nothing that presses firmly against the grafts. Your doctor will typically advise that you can wear a loose cap from the day after your procedure, which many patients find helpful for the first couple of weeks while scabs are present. Tight hats, helmets or anything that rubs or presses on the recipient area should be avoided for at least three to four weeks.

Most patients can fly within a few days of their procedure, though the cabin pressure and dry air on a flight are worth being aware of. We recommend keeping the scalp moisturised and avoiding overhead luggage that might bump your head. If you are travelling from interstate, we suggest staying on the Gold Coast for at least one night after your procedure so your doctor can check the grafts the following morning before you travel home.

The donor area is the band of hair across the back and sides of your scalp — this hair is genetically resistant to thinning. During FUE, individual follicular units are extracted in a scattered pattern so that no visible gap or patch is created. The donor area is trimmed short for the procedure but grows back to cover the tiny extraction points within a few weeks. When the extraction is planned carefully and the donor density supports the graft count, the donor area continues to look full and natural.