Hair Transplant
What Is It?
A hair transplant means moving your own hair follicles to the area where the hair is falling out. We do not add hair from outside. We take the follicles from the nape and above the ears one by one and place them in the thinning area. We place the grafts as small units, at the natural angle at which the hair grows.
My late father was a chemical engineer. He thought shampoo was harmful and washed his hair with olive oil soap. Anyone who knew him will tell you his head was still as bald as a billiard ball. The reason is that male pattern hair loss is a hormonal equation. Testosterone is converted by an enzyme at the hair roots that we call 5-alpha reductase, and it is this conversion that makes the hair fall out. The follicles at the nape are largely resistant to this effect, and they keep that property in the place they are moved to. That is why transplanted hair usually stays in place. But that does not mean your existing hair will stop falling out.
How Is It Done?
First we look for the cause of the hair loss. Male or female pattern loss, telogen effluvium, shedding linked to iron or thyroid problems and scarring alopecias each need a different path, and not all of them are suitable for a transplant. We measure the structure and thickness of the hair, the density of the donor area and the number of grafts that can be taken.
We perform the procedure under local anaesthesia. We take the grafts one by one from the donor area and place them into channels we open in the thinning area, at the natural angle of growth. We draw the hairline according to age, forehead structure and facial proportions. What we look for here is a line that will still look natural in the years to come. Coming as far forward as possible is not always right. Depending on the number of grafts, the procedure takes 6-8 hours. In patients we find suitable, we can plan the protocol together with mesotherapy and exosome treatments.
Who Is It For?
It suits patients with an adequate donor area, a settled pattern of loss and realistic expectations. In male pattern loss we usually wait for the pattern to become clear. After a transplant done at a very young age, I often see the existing hair keep falling out until a second transplant is needed. As the loss progresses, the first transplant can also end up looking unnatural.
Where the loss is active and progressing quickly, we recommend medical treatment first. We do not perform it in people with a weak donor area, scarring (cicatricial) alopecia, uncontrolled systemic disease or a bleeding disorder. In women the loss is usually diffuse, so we carry out a detailed assessment and, where needed, ask for blood tests.
Process & Recovery
Assessment
We establish the cause of the loss, the density of the donor area and how many grafts are needed, and request blood tests if necessary. We draw the hairline together and take photographs.
Procedure day
After local anaesthesia we take the grafts and place them. It takes 6-8 hours depending on the number of grafts, and we give you rest breaks along the way.
First week
There is crusting in the transplanted area and tenderness in the donor area. The forehead can swell in the first days. Follow the washing instructions exactly, and keep to the rules on sleeping position and touching the area. For the first month we ask you to stay out of the sun and away from the hammam and sauna.
Weeks 2-8
The shafts of the transplanted hairs largely fall out. We call this shock loss, and it is an expected stage. The follicles stay in place, and the appearance temporarily goes backwards during this period.
Months 3-12
New growth begins and the hairs gradually thicken. A visible result forms around the sixth month, and we usually wait 12 months for the final density. We plan the check-ups around this timeline.
Results & Duration
The result of a hair transplant emerges through a biological process spread over a year. Shock loss and the slow growth that follows are normal parts of this timeline. The first months take patience.
Because the transplanted follicles are taken from an area that resists hair loss, they usually stay in place. Your own existing hair, on the other hand, may keep falling out. If you don’t look after it well after the transplant, the hair you already have thins and weakens over time. So for some patients a second session or medical support comes up later on. How much density a given number of grafts can give is limited by the capacity of the donor area, and we discuss this in numbers at examination.
What Is Not Promised
A hair transplant does not count as a treatment that stops hair loss. It does nothing to the shedding of your existing hair. It does not bring back the density you had when you were young either, because the number of grafts that can be taken from the donor area is limited, and the larger the area to cover, the lower the density.
We make no promise of a particular number of grafts, a particular growth rate or a set date for the result. If your case cannot be finished in one session, we tell you so at examination. If expectations do not match the donor capacity, we do not recommend the procedure.
Key Benefits
- Long-term
- Natural hairline
- Denser hair
“A few years ago I had a hair transplant myself. As I got older, the hair I already had slowly started to thin. I know from my own hair that after a transplant you have to look after the existing hair too.”
— Dr. Sinan Akyürek
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the transplanted hair fall out again?
The transplanted hair usually stays. The follicles are taken from the nape, which resists hair loss, and they keep that property. Your own existing hair may keep falling out, though, and that is a separate process.
Is shock loss normal?
Yes. Between weeks 2 and 8 the shafts of the transplanted hairs largely fall out while the follicles stay in place. It is an expected, temporary stage.
When will I see the result?
New growth starts from the third month and becomes clear around the sixth. We usually wait 12 months for the final density.
Is the procedure painful?
We do it under local anaesthesia. There is brief discomfort while the anaesthetic goes in, and we do not expect pain during the procedure. The donor area may be tender for a few days afterwards.
How long does it take, and can I go home the same day?
It takes 6-8 hours depending on the number of grafts, and you go home the same day. We expect you back the next day for the first wash and dressing.
How many grafts will I need?
It depends on the size of the bald area and the capacity of the donor area. We set the number by measuring at examination, and we do not quote a figure off the cuff.
Can it be supported with exosome or mesotherapy?
In patients we find suitable, we can add mesotherapy and exosome treatments to the protocol. They can be used before or after the transplant, and we decide this patient by patient.
Is hair transplantation performed in women?
Yes. In women, though, the loss is usually diffuse, and the donor area may be affected too. So we first assess the cause and, where needed, ask for blood tests.