DHI hair transplant
DHI is a hair transplant technique in which a pen-shaped Choi implanter carries the graft, opens the channel and releases the follicle in one movement, so there is no separate channel-opening stage.
- Procedure time
- 7–9 hours
- Anaesthesia
- Local anaesthetic
- Recovery
- 10 days of crusting · 15 days to social normality
- Sessions
- One session
- How long it lasts
- Permanent; result completes at 12–18 months
How it differs from FUE
In FUE all the channels are opened first and the grafts are placed afterwards with forceps. In DHI — direct hair implantation — the Choi pen carries the graft, opens the channel and releases it in the same movement.
The graft therefore spends less time outside the body and is handled less during placement. In exchange the work goes more slowly, and the number of grafts that can be moved in one session is comparatively lower.
Where it is preferred
The choice of technique follows hair calibre, the width of the thinning area and existing hair density — not marketing language, and not a difference in fee. There are three situations where DHI genuinely comes into its own.
- Adding density between existing hairs — lower risk of damaging neighbouring follicles
- Hairlines that need fine construction from single-hair grafts
- Unshaven work — the implanter makes placement between long hairs easier
The day itself, and recovery
The harvesting stage is identical to FUE and takes 2–3 hours. Because placement is done with the implanter, total time rises to 7–9 hours. That is a long day; plan the flight home for the third morning rather than the second evening.
Crusts have gone by days 10–14. Shock loss appears between months two and four; permanent regrowth starts from month four and the result completes at 12–18 months.
What decides the result
DHI is not “a better method” than FUE; it is a different placement instrument. What decides the outcome is not the name of the tool but the measurable variables below.
- Channel angle and direction — this, above all, is what makes it look natural
- Choosing the implanter tip size to match graft calibre
- How long the graft spends outside the body, and how it is stored
- Donor density and how far existing hair has thinned
Who this is not for, and what not to expect
The concrete limit of DHI is speed. Fewer grafts are transferred in the same time, so full coverage of a large bald area in a single session should not be expected; classic FUE is often the better fit for those cases.
The medical contraindications are the same as for FUE. Using an implanter removes none of them, and any clinic telling you otherwise is selling you the instrument rather than the plan.
- Uncontrolled bleeding disorder or anticoagulant use — not performed without a haematology assessment
- Active scalp infection or inflammatory scalp disease — no operation is planned until it is treated
- Autoimmune shedding such as widespread alopecia areata — not performed without dermatology sign-off
- Norwood 5 and above — covering the whole area in a single session is not the objective
- Thick-calibre hair with an unmeasured tip size — the graft is crushed; tip size is chosen against hair calibre
This page is general information and does not replace a clinical examination. The method, dose and timescale that apply to you are decided by a doctor after examining you.
Frequently asked questions
Does DHI look more natural?
Can DHI be done unshaven?
Why does DHI take longer?
Is DHI worth paying more for?
Pre-assessment
Describe your situation and we will answer with a measurement
Send a photograph or an X-ray. A doctor in the relevant speciality will reply with a graft range, a number of teeth or a dose range in units. If you are not suitable, we say so plainly.