"The Postoperative Timeline of FUE" (2505 grafts): Carlos K. Wesley, M.D. (NYC & LA)

[Office of Dr Wesley]

This 45-year-old man underwent a Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) session with Dr. Carlos K. Wesley in which a total of 2505 grafts were placed. The recovery can be seen through images before, during, one week postop, and one year later.


Three elements combined to help improve his experience: graft harvest, graft storage, and patient safety. Rather than a larger FUE punch used by a robotic approach, Dr. Wesley used a smaller caliber hand-held motorized punch to performed the donor harvest. This approach better enabled the capture of donor intact hair roots that are slightly curved beneath the skin surface. Upon completion of the harvest, the patient’s donor area was treated with PRP and ACell in order to not only minimize scar tissue formation, but also encourage partial regeneration of donor hair follicles.


Graft storage was optimized as hair follicles were incubated in autologous (his own) platelet rich plasma (PRP) throughout the duration of the procedure. This, combined with an ATP-containing storage solution has been shown to enhance survival of transplanted hairs.


Finally, having his procedure performed in our office with the highest standards of COVID precautions helped ensure patient safety. Every patient of Dr. Wesley’s receives a rapid COVID test upon arrival to our office equipped with an ultraviolet air purification system. Measures such as reducing foot traffic by performing virtual consultations at no charge to patients, regular staff COVID testing and no-touch temperature checks of our team that avoids public transportation help preserve our clean and sanitary safe haven. Daily sterilization of the office coupled with the most rigid OR safety precautions further allay patient concerns in this sensitive time.


The patient returned one year after his procedure and images of the patient can be seen below. This link illustrates the timing of hair growth after surgery. Similar patient hair transformations with Dr. Wesley and his team may also be viewed.