What Is ARTAS Robotic FUE?
ARTAS is a robotic-assisted FUE system that uses computer vision and a robotic arm to identify and extract individual hair follicles from the donor area. It is offered at 200+ clinics in the US at a premium of $2-3 per graft over manual FUE, bringing typical costs to $6-9 per graft. The system creates a digital map of every extraction, giving you a precise record that manual FUE cannot match.
For patients who choose ARTAS, this digital precision creates a unique tracking advantage: you know exactly what was done, where, and how many grafts were placed in each zone.
How to Track Your ARTAS Robotic FUE Results
Step 1: Get Your ARTAS Digital Report
After your procedure, request the full ARTAS digital extraction report from your clinic. This includes:
- Total grafts extracted and placed
- Extraction coordinates on the donor area
- Placement map showing graft distribution in recipient zones
- Punch size used (typically 0.9-1.0mm)
- Transection rate data if available
Save this report. It becomes the foundation of your tracking timeline, giving you an exact count and placement map that most manual FUE patients simply do not have.
Step 2: Capture Your Day-1 Baseline
Within 24 hours of your procedure, upload photos to HairLine AI from these angles:
- Top-down vertex: Shows overall recipient coverage
- Frontal hairline: Documents hairline design and graft placement
- Left and right temple: Captures lateral density
- Donor area (back of head): Documents extraction pattern
These Day-1 photos will show the grafts in place before any shedding occurs. They are your visual baseline for every comparison that follows.
Step 3: Document the Shock Loss Phase (Weeks 2-6)
Most ARTAS patients experience shock loss between weeks 2 and 6. This is normal. The transplanted hairs fall out while the follicles remain alive beneath the skin. Your tracking data during this phase should show:
| Week | What You Will See | What to Document |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Scabbing, redness, visible grafts | Close-up donor and recipient photos |
| Week 2-3 | Scabs falling off, early shedding begins | Shedding intensity, any areas of concern |
| Week 4-6 | Most transplanted hairs shed | Full photo set from all angles |
| Week 8 | Donor area healing, recipient area "dormant" | Donor scar visibility, recipient smoothness |
Do not panic during shock loss. Your tracking photos at week 6 will look worse than Day 1. This is expected and temporary.
Step 4: Track Early Regrowth (Months 3-6)
New growth from transplanted follicles typically begins around month 3. By month 6, you should see visible improvement. Take full photo sets monthly during this phase.
At each monthly check-in, compare against your baseline and note:
- Which zones show the earliest growth
- Whether the growth pattern matches the ARTAS placement map
- Hair texture changes (transplanted hairs often grow finer initially)
- Donor area recovery and scar visibility
Step 5: Assess Final Density (Months 9-12)
ARTAS robotic FUE, like all FUE procedures, reaches near-final density between months 9 and 12. Some patients see continued thickening up to month 18. At the 12-month mark, take your most thorough photo set and run a full comparison against your Day-1 baseline.
Expected outcomes for a well-executed ARTAS procedure:
- Graft survival rate: 90-95%
- Norwood 4 (2,500-3,500 grafts): Significant coverage improvement
- Norwood 5 (3,000-4,500 grafts): Good density across crown and midscalp
- Donor area: Dot scars from 0.9-1.0mm punches, typically undetectable at hair lengths over 1cm
ARTAS vs Manual FUE: What Your Tracking Data Reveals
The core question many patients ask is whether ARTAS delivers measurably better results than a skilled manual FUE surgeon. Here is what the data shows:
| Factor | ARTAS Robotic FUE | Manual FUE |
|---|---|---|
| Graft survival rate | 90-95% | 90-95% |
| Transection rate | Potentially lower (consistent punch depth) | Surgeon-dependent |
| Extraction speed | 500-1,000 grafts/hour | 300-800 grafts/hour |
| Cost per graft (US) | $6-9 | $4-6 |
| Digital extraction map | Yes (included) | No |
| Surgeon skill dependency | Moderate (system assists) | High |
| Maximum grafts per session | Up to 4,000-5,000 | Up to 5,000 |
Your personal tracking data fills in the gap that studies cannot: how your individual biology responds to robotic extraction versus what your response might have been with manual FUE. For a deeper comparison of costs, see our ARTAS robotic cost breakdown.
How to Compare Your Results Against Benchmarks
At 12 months, calculate your effective graft survival:
- Count the ARTAS-reported grafts placed in each zone
- Measure your density gain in those zones using HairLine AI
- Estimate the survival percentage by comparing achieved density against expected density for the graft count
If your survival rate falls below 85%, discuss with your surgeon. Factors like post-op care compliance, smoking, and medication adherence all affect outcomes.
Donor Area Tracking After ARTAS
ARTAS uses a computer vision algorithm to maintain safe extraction spacing, which should prevent overharvesting. However, you should still track your donor area density over time, especially if you plan future sessions.
The safe extraction limit for any FUE method is roughly 45% of donor follicles. With an average of 2.2 hairs per graft, your donor area has a finite supply. ARTAS can help optimize extraction patterns, but it cannot increase your total available grafts.
Learn more about the FUE extraction technique and how punch size affects your results.
Start Tracking Your ARTAS Results Today
Whether you are pre-op planning or post-op monitoring, structured photo tracking turns your ARTAS investment into measurable data. Upload your photos to HairLine AI and start building your recovery timeline.
Medical disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. ARTAS outcomes vary by individual. Consult a board-certified hair restoration surgeon to determine whether robotic FUE is appropriate for your hair loss pattern and goals.