The history of hair transplant starts back in 1800s. But the modern techniques were developed after 1930s. The first modern method is called FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) which consists of removing out a strip from the donor area and implanting the removed hair follicles back to the recipient area. After 1950s, hair transplant became a proper and accepted treatment thanks to Dermatologist Norman Orentreich’s studies.
Hair transplant is mostly preferred by men due to genetic coding which causes the hair loss. On the other hand even if women have different hormonal system, they can experience hair loss and can have hair transplant as well.
Besides, it is also possible to perform a hair transplant if the patient has a scar tissue due to an accident. In this case it turns into both aesthetical and medical treatment.
Genetics play the biggest role in hair loss; but with age, physical traumas or medical disorders hair loss can also occur. No matter what the cause is, if the patient has enough donor capacity, it is possible to perform hair transplant procedure. It can be performed not only for scalp, but also mustache, beard or any body part that hair is needed/desired.
The main aim of hair transplant is to extract a certain amount of hair from the donor area, and implant them to the recipient area – where hair is needed. Once your hair is extracted to be transplanted, it is called “graft”.
Donor area is essentially the area on the back of your head – between two ears. However, if the back of your head does not have the sufficient density & capacity, it is also possible to extract chest hair, beard etc. We always prefer extracting from the back of the head, as they are much more resistent against hair loss. It is even possible to extract arm or leg hair, but not the ideal option as they are not as strong & think as others.
There are two methods of extraction of the hair follicles. The most modern one is called FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) In this technique, follicular units are extracted individually by micromotor or manual punch devices. For more information please visit our “FUE” page.
The other extraction method is called FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) This method is rather old, and is not considered practical nowadays as it requires a strip of skin removal which creates a permanent scarring on the back of the head.
For the last few years, there have been new methods of “implantation”, however all these methods are a continuation of FUE method, as the follicles are implanted one by one.
Hair transplant is a surgical procedure. For this reason one should know that:
The first thing to do is to find out if the clinic that you consult has a proper medical doctor or not. In order to avoid all the risks of complications, it should be performed in a well equipped clinic under supervision of doctor with an expert team.
In our clinic, all of the hair transplant procedures are carried out under supervision of our Dermatologist Dr. Oyku Celen in her own clinic who is also the co-founder of our company. She personally realizes the consultation and makes the planning of the procedure with the patient. While her expert team performs the surgery, she is present in the operation theatre and supervises each and every step to provide the best result possible.
There is not such specialty as “Hair Transplant Specialists” in Turkey, neither in any other country. Many clinics claim they have these “specialists” who are not even doctors in reality. These personel are either nurses, or people that do not have any medical background. For this reason, you should know the doctor well. Even if it is a procedure that only requires local anesthesia, only a doctor can know how to handle such possible complications. On the other hand, the ambient and equipment is also very important. It should be performed in a well equipped and sterilized operation rooms.
It takes nearly 4 to 8 hours depending on the follicle amount that is transplanted. After the procedure your donor area is bandaged and you can return home or to your hotel.
The day after the procedure or two days after your bandage will be removed and a dressing will be made. Your first will be done and you will have a consultation about the instructions of how to wash your head during the first 10 days. This washing protocol can be explained shortly as follows:
You should apply the moisturizer lotion – which will be given to you – on your recipient area and wait for 45minutes to an hour. This lotion both softens the scabs and feeds the newly implanted grafts. Then you can rinse the lotion with warm water without pressure. After that it is time to apply the shampoo. This shampoo can be used for all the parts of your scalp. You should not rub, or massage the recipient area, but you should massage your donor area in order to clean it better. On your 10th wash, you should remove all the scabs from your recipient area, therefore you can start slowly rub it after your 7th was so they can gradually go. This regimen is very important, because if you have scabs for a longer time, they will block your hair roots and they will not successfully grow.
Between 1st and 3rd month, there will be a period which is called shock loss period. In this period 40%-70% of your implanted grafts will fall out, which is completely normal. On the 4th month your hair starts to grow and the density starts to come in slowly. Usually between 12th and 18th month you achieve the full result from your hair transplant procedure.
Local
4-8 Hours
4 Weeks
12-18 Months
2 Days
2 Days
No Need
0-1 **
It is very normal to have slight loss or lack of density in both recipient and donor area due to the trauma made. This is a side effect of hair transplant and it heals in a few months. This process is called “Telogen Effluvia”, during which your native hair becomes thinner. It should not worry you, as it is a natural process and heals through time.
1 week before your procedure, you should stop taking any herbal supplements such as gingko biloba, ginseng, fish oil, saw palmetto, vitamin E or any other blood thinners that may increase bleeding directly or indirectly. Other than these, if you take any medication regularly, please consult your doctor. Please do not consume alcohol from 3 days before the procedure. On the day of your procedure, we recommend you to wash your hair, have a good breakfast and stay hydrated.
Nowadays thanks to well developed FUE technique, it is possible to transplant thousands of grafts and have natural results with high density. The most determinative points in this subject are doctor’s experience, and the capacity of your donor area.
It is essential to plan the treatment well. We receive the photos and medical history information from you, and our doctor prepares the treatment plan. Many hair transplant clinics are “sales oriented”, therefore they usually claim that it is possible to provide a coverage for a very large recipient area. In this case, we can easily say that hair transplant should have an individual plan. There are very important points in planning such as:
Thick, dark colored and curly hair is a better concealer and occupy more surface on your scalp than thin, light colored and straight hair. If the patient has a large recipient area it is possible to distribute the follicles through the recipient area or to implant them at high density in half of the recipient area. In both cases patient would need more than one session in order to have a decent coverage.
After your procedure, your implanted hair will start to grow in the 3rd month. In the 6th month you will have approximately 50% of the result and your hair will be thickening every day. Usually patients have the full result in one year, whereas this may also take longer up to 18 months.
The amount of hair follicles to be transplanted depends on your need, and the capacity of your donor area. It is also very important to have good quality, thick and strong grafts. For example, two patients that both had 3500 grafts can have different results. If one of the patients have more multiple grafts that have 3-4 hairs and the other one has less multiple grafts, such as grafts with 1 or 2 hairs, the results will be very different. One will have 5000 hair strands and the other one 10.000-11.000.
Yes, it is possible. However, you should consider that it is very important if you have enough donor area capacity. It may not be enough for providing a coverage both in the scalp and the beard. Please consult your doctor to make sure.
Hair transplant can be performed in anyone between 18-65 years old. However it is very important to consider the current hair loss of the patient. For example if a 22 year old patient wants only the frontal line, it would be a good option. But hair loss can continue up to late 30s, therefore after your hair transplant your hair can continue to fall within time. For this reason it is recommended to use supplements and additional treatments to protect the native hair.
It would not be correct to say DHI is a better option for every patient, as there are many clinics that claim it is better for marketing purposes. For those who would like to have higher density without completely bald recipient area, it can be a good option. Details more information about DHI Hair Transplant Method
In a Sapphire FUE procedure, incisions (canals) and implantation are two different phases of the surgery. In a DHI procedure, implantation and incisions are made at the same time with the implanter pens.
In a Sapphire FUE procedure, incisions (canals) and implantation are two different phases of the surgery. In a DHI procedure, implantation and incisions are made at the same time with the implanter pens.
Some hair transplant clinics claim that in DHI technique, grafts are not damaged at all. In reality, this is false. Extracted grafts are put inside the implanter pens, therefore it causes a trauma in the grafts just like in an FUE procedure, while implanting the grafts into the incisions. In both technique the most important thing is to keep this traumas at a minimum level.
If it was not done correctly, yes there will be a scarring in your donor area. Especially in patients that need high numbers of grafts, some clinics over harvest the donor area and this causes a patchy look, which can not be reversed. For this reason we always recommend you to choose a clinic with a proper medical doctor and an expert medical team.
Hair transplant is a procedure that should provide a natural result. The amount of grafts you will get depends directly on your donor area capacity. Even if you have a good donor area, it is not recommended to extract more than 4500-5000 grafts in one sitting as more harvesting can cause long-term blood circulation problems in your donor area. This will cause patchy look and bald spots in your donor area which we should avoid.
Every face has its own characteristics. Your doctor will design the best option for you depending on your liking and your facial structure. If you have any photos prior to your hair loss, it can help as well. It is also very important to implant single hair grafts with irregularity in the frontal area in order to achieve the natural look.
You should take your medications and use your headband and other stuff as instructed in the post-op consultation. You should follow all the post-operation instructions – which are not that complicated – to have the best result possible.
Price should be the second thing to worry. We always recommend you to set your aim as finding the “most experienced” clinic rather than the “cheapest” clinic. This is a medical procedure even though it is performed under local anesthesia. It is a procedure that will change your life and will affect you in every aspect. Once you receive your medical evaluation from the clinics that you chose, you can compare them to each other to see which one is the best. If possible you can talk to people that had hair transplant in those clinics. The best clinic is not the cheapest, nor the most expensive.
