VIP FUE

This advanced, no-shave, minimally invasive hair transplant procedure offers patients all the advantages of traditional FUE hair transplantation, including no staples, no stitches, no linear scar, and a more comfortable, less restrictive recovery compared with traditional FUT “strip” harvesting.

VIP FUE is designed to eliminate the need for trimming or shaving the donor area, allowing patients to undergo hair transplantation without dramatically changing their existing hairstyle.

Additionally, VIP FUE offers a unique “Long-Hair Preview,” allowing patients to see an immediate preview of their hair transplant results following the procedure. This feature helps camouflage visible signs of healing while providing a more discreet hair restoration experience.

• No Shaving and No Trimming of Donor Area or Recipient Area; All hair remains 100% unshaven, the same length. Hair follicles are extracted from the donor area and implanted into the recipient area without any trimming of hair whatsoever.
• Long-Hair “Preview” allows you to see the results of the transplant immediately after the procedure
• Absolutely No Linear Scar to Hide
• Less Restricted, Shorter, More Comfortable Downtime
• No Stitches or Staples
• Reduced Cosmetic Downtime

This procedure was developed as an extension of the FUE hair transplant currently offered at Bauman Medical. With the addition of a state-of-the-art extraction tool and advanced microsurgical techniques, Dr. Bauman and his surgical team can extract hair follicles directly from the donor area without trimming or shaving. This is a significant benefit for patients who want to treat their hair loss discreetly, as there is no dramatic change to their hairstyle. Suitable for both men and women, the VIP FUE technique—combined with Dr. Bauman’s renowned artistic ability—allows both the procedure and its results to remain virtually undetectable and natural-looking.

In addition, the “No-Shave, Long-Hair Preview” allows patients to see what their hair transplant will look like immediately after the procedure rather than waiting for the transplanted hair to grow. This early preview can help guide adjustments to both short- and long-term treatment plans, giving patients the best opportunity to achieve their hair restoration goals.

At Bauman Medical, “no-shave FUE” means 100% no shaving or trimming. Although other practices may advertise a “no-shave” technique, they may still shave or trim a concealed portion of the donor area. Bauman Medical refers to this technique as “stealth-shave FUE” because the surrounding hair hides the trimmed donor area. With a VIP FUE hair transplant, no hair is shaved or trimmed—the long hairs are harvested intact within their follicles.

Although this procedure offers significant benefits, patients should be aware of a few potential drawbacks. Because it involves the delicate harvesting of follicles containing intact, long hairs, a successful transplant requires exceptional care and precision. As a result, the procedure may take up to twice as long as other FUE methods. The advanced technology and additional time required may also make a VIP FUE hair transplant more expensive than a traditional FUE procedure. However, many factors can affect the cost of a hair transplant, and Dr. Bauman and his team help patients determine the most appropriate option for achieving their individual hair restoration goals.

Are the “preview” results of VIP FUE™ permanent?

The Long-Hair Preview allows patients to see what the transplanted area may look like, but the preview itself is temporary and typically lasts only a few weeks. As with any hair transplant procedure, the transplanted follicles enter a resting phase soon after transplantation. The hair shafts within the follicles will normally shed within several weeks, and the follicles typically begin producing new hair approximately 6 to 12 weeks later.

With traditional FUE, the transplanted hairs are trimmed before harvesting, so visible results may not become apparent until approximately four to six months after the procedure.

Who is a good candidate for a VIP FUE hair transplant?

The No-Shave, Long-Hair Preview VIP FUE procedure is ideal for patients who want their treatment to remain as discreet as possible while minimizing cosmetic downtime.

Although many prospective patients may be interested in the benefits of this procedure, not everyone is an appropriate candidate. A private, one-on-one consultation with Dr. Bauman can help determine whether VIP FUE is appropriate for each patient’s individual needs and goals.

If VIP FUE is not the best option, other approaches are available. These may include fully shaving the donor area or using a partial, concealed “stealth shave.” Dr. Bauman and his team do not offer FUT strip harvesting because of the more restrictive recovery, discomfort, and linear scar associated with the procedure.

Why don’t more surgeons offer VIP FUE?

This advanced procedure requires specialized microsurgical instruments and techniques. It is also more labor-intensive, time-consuming, and technically demanding than shaved FUE. As a result, it may be available from only a limited number of hair transplant surgeons worldwide.

Can VIP FUE be performed using the ARTAS robotic system?

No. Robotic-assisted ARTAS FUE requires a relatively large portion of the donor area to be trimmed or shaved. The No-Shave, Long-Hair Preview VIP FUE procedure instead uses a handheld, microprocessor-controlled programmable instrument, specialized extraction tips, and advanced surgical techniques.

Can this procedure be used for eyelash and eyebrow transplants?

In many cases, yes. One of the primary benefits of long-hair transplantation is that the curl of each hair remains visible while the grafts are implanted. This can be particularly helpful during eyebrow transplantation, in which the angle, orientation, and placement of each transplanted hair are critical to the final aesthetic result.

Patients should be aware that traditional linear harvesting may be required in some eyelash-transplant cases.

How can patients learn more about No-Shave VIP FUE?

Patients interested in learning more about No-Shave VIP FUE can schedule a consultation with Dr. Bauman to discuss their goals and determine whether they are appropriate candidates. Private, one-on-one consultations are available both virtually and in person to help patients make informed decisions about whether the No-Shave, Long-Hair Preview VIP FUE procedure is right for them.

Wide-Shave or Full-Shave FUE

Wide-shave FUE requires the sides and back of the scalp to be shaved completely or nearly completely. The primary benefit is that it allows for the most efficient and productive harvesting of transplantable follicles, meaning that the greatest possible number of grafts can be obtained during a single transplant session. It also allows grafts of any quantity to be harvested evenly throughout the available donor area.

Women and men with longer hairstyles who are unwilling to wear a shorter hairstyle temporarily may not be suitable candidates for wide-shave FUE. A wide-shave or full-shave approach is required for patients seeking an ASMAP™ (“As Much As Possible”) hair transplant. The procedure may also include body hair transplantation (BHT), using donor hair from areas such as the beard, to maximize the number of available grafts.

Partial, Hidden, or “Stealth-Shave” FUE

For a partial or hidden shave, the hair in the donor area must be at least two inches long. The hair is parted horizontally and lifted to reveal a narrow band of hair, which is then trimmed short for extraction.

Because this approach limits the total number of grafts that can be harvested, it is more appropriate for smaller transplant sessions. Immediately after the procedure, the hair above the trimmed band is combed downward to conceal the donor area during healing.

During the healing phase, care must be taken to keep the surrounding hair styled downward—especially when it is wet or exposed to wind, which could reveal the shaved area. Because only a small percentage of follicles are removed from the donor area, the harvested zone eventually becomes undetectable as the scalp heals and the trimmed—but unextracted—follicles continue producing hair.

This approach is recommended for patients who plan to maintain a longer hairstyle, as the harvested area may become visible if the donor hair is cut very short in the future.

Combining Hidden-Shave and No-Shave, Long-Hair VIP FUE

In some cases, a combination of one or more small shaved zones and the No-Shave VIP FUE technique may be recommended to achieve the desired number of grafts while minimizing changes to your hairstyle.

Discuss your hair-restoration goals and preferred level of cosmetic downtime with Dr. Bauman to determine which approach is right for you.