Choi Implanter Pen Technique: How It Works

What is the Choi Implanter Pen and how the DHI technique works

The Choi implanter pen technique is based on a manual instrument developed by Dr. Choi in Seoul in the late 1990s. Inside a thin cannula, a plunger slides and pushes the follicle directly into the scalp. The gesture combines two movements in one: the puncture of the channel and the release of the hair.

In classic FUE, after extraction, the holes are created with a micro-blade and the grafts are inserted by hand. Here, the intermediate step is skipped. The follicle is loaded into the tip and inserted into the skin already with the correct orientation. The surgeon adjusts depth, angle, and direction, then presses the plunger: a single pass, no open groove, less exposure of the follicle to the air.

Why it is called the DHI technique

DHI stands for Direct Hair Implantation and is the most widespread commercial name for the use of the Choi pen in series. In Turkish centers, "Choi implanter pen technique" and DHI end up overlapping: FUE extraction with a 0.7-0.9 mm micro-punch, immediate reimplantation.

The practical advantage lies in control. The pen allows you to dose the inclination area by area: behind the hairline a lower angle, on the crown a more perpendicular insertion. You work on multiple fronts simultaneously and the density is decided by placing each unit at a precise distance. No pre-set holes.

A session of 3,500-4,000 grafts with two experienced technicians lasts about 7-9 hours. And the follicles remain outside the body for only a few minutes, which reduces stress on the hair.

It is not so. The result depends on who holds it, on experience with the cannula bevel, and on attention to keeping the follicles moist. The pen is an excellent tool, but it remains a tool.

• A pinpoint wound for each hair.
• no blade incision on the scalp.
• hair orientation decided at the time of insertion.
• faster recovery in the first two weeks compared to classic grooves.

The Choi pen transforms implantation into precision work. However, anyone choosing a clinic should ask how many hours of practice on the instrument the technicians have before touching a real patient.

DHI or classic FUE: which technique to choose for your transplant

The difference between DHI and classic FUE is largely mechanical, not surgical. In traditional FUE, follicular units are extracted, placed in a preservation solution, and only then are the channels created in the scalp with blades or needles. The insertion of the grafts takes place at a separate moment, often entrusted to assistants. With the Choi implanter pen technique, the gesture is unique: the pen already contains the follicle, and opening the channel, inserting, and releasing happen in a single step. No waiting, no extra hands on the bulb. This difference weighs on the survival of the follicles. With classic FUE, the graft remains outside the scalp for up to an hour, sometimes more in sessions of 3500-4000 grafts. With the Choi pen, the time outside the body is reduced to a few minutes. This is the factor that most affects the final result, more than the technique itself.

ParameterDHI with Choi penClassic FUE Time outside the bodyA few minutes30-90 minutes Who inserts the graftsThe surgeon, one at a timeSurgeon or technicians Density per cm²60-80 grafts40-50 grafts Grafts per session2500-30004000-5000 Average cost per graft2.5-4 euros1.5-3 euros

The Choi pen gives its best on the frontal hairline. The tip rotates following the natural angle of the hair, which makes the result much more realistic. For a circumscribed bald spot or initial receding hairline, therefore, DHI offers superior density for the same area. Classic FUE remains valid for large surfaces, when you need to cover the entire vertex and crown with 4000 grafts or more. It costs less and requires fewer hours of the doctor's work. The limitation is in the direction of the hair, which often turns out to be less precise. For those with advanced baldness, the classic represents the right compromise between coverage and budget. Geography matters. However, the savings should be evaluated on the surgeon's track record, not on the name of the pen. The Choi implanter pen technique requires a doctor with thousands of sessions behind them. in the wrong hands, the transection rate rises and damaged follicles do not regrow. It is better to always ask how many follicular units survive after a year: it is the data that distinguishes a good clinic from an advertisement.

DHI technique without shaving: how it works and who it is suitable for

The Choi implanter pen technique is the basis of DHI transplant without shaving, the most requested version of hair transplant in Turkey. The reason lies in the word "shaving": the patient does not have to cut the donor area, so the procedure goes unnoticed. For those who have meetings, clients to meet, or simply do not want to show signs, this is the natural choice. In consultation, I often see patients who arrive with this exact request: no shaved areas, no visible signs.

The functioning of the Choi pen is quite simple to explain. It is a hollow needle instrument: the surgeon loads one follicle at a time and inserts it directly into the recipient area. The holes are not created in advance as in classic FUE. The angle and depth are adjusted based on the area, and each graft is placed without ever touching it with hands. Precision is required and, above all, time. It is slow work, and anyone promising 4,000 grafts in four hours is probably cutting some corners.

How the Choi implanter works

The difference compared to other techniques is in the single gesture. The follicle does not pass from hand to hand between different operators, it remains in the pen until the moment of insertion. The tip rotates and follows the natural direction of the hair, a feature that helps achieve homogeneous density even in difficult areas like the hairline. The length of the needle adapts to the thickness of the scalp, which changes between the frontal area and the crown.

Who it's really right for

The no-shave solution works well when:

• the donor area has good density, typically more than 70-80 follicular units per cm²
• the thinning is partial, for example only on the crown
• the patient accepts a longer session than usual

There's a limit to know. Finding follicles among long hair takes more time, and for a procedure of 3,500-4,000 grafts, the hours easily exceed 8. Not all patients are candidates: those with a weak donor area or extensive thinning can hardly avoid shaving.

DHI transplant cost: the factors affecting the quote

The price of a hair transplant with the DHI technique is never a single figure. It starts with an evaluation, and that evaluation depends on at least six variables that anyone should know before requesting a quote.

First factor: the number of follicular units to be implanted. The Choi Pen Implanter technique works graft by graft, in a single session, and the surgeon's time weighs on the final cost. A patient with limited frontal thinning may stop at 1,500-2,000 grafts. A full shave or an occipital area poor in donors requires 3,500-4,500 grafts. The price per graft decreases as the number rises, but the total cost rises.

Second factor: density and quality of the result. Implanting 30 units per cm² does not cost the same as implanting 45. High density requires more time and more disposable tips. The precision needed increases. With a well-used Choi pen, the result is natural, but the slowness of manual work is a real cost.

Third factor: the experience of the doctor and the team. A surgeon who follows every phase, from trichological evaluation to the twelve-month check-up, has different rates than a facility that delegates implantation to technicians. The type of anesthesia and the number of assistants also matter.

Fourth factor: location. Savings exist, but must be weighed against travel, remote follow-up, and guarantees.

Fifth factor: included services. Some quotes include the check-up, the post-operative protocol, and follow-ups. Others bill them separately. Always ask what the indicated figure covers.

Now the part many forget: the true cost also includes maintenance. Drug therapy, minoxidil or finasteride, often needs to be continued for years. And follow-up sessions at six and twelve months may be paid.

A practical tip. Below certain prices, the selection of follicles and the care of the implantation decline.

What to expect after a Choi pen transplant

The first thing to know: what you see in the mirror after three days has nothing to do with the final result. The scalp appears reddened, with small dark crusts around each graft. They look like black dots, itch, and stay there for a few days. All normal. With the Choi pen implanter technique, healing has precise times and phases, and knowing them avoids most unnecessary anxieties.

First 72 hours

Between the second and third day, swelling may move down toward the forehead and eyelids. It happens often. Peak on day two, then it subsides on its own by the fourth or fifth day. Cold compresses on the forehead, never on the grafts, help keep it under control. Pain is modest: when the local anesthetic wears off, in the first day and a half, a paracetamol is enough.

From the fourth to the tenth day

The crusts fall off on their own. Washes should be done with the products the clinic gives you, with precise and gentle gestures. No scratching, no removing crusts with your fingers: you risk tearing the graft. In the first seven days, sleep with your head elevated on two pillows, so in the morning the swelling is less.

The phase that scares everyone: the shedding

Between the second and fourth week, the transplanted hairs fall out. The follicle remains under the skin, in a resting phase. It's physiological, but it's also the moment when many patients get alarmed. In reality, it's a sign that the cycle is proceeding as it should. Once the hairs are lost, nothing visible happens for two or three months. Then, between the fourth and sixth month, the first hairs appear: thin, almost transparent. Hard to notice, but present. The real density comes after the ninth month. The final result is assessed between 12 and 18 months.