Pre-op instructions for a hair transplant in Turkey

By Prof. Dr. Soner Tatlidede 2019-09-12

Following hair transplant pre-op instructions is as important as the hair surgery itself. Nowadays, people search for beauty everywhere, and hair transplantation is one of the most important operations that restore it and can bring back to a person a more attractive appearance. Istanbul is considered the world's capital for hair treatments because of the low hair transplant costs in Turkey.

The success of any operation is closely related to patient's commitment to medical guidelines; so we would like to point out that there are some medical instructions preceding a hair transplant operation that need to be applied. If you don’t care about these instructions... your hair transplant operation may fail!

At Clinicana Hair Transplant Center, we would like to give you all the important instructions and pre-hair transplant precautions that you have to follow before a hair surgery, just to ensure that you will get the best results we always seek for our patients.

1- Choose the right centre for your hair transplant

It is a good idea to look for a hospital with surgeons who have a reputation in performing the procedure. Patients should be advised of any complications and side effects that may occur after the surgery, and doctors should be available if you have any questions or concerns.

We also must not forget the donor area, which is limited; if the first hair transplant fails because of a bad procedure or a lack of experience of the medical staff, you will lose a significant part of the hair in the donor area, and it won´t be available for a second intervention; therefore, the doctor's experience is absolutely crucial.

Do not forget that a hair transplant operation is a cosmetic procedure and you should look for the best hair transplant centre offering you the quality required to get the results you want. In this regard, the Clinicana Hair Transplant Centre is located in Istanbul's Acıbadem Hospital -one of the best and most modern hospitals in Turkey- and has both the JCI international license and the ISO Health Certificate.

2- Staying away from alcoholic drinks

Clinicana's doctors recommend to all patients to keep away from alcoholic beverages at least one week before hair transplant operation due to the following reasons:

• Increasing bleeding: consumption of alcoholic beverages dilutes the blood. This means an increased risk of excessive bleeding during the hair transplant operation, and even after it, and this may affect the transplanted hair.
• In addition to increasing the risk of bleeding after the operation, patients need longer recovery time and this increases the possibility of infection and inflammation.
• You may be vulnerable to pain during the operation: this is because the effects of alcohol on the body may interfere with anaesthesia during the hair transplant operation; therefore, an additional dose of anaesthetic will be required to anesthetize the scalp if you have been drinking alcohol.
• In addition, although alcohol extends peripheral blood vessels (expanding / increasing blood flow), actually it has been proved that restricts blood flow to certain areas such as the head / scalp, and thus reduces the blood flow to the new grafts, increasing the possibility of getting bad results after the intervention.

3- Keep away from smoking

If you are getting a hair transplant you have to avoid smoking or reduce the amount of cigarettes as much as you can, at least 1 week before your operation. Smoking is not just bad for one’s overall health, but also for the results after the hair transplant procedure. Smoking affects the transplanted hair because of the following:

• Poor circulation can undermine a patient’s wound healing and prolong the entire process. If the skin takes longer to heal, there is a much higher risk of infection since particles and microbes have a better opportunity to enter.
• If the skin has trouble in healing and closing the wounds, scabs and crusts may remain on the surface for longer periods of time. This will increase the likelihood of forming thicker scar tissue, too.
• According to Clinicana’s doctors, smoking also increases the risk of skin death (i.e. necrosis). This effect can be minor or larger in scale, depending on the number of cigarettes the patient had smoked in the past. It has been found that smokers who underwent surgeries requiring significant areas of skin excision (e.g. flap surgery and scalp reduction) face a much larger risk of skin necrosis following a hair transplant procedure.
• Furthermore, excessive oozing and bleeding may occur during the surgery, and this can extend the entire procedure and prolong the amount of time that the follicles are left outside the body. Their maximum limit to be kept outside before transplanting them is around six hours.
• The survival of the transplanted grafts can also be impaired due to the lowered availability of oxygen and nutrients. However, according to Clinicana’s doctors, usually this would largely depend on the individual and whether they are or not chronic, long-term smokers.

4- You must stop taking any kind of aspirin

You must stop taking aspirin or any similar medication before the transplant procedure. Aspirin inhibits platelet function (the main blood components that help to stop bleeding) for up to 10 days, so aspirin increases bleeding during a hair transplantation. therefore, Clinicana's doctors recommend not taking aspirins at least 10 days before a hair transplantation.

5- Do not take green tea or nutritional supplements

You have to stop consuming some substances such as green tea and some nutritional supplements, vitamins and herbal medicines at least for two weeks before your hair transplant; this is because these drugs increase bleeding and reduce the stability of hair follicles in the scalp.

6- Do not use products containing minoxidil

You have to stop using any kind of medicines, lotions or shampoos containing minoxidil -which helps to stop hair falling- at least one month before a hair transplantation. The main reason is that minoxidil promotes blood circulation and blood flow to the scalp, and therefore it can increase bleeding during the transplant.

7- Use comfortable clothes

When you come to the operation, please wear comfortable clothes, and a cosy shirt with buttons or a sweater with zipper. This will be important while getting dressed and undressed.

8- Sleep well before the surgery

You should have a full rest the day before the operation, and sleep very well.

9- Don´t cut your hair

Don't cut your hair before the transplant procedure, because we will do it in the hospital right before the operation. Hair shaving helps to evaluate the hair bank better and to determine the number of follicles that can be extracted from the donor area; it also helps to extract the follicles properly and adjust the angle of extraction, which is crucial for the success of the operation.

10- Tell your doctor about your illnesses and previous interventions

Please inform us if you suffer from any illness before your coming to Istanbul for a hair transplant, especially if you suffer from Diabetes or blood pressure: these information plays an important role in assessing your situation. People with diabetes may have some infections that should be treated, and some types of dermatitis may prevent a hair transplant operation. Some types of ischemia may adversely affect the hair transplant, too.

Some previous operations may also significantly affect hair loss, such as Gastric Sleeve and digestive tract operations. So you should inform your doctor about your full medical history so that he/she can give you an optimal assessment about your condition.

These are some of the main pre-op instructions for a hair transplant that we recommend you. At Clinicana we have the best professionals, equipment and technology to perform your hair transplant procedure. Please, do not hesitate if you have any question about your hair treatment or if you need further advice or information. You can also make use of our free consultation service with no obligation. We´ll be glad to help you.