Donor Hair Extraction and Why Technique Matters at My Hair UK

Hair transplantation relies on the principle that hair taken from the back and sides of the scalp is genetically programmed to resist balding. This “donor dominant” quality means that once follicles are moved to a thinning or bald area, they usually continue to grow for life. Yet the success of any procedure depends not just on where the hair is placed but on how it is removed. Poor extraction damages follicles, lowers survival rates, and can leave the donor area scarred or thinned. At My Hair UK, much of the focus is on optimising donor harvesting so that grafts remain healthy and the donor region stays intact.

Precision in Follicular Unit Extraction

The method used is follicular unit extraction. Rather than removing a strip of skin, surgeons isolate individual follicular units using micro punches that measure less than a millimetre in diameter. The standard range is 0.7 to 0.9 mm, and studies show that smaller punches reduce transection rates, meaning fewer follicles are cut or damaged during removal.

Choosing the right punch size is not a one size fits all decision. It depends on hair calibre, scalp flexibility, and follicle groupings. For patients with coarse or curly hair, slightly larger punches may be needed. Where follicles are fine and the scalp is tight, a sharper tool offers greater accuracy. Some surgeons employ a two step method, with a sharp punch making the initial incision and a blunt punch then separating the unit from deeper tissue. Harris described this “SAFE system” back in 2004, and it remains widely used because it lowers the risk of cutting through grafts.

Minimising Trauma and Protecting Grafts

Each follicular unit contains not just the visible hair but surrounding cells, sebaceous glands, and stem cell structures that are vital for continued growth. Damaging these reduces survival. This is why the angle of approach matters. Follicles on the scalp do not emerge straight but at varying angles, often acute. Matching the angle with the punch and keeping depth shallow helps preserve the entire unit.

Handling after extraction is equally important. Grafts dry out within minutes if left exposed. To reduce this risk they are stored in chilled solutions until implantation. Some clinics go further and use platelet rich plasma. PRP is prepared from a patient’s own blood and is rich in growth factors. Research has suggested it promotes angiogenesis and reduces inflammation, both of which can improve survival when grafts are reimplanted.

Managing Donor Area Density

One of the more subtle aspects of surgery is knowing how much to take and from where. Even with small punches, overharvesting creates visible thinning, especially in men with lighter coloured or finer hair. At My Hair UK, surgeons spread extractions evenly across a wide zone. By skipping hairs and avoiding tight clusters, density is preserved. Patients should be able to wear their hair short without showing patchy donor scars.

In patients with limited scalp supply, alternative donor sources can sometimes be explored. Beard and chest hair are options. Body hair transplantation is a viable method in repair cases or severe baldness, though it requires experience because body hair has different growth cycles and textures. Results can be unpredictable, but in certain patients it provides a small additional source of grafts.

Cost and Value of Technique

The price of a hair transplant in the UK usually sits between three and seven thousand pounds depending on graft numbers. At My Hair UK, pricing is transparent, ranging from two thousand four hundred and ninety nine pounds for smaller cases to around four thousand eight hundred and ninety nine pounds for the largest sessions. While cost is often a deciding factor, the detail lies in how donor hair is managed. A poorly harvested donor area limits what can be done in the future and may leave permanent cosmetic problems. A carefully managed one provides grafts not just for the first surgery but also for possible future procedures if hair loss progresses.

Where the Field Is Heading

Advances continue. Robotics were once touted as the future but most clinics, including My Hair UK, have avoided them due to limitations in precision and the higher transection rates reported in some early trials. Instead, refinement of manual and motor assisted punches remains the main area of progress. Imaging systems that map hair angles beneath the skin are being trialled. PRP and other biologic enhancers are under ongoing study.

The common thread across this research is that survival of grafts is determined at the donor stage. A follicle lost during extraction cannot be replaced. For patients, this underscores why surgeon experience and technique are as important as the number of grafts promised.