The choi pen comes up often in hair transplant discussions, yet many patients still wonder what it does and when surgeons choose to use it. Understanding the device helps you follow the surgical process more clearly and know why some clinics rely on it while others do not.
Let’s break everything down step by step.
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A Choi pen, also known as a Choi implanter pen, is a specialized medical instrument used during hair transplantation procedures, particularly in DHI (Direct Hair Implantation). The device is designed to assist with the precise placement of hair follicles into the scalp.
A typical Choi pen consists of three main components:
A hollow implantation needle.
A chamber that holds the graft.
A plunger mechanism used to release the follicle into the recipient area.
During the procedure, a hair graft is carefully loaded into the pen. The surgeon then positions the device at the planned implantation site and uses the plunger to place the follicle into the scalp. This process allows channel creation and graft implantation to occur in a single step.
The Choi pen is designed to support precise graft placement while helping minimize unnecessary handling of the follicles during implantation.
The Choi implanter pen was developed during the 1990s at Kyungpook National University (KNU) in South Korea. The development team, led by Dr. Choi, sought to improve graft implantation accuracy and reduce handling during hair transplant procedures.
The device was designed to provide greater control over graft placement, including implantation angle, depth, and direction. These characteristics were particularly valuable when working with thicker hair follicles and when aiming to create natural-looking results.
Following its introduction, the Choi implanter pen gained popularity in hair restoration clinics throughout Asia and was later adopted in many clinics across Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Today, it remains one of the key instruments used in Direct Hair Implantation (DHI) procedures.
During a modern hair transplant procedure, the implantation phase plays an important role in determining the final appearance of the results. Accurate control of graft angle, depth, and direction helps create natural-looking hair growth patterns. For this reason, implanter pens are commonly used in many contemporary hair restoration techniques.
In DHI, the implanter pen is a central component of the procedure. After graft extraction, follicles are loaded into the pen and implanted directly into the recipient area. Channel creation and graft placement occur simultaneously, which distinguishes DHI from many traditional implantation methods.
FUE refers to the method used to harvest grafts from the donor area. It does not determine the implantation technique. Following extraction, grafts may be implanted using traditional forceps and pre-made channels or with implanter pens, depending on the surgical plan and technique preference.
As a result, FUE and implanter pen implantation are not separate or competing concepts. They are often used together within the same procedure.
Some surgeons combine different implantation methods to achieve specific aesthetic goals. For example, traditional channel creation may be used in larger recipient areas, while implanter pens are reserved for regions requiring a higher degree of precision, such as the frontal hairline.
This approach allows flexibility in surgical planning while maintaining detailed control over graft placement in areas where density, angle, and natural hair direction are particularly important.
Many surgeons use implanter pens because they provide a high level of control during graft placement. Since the appearance of a hair transplant is influenced by graft positioning, implantation technique is an important part of the overall procedure.
The implanter pen allows precise adjustment of the angle and direction of each graft during implantation. This level of control can be particularly useful when designing natural hairlines, restoring temple areas, or integrating transplanted follicles with existing hair.
Accurate graft orientation helps support a natural-looking growth pattern after healing.
Compared with some traditional implantation methods, the implanter pen may reduce direct handling of hair follicles during placement. Once a graft is loaded into the device, it can be implanted with minimal additional manipulation.
Limiting unnecessary handling may help preserve graft integrity throughout the implantation process.
The design of the device allows the surgeon to control implantation depth more consistently. Proper depth placement may support uniform healing and contribute to more predictable growth patterns.
Accurate depth control can also help create a smoother and more natural appearance in the recipient area.
Because channel creation and graft implantation occur in a single step, the implanter pen can facilitate precise placement of grafts in closely spaced areas when appropriate.
This characteristic may be particularly useful in regions where increased density is desired, such as the frontal hairline and other detailed aesthetic zones. For this reason, implanter pens remain widely used in modern hair transplantation procedures.
Although the implanter pen offers a high degree of precision, it is not necessarily the preferred option in every hair transplant case. Factors such as hair characteristics, graft structure, surgical goals, and procedural planning all influence the choice of implantation technique.
The implanter pen is often well suited for grafts that can be loaded and implanted efficiently while maintaining precise control.
It is commonly used in cases involving:
Straight or mildly wavy hair.
Fine to medium-thickness follicles.
Areas that require detailed aesthetic work, such as the frontal hairline.
In these situations, the device can help support accurate control of graft angle, direction, and placement.
Some graft types may be more challenging to implant with an implanter pen due to their size, shape, or structural characteristics.
Examples may include:
Very curly hair follicles.
Thicker grafts that require larger implantation channels.
Beard grafts with larger follicular structures.
Large sessions where procedural efficiency is an important consideration.
For this reason, some surgeons use a combination of implantation methods. Implanter pens may be selected for highly visible areas that require detailed placement, while other implantation techniques may be used in regions where graft characteristics or procedural goals differ.
This individualized approach allows the implantation strategy to be adapted to the patient's hair characteristics and treatment objectives rather than relying on a single technique in every case.
The primary difference between implanter pen implantation and traditional forceps implantation lies in how recipient sites are created and how grafts are placed during the procedure.
Recipient site creation and graft implantation occur in a single step.
Provides detailed control over graft angle, direction, and depth.
May reduce the amount of handling required during graft placement.
Commonly used in DHI procedures and areas requiring precise aesthetic design.
Recipient channels are created before graft implantation begins.
Hair grafts are placed into the prepared channels using forceps.
May be advantageous when working with thicker, larger, or highly curly grafts.
Often used in larger transplantation sessions depending on surgical planning.
Both implantation methods are widely used in modern hair transplantation. The final outcome depends on multiple factors, including graft quality, surgical planning, patient characteristics, and the experience of the surgical team. The choice of implantation technique is typically based on the specific requirements of each case.
The choi pen started as a Korean innovation aimed at improving accuracy and protecting delicate grafts. Over time, the choi implanter pen became widely used in DHI and many FUE-based implantation stages. It offers strong angle control and consistent placement, but it is not ideal for every hair type. The best results come from a clinic that understands when this tool fits the patient’s needs and when another method gives better safety and control.
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