FUE vs DHI Hair Transplant
The same grafts, placed two different ways
Both techniques harvest follicular units one at a time from the back of the head. What differs is the second half of the operation. In FUE the surgeon opens the channels first and then places the grafts; in DHI a Choi implanter opens the channel and places the graft in a single movement.
That one difference is what drives everything below: how deeply the area has to be shaved, how precisely the angle can be set, how long the session takes and what it costs.
| Factor | FUE | DHI |
|---|---|---|
| How grafts are placed | Channels are opened first, then grafts are placed into them | A Choi pen opens the channel and implants in one movement |
| Shaving | The recipient area is usually shaved | Can be done without shaving the recipient area |
| Control over angle and direction | Very good | Excellent — set at the moment of placement |
| Achievable density | 40 to 50 grafts per cm² | 45 to 55 grafts per cm² |
| Grafts per session | Up to about 4,500 | Usually up to about 3,000 |
| Session length | 6 to 8 hours | 7 to 9 hours for the same number of grafts |
| Time out of sight | 7 to 10 days | 5 to 7 days |
| Typical cost in Istanbul | €2,000 – €2,800 | €2,400 – €3,200 |
| Best suited to | Large areas, advanced loss, crown coverage | Hairlines, small dense areas, women, unshaven cases |
Which one should you choose?
Choose DHI if the work is concentrated at the hairline, if the area is small and needs maximum density, or if not shaving matters to you — which it often does for women and for anyone who cannot take a visible week off.
Choose FUE if you need a large number of grafts in one session. Above roughly 3,000 grafts, FUE is faster, cheaper per graft, and the grafts spend less time outside the body, which is what protects their survival.
In practice many plans use both: DHI for the front row and FUE behind it. That is what a hybrid session is.
FUE-Haartransplantation
Bei der Follicular Unit Extraction werden die Grafts einzeln aus dem Spenderbereich entnommen – so lässt sich Dichte ohne lineare Narbe wieder aufbauen.
2.000 € – 2.800 €
DHI-Haartransplantation
Bei der Direct Hair Implantation wird jedes Graft mit einem Choi-Pen eingesetzt – für genaue Kontrolle von Winkel, Richtung und Dichte.
2.400 € – 3.200 €
Häufig gestellte Fragen
- Does DHI give better results than FUE?
- Not inherently. Both move the same follicles and both can produce an excellent result. DHI offers slightly more control at the hairline and slightly higher density; FUE handles large areas better. The surgeon's hairline design matters far more than which of the two is used.
- Is DHI worth the extra cost?
- For a hairline-only case, usually yes — the precision at the front row is where the result is judged. For a 4,000-graft case covering the crown, the extra cost buys very little.
- Can DHI really be done without shaving?
- Yes, for small to medium sessions. Unshaven DHI takes longer and costs more, and above about 2,000 grafts most surgeons will ask to shave at least part of the area.
