Manual FUE Hair Transplant
A board-certified surgeon extracts every graft by hand, built for hair a robotic camera can’t read
You want your donor hair harvested with the same care a stylist gives every strand, not run through a system designed for a single hair type. At the Center for Hair Transplantation, Dr. Yesul Kim and Dr. Blake Brooks guide a WAW motorized handpiece that adapts to your hair as it works, rather than following a preset robotic pattern. Here’s what that means for your results.
What You Get With Manual FUE
Manual FUE combines hands-on surgical control with a minimally invasive extraction method. Here’s what you can expect from the approach.
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Built Around Your Hair Type
Your surgeon can adapt extraction for curly, gray, fine, thinning, or irregularly angled hair.
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Surgeon-Led Extraction
Dr. Kim and Dr. Brooks personally extract your grafts, rather than handing extraction to a technician.
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No Linear Scar
Extraction sites heal as small, circular marks without stitches or a linear scar.
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Natural-Looking Results
Your donor area heals with minimal visible marks, while transplanted hair grows in gradually.
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Short Recovery
You go home the same day and typically return to daily activities within a day or two.
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Real-Time Adjustments
Your surgeon can adjust extraction technique based on how your hair and donor area respond.
Why Choose Center for Hair Transplantation for Manual FUE
Dr. Yesul Kim and Dr. Blake Brooks trained directly under Dr. Ivan Cohen in both follicular unit extraction and follicular unit transplantation. The practice offers manual and robotic FUE under one roof, so your treatment plan is based on your donor hair’s needs, not on what a single machine can do. If you live outside Connecticut, you can start with a virtual consultation before ever stepping foot into our office.
Talk to a surgeon about your donor hair.
Your Manual FUE Appointment, Step by Step
From your first consultation to your follow-up visits, your surgeon guides every step of your manual FUE procedure.
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Step1
Consultation
What HappensYou meet with Dr. Kim or Dr. Brooks in person or by video call. Your surgeon assesses your donor density and hairline goals in one visit, then provides a graft estimate.
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Step2
Trim and Numb
What HappensYour surgeon trims only the donor area immediately before the procedure, then numbs your scalp with a local anesthetic.
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Step3
Manual Extraction
What HappensYour surgeon works through the donor area by hand, guiding the WAW motorized handpiece graft by graft. This can take longer than a robotic session because your surgeon evaluates and adjusts to your hair in real time.
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Step4
Graft Placement
What HappensTrained surgical technicians place each graft under your surgeon’s direct supervision, following the angle and direction of your natural hair growth. Your surgeon directs the hairline design around your facial features.
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Step5
Recovery Guidance
What HappensYou leave the same day with care instructions specific to your scalp. Your surgeon schedules follow-up visits to track your regrowth over the coming year.
How We Protect Your Results
Your surgeon monitors transection rates throughout the procedure, not just at the start. If one section of your donor area stops yielding clean grafts, your surgeon shifts to a different section rather than pushing through it. That decision protects your donor supply for a future procedure, should you ever want one.
Your surgeon also paces the extraction to your scalp’s response, easing off if an area shows swelling or fatigue. That’s why your graft count stays consistent from the first extraction to the last.
What You Should Know Before You Book
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1
Sessions Run 4-8 Hours
Plan your day around your graft count, not a fixed appointment slot.
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2
Pricing Is Quoted Per Graft
You receive an exact graft estimate at your consultation, not a generic package price.
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3
Candidacy Is Confirmed Before You Book
Your surgeon will tell you if manual extraction isn’t the best fit before you commit to a date.
Manual FUE or Robotic FUE?
The Center for Hair Transplantation offers both. Here’s how they compare so you and your surgeon can choose the one best suited to your donor hair.
| Feature | Manual FUE | Robotic FUE (ARTAS®) |
|---|---|---|
| Extraction Method | Surgeon-guided WAW handpiece | Robotic arm guided by digital imaging |
| Works Best With | Curly, gray, or fine donor hair | Straight, consistent donor hair |
| Who’s at the Controls | Dr. Kim or Dr. Brooks, hands-on throughout | Dr. Cohen, Dr. Kim or Dr. Brooks, operating the robotic system |
| Session Pace | Slower, adjusted graft by graft | Faster, guided by continuous imaging |
Not sure which fits your donor hair? Call 203.259.7709
Manual FUE FAQ
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No. Your surgeon numbs your scalp with a local anesthetic before starting. You stay awake, and you won’t feel the extraction.
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Not once you heal. Your donor area blends into your existing hair within weeks. Your new grafts grow in gradually over the following year, so there’s no single day when the change is obvious.
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Yes. That’s exactly the hair manual FUE handles best. Your surgeon adjusts to your curl pattern and hair color while extracting, which a robotic camera can’t always do reliably.
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Pricing depends on how many grafts your case needs. Your surgeon quotes a specific price after assessing your donor area and goals during your consultation.
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New hair isn’t visible until around month three. You’ll notice real improvement by month six. Your final results come in by the one-year mark.
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No. Your surgeon trims only the donor area before your procedure. The rest of your hair stays untouched.
Is Manual FUE Right for You?
Manual FUE is the best solution for you if you have curly, light-colored, or textured donor hair that needs a surgeon’s judgment instead of a camera’s guess. It’s the best option if you want the same physician who consulted with you to perform your extraction from start to finish. It’s the best solution for you if you’re scheduling a smaller session, a touch-up, or a scar revision where hands-on precision matters more than speed.