Thanks for the replies. I already scheduled an FUT procedure with a doctor, but I didn't ask about shaving the recipient site. Ultimately, even if he says I have to shave the recipient site, I am still going to go through with the procedure. That said, I'd love to hear from more people who were able to have FUT done without shaving the recipient site.
To me, it looks like there are two options if shaving the recipient area is necessary. Either have an old-man haircut after surgery or buzz your whole head after surgery so that the recipient site won't stand out too much, but then the donor scar will be obvious. A lot of these clinics say not to get a haircut before FUT because you can use your hair to cover up the recipient site, but if a big recipient area is shaved most people won't have long enough hair to cover it up. I know I won't. I guess it is what it is, it just seems that FUT advertising and actual practice don't align with each other.