FAQ’s – Frequently Asked Questions with answers regarding hair transplants

It is forbidden to drink seven (7) days or one week before the operation.

Since this is a cosmetic surgery procedure most insurance policies will not cover the cost of the hair transplant procedure.

The Norwood Hamilton scale serves as a benchmark for determining the different stages of baldness.

It includes 7 stages which you can refer to via the below diagram by clicking on the following link: norwood scale hair transplant 

Nowadays Turkey is one of the world's leading destinations for hair implants. Turkey has a large number of clinics and many experienced clinicians who can offer quality services at a very affordable price.

Among the many clinics located in Turkey there are a number of highly regarded clinics in Istanbul.  You are advised to learn as much as you can about the care offered, the guarantee of care within a hospital or clinic, the transplant procedure itself, the hygienic and sterile environment associated with the operation, the quality of care provided by healthcare professionals and the type of experience professionals in hair transplantation industry have.  You should also check online reviews by former patients to see which patient(s) are satisfied with which clinics.

Many clinics operate throughout Turkey but the majority of the highly regarded ones are in Istanbul.

Other sought after hair transplant destinations include Izmir, Antalya and Ankara.

It is not advisable to consume alcohol, tobacco, green tea, coffee as well as any blood thinners (such as Aspirin) at least 10 days before the hair transplant procedure.

After the evaluation if you are a candidate for a hair transplant a date for the operation can be fixed according to your availability and the availability of the doctors at the clinic.  Once you have confirmed everything including the date and time for your operation you can then book your flight to Istanbul, Turkey.

Please contact us for further details or to book your hair transplant operation.

We will do a hemogram to test the amount of white and red blood cells in your blood to make sure that you do not have anemia or an infection.  At the same time we will check your blood for transmitted diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis B or C, Syphilis, etc.

Please do not shave your hair before the operation as we would like to see the density of your hair and the direction in which it grows.

Since the hair implant will take place in one specific area (front line, golf courses or vertex) we don’t have to shave or remove all of the hair from your head.  Only the donor area will be shaved.

However, it would be advisable to shave or remove all of the hair from your head so that our medical staff can perform the operation as carefully and as easily as possible.

It is also more hygenic after the operation.

Lastly, shaving off all of your hair before the operation reduces the amount of side effects such as itchiness, etc, after the operation.

The payment is made on the same day of the hair transplant operation in Istanbul, Turkey.  You can pay either by cash or credit card.  Please make sure that your mobile phone is operational while you are in Turkey.  You need to activate roaming before you make an online payment as you may receive an SMS from your bank in order to process your payment.

It is not necessary to have someone accompany you to Turkey because the hair transplant operation is performed under local anesthesia.  An adult can accompany you without any additional cost when you stay at the hotel in Istanbul.  Please make sure that you only bring one companion with you because if you bring more than one person with you to Istanbul you will have to pay extra money for accommodation to the hotel that you will be staying in.  In addition you are welcome to bring one child up to the age of six (6) for free.  If you decide to bring more than one adult with you to Istanbul or more than one child you will have to pay an extra twenty (20) Euros per night per person to the hotel.

The new hairline is agreed upon (done in agreement) with the medical team before the hair transplant procedure and is based on the location of the frontal muscles on your scalp (taking into consideration your age, the size of the bald area and the symmetry of your face).

It is better to avoid the consumption or use of tobacco or tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, e-cigarettes (electronic cigarettes), shisha, hookah (water pipe), etc.  It is advisable to not smoke at all directly after the hair transplant operation as smoking deprives the body of much needed oxygen.  Therefore if you decide to smoke after the operation you will most likely not have optimal results after the medical procedure.  You must remember that nicotine causes excessive bleeding so you are not advised to smoke or consume any product that has nicotine in it.  Lastly, when you smoke you consume toxic chemicals that might negatively affect the hair follicles or graft.  If you cannot quit smoking before the operation we advise that you greatly limit the amount of smoking that you do just before the operation.

It is forbidden to drink seven days or one week before the operation.
After the operation we don’t advise drinking at all for seven days or one week as you will need to take medications such as antibiotics and pain killers after the medical procedure.  Drinking alcohol while taking antibiotics or medications can be very bad for your body.

Yes you can but one must make sure that there is no sweat from the head when or if one walks and one must make sure that one’s blood isn’t elevated when one walks.

Please avoid pools and swimming in any kind of water for a month after the hair transplant.

After two weeks you are free to wear any kind of helmet, cap, hat or headgear.

We advise not going to a barber shop directly after an operation as barber shops are sometimes not very hygenic.
Before you get your hair cut you must tell your barber that you have recently had a hair transplant operation so that he or she is aware of this.
If you want to cut your hair you should wait one month before doing so.  You should also remember that the barber must not use clippers, electrical shaving machines or razor blades in the transplanted area.  The barber must use only scissors for the first six months in the transplanted area.  After that the barber can use clippers, electrical shaving machines or razor blades. 

In general it is not a good idea to shave or cut the hair very short after the hair transplant operation.  The reason for this is because it can interfere with the hair regrowth process.  The density of hair in the donor area will be less than what it used to be before the operation.  As a result if you cut the hair in this area to less than one centimeter it might be visible to others.
After the hair transplant operation we advise not shaving the hair very close to the scalp especially in the donor area.

You can colour your hair six months after the hair transplant operation.  The reason is because the chemicals in hair colourants might negatively affect the transplanted grafts.

This is a transfer of grafts from your donor area to your recipient area.  The extracted  grafts do not  grow back on the donor area again once they have been removed as we extract the entire bulb or follicle from the donor area.

You may notice that some of your hair may fall out in the transplanted area after the operation.  If this happens do not be worried.  This sometimes happens with patients.
The hair regrowth in the transplanted area usually starts between the third and fourth month (like small baby hair at first).  With time the hair in the transplanted area will become denser and denser.  It usually takes up to one year for a person to notice that the hair in the transplanted area has regrown sufficiently.

It is advisable to have a balanced diet (such as fruits / vegetables with some meat, etc) in order to get  as many minerals and as many vitamins as well as protein, etc, that your body needs for sufficient hair growth.
Let us know if you are a vegetarian or a vegan so that we can advise you accordingly.

If you work in an office you can usually start working two days after the operation.
In the case of your professional activity (or work) as long as it does not require physical effort or wearing a helmet you can return to work after two days.  Otherwise it would be advisable to stop working for ten days.
If you work in conditions where you can get hot, where the air pressure goes up, where your blood pressure may go up, in dusty areas or in places that are considered dirty or unhygenic, you should avoid these places or working in these conditions for at least 10 days after the operation. 

Wearing a cap is allowed 14 days after the medical procedure.  We will give you a special protective hat to protect your head from dust, rain or the sun.

It usually takes 10 - 14 days for the transplanted area to heal.  After 14 days there won’t be any red spots, dead skin or scabs.

A PH neutral shampoo or shampoo without chemicals should be used after hair transplant for a period of 6 months.  You can use organic shampoo if you want.

A treatment involving dietary supplements can be used after the hair transplant.
After the consultation and after doing a blood analysis if you don`t have enough minerals or vitamins in your blood such as Biotine, Iron, Vitamin D, etc, the doctor will recommend dietary supplements to you if he thinks that you need such treatment.

Solarium and sun tanning bed sessions (which release U.V. rays) should be avoided for 6 months after the hair transplant.

We don’t recommend putting hair topic or coloring powder onto the scalp after a hair transplant.
This is because if you frequently use hair topic or coloring powder in your hair it may fall out or damage your hair.
You can use hair topic or coloring powder on special occasions such as weddings one month after the procedure, but you must make sure to wash your hair before you go to bed.

For the first two weeks after your operation we advise that you wash your hair once a day.

Yes, the transplant does not prevent you from walking.

After the operation we put a band around the base or bottom of scalp to preventing swelling from occuring on your face.  Swolleness rarely happens on the face after the procedure.  If it does happen the swolleness will be gone after one week.
Please avoid eating salty foods after the operation and drink a minimum of one liter of water for one week after the surgery.

Itching is one of the side effects after the operation.
If you wash your hair as we recommend the itching will be minimized.
Some skin types are more sensitive than others.  In some rare cases we might recommend that you use lotions or creams after the procedure.
Please let us know if you still have a lot of itching after the operation.

Minoxidil (5%) spray or foam can be used in almost all patients to help increase the density of hair especially on the crown because blood circulation on the crown of your head is weaker than on other parts of your scalp.  We highly recommend that clients use Minoxidil if they do not want to lose existing hair.  If you use Minoxidil longterm the low density areas in the transplanted area will become denser with time.  While applying Minoxidil daily to the scalp please rub it in and massage it gently onto your scalp making sure not to use your nails.
The medical team will guide you on this subject if necessary.

Finasteride is a hormonal therapy that is used to help hair grow.
Finasteride pills or tablets can be used after a hair transplant.  Ask your family doctor if you are a suitable candidate for Finasteride as it has side effects.
If you use Finasteride and you have noticed positive results we highly advise that you keep using it after the hair transplant. 

The bandage can be removed one or two days after the hair transplant.

Pimples rarely occur after the operation and they are one of the side effects that may happen.

It is not advisable to have sex at all up to two days after the hair transplant procedure because sexual activity increases blood flow and blood pressure.  Increased blood pressure can push the grafts out.
On the third (3rd) day you can have sex until the tenth (10th) day but please be careful to make sure that during sexual activity that your face is never face down.
Also make sure that your partner never touches the transplanted area.
Lastly, make sure that you do not push yourself physically during sex or that you make minimum efforts to move.
After two (2) weeks you are free to do as you wish.

Medications (such as antibiotics and painkillers) are provided by the clinic and should be used for a period of seven (7) to ten (10) days after the operation.
If you have a pre-existing medical condition or a specific diet then we may advise you to use supplements.

It is not recommended to cut the hair with a razor or shaving machine for six (6) months after the operation.

Gel, styling spray, oils, hair care products, or any products with chemicals should not be used for a period of six months after the operation.
Please make sure to wash your hair before you go to sleep if you decide to use any of the above products in general.

The removed hair will not grow back as we extract the root of the graft.
After the operation the density of hair from the donor area will be less but there won’t be any scars in the back side of your head.

The hair transplant is permanent because the hair is transfered from the roots of the grafts from the donor area onto your scalp.
Since the hair from the donor area is genetically identical to the rest of your hair there is no risk of rejection.

The most effective solution for hair loss is a hair transplant.

There is a new type of local anesthesia administered via pressure into the skin at the back of the head where the neck meets the bottom of the head.  This procedure is relatively painless.  At the same time the local anesthesia can be administered via pressure onto the top of the forehead (the recipient area) which is relatively painless.  As a result of this no needles or injections are required at all.

Typically if you opt for the standard procedure with local anesthesia the pain that you may feel is only during the administration of the anesthesia (i.e. the injections) and it usually lasts only for a few seconds.
The operation itself it's not painful.

The cost of a typical hair transplant is fixed and does not vary according to the number of implanted grafts.

Hair transplantation can be performed on patients with any type of hair.  We have transplanted hair onto recipient areas from patients who have had red, black, brown, white, grey, blonde hair, etc, so the colour of one’s hair doesn’t matter.  Our professional team is very dedicated and has experience working on patients with straight hair, curly hair, etc.

Our clients are from everywhere.  We have had clients from as far away as Australia, Canada, South Korea, the United States of America, etc.

The hair transplant is intended for adults and must be planned at the right time taking into consideration the evolution of baldness.  If the patient is healthy and he or she doesn’t have any previous medical conditions or issues that might limit the growth of hair or prevent hair from growing it is possible to perform hair transplants on individuals who are from twenty to eighty years old.

If the patient lives in Istanbul it is possible to have a hair transplant in as little as one day.
If the patient is elsewhere the procedure can take several days.  However, it usually takes three days for us to complete the entire procudure (i.e. consultation, preparation, operation, follow up, hair washing, etc).
The majority of patients can travel after one to one and a half days.

It all depends on the severity and type of baldness, the size of the bald area on one’s head in relation to the size of the donor area and the density of grafts or follicles on the donor area.

For asthetic reasons we do not advise using hair grafts from another person.
Accepting transplanted hair grafts from another person is like accepting a donor kidney or heart from another person.
The removal of hair grafts from a donor person may be rejected by the body as these grafts will be considered to be foreign objects by your body.  In theory it is possible but if you choose to do this keep in mind that you will have to take immunity supression medications which are very expensive and which may pose other risks to your health.

Hair transplant operations are not risky.  Usually people do not have side effects or the side effects are minimal.  People may experience redness, itchiness, dryness or dry skin.  However, if the scalp is cleaned or regularly washed you may not experience any of the above side effects.  If medications are used exactly the way you are told to use them after the surgery this will reduce the chances of you experiencing any side effects.

Hair transplants are done with local anesthesia not general anesthesia.  With general anesthesia there are always greater risks.  Since we use local anesthesia during the hair transplant operation there are no risks to the patient. 

The package includes transfers to and from the airport, hotel and clinic.  It also includes two nights  accommodation in Istanbul near the hospital, post-operative treatment, translation services if necessary.  The entire medical team speaks English so you need not worry about communicating with us in English if you wish to do so.  The blood analysis is included and there are no hidden costs.
At the moment the package costs 2,500€ based on today’s currency exchange rate.

95% of the transplanted hair grafts will grow.  Because of that the hair transplant operation will be successful.

The results are considered to be natural because it is your hair that we are transplanting to begin with.
When the doctors are performing the surgery they will take into consideration all of the important factors regarding the surgery such as the implantation area, direction of the hair, removal of the grafts, opening the channels, hair line shape, facial contours, etc.

It depends on the density of the hair and size of the donor area that we will be taking hair from.
Up to four thousand (4,000) to five thousand (5,000) grafts can be taken from the donor area.  In rare cases we are able to take up to six thousand (6,000) grafts from the donor area.

Not everyone is a good candidate for a hair transplant.
If someone is twenty years old and his hair continues to fall out after the operation he will think that his hair transplant operation is a failure.  We will not recommend a hair transplant operation for you if we think that it won’t help you.
The success of your hair transplant depends on many factors especially your medical team’s experience, professionalism and ethics.

Firstly, Alopecia Areata should be treated by a dermatologist.
Secondly, if we transplant hair into an area that has active or untreated Alopecia, the hair will not grow.
After successful treatment of Alopecia most of the time the hair will grow back again.  If the area on your scalp is still patchy or you have areas of baldness then hair transplant might be an option.

Diabetes will not prevent you from having a hair transplant.  Please talk with your doctor to make sure that your blood sugar is under control.  You must make sure that your blood sugar level is stable at least ten (10) days before the operation.  It is important to remember to take your medications on a regular basis and make sure you have a balanced diet.
Diabetes affects the healing process and because of this we want to make sure that you will not have any complications such as risk of infection.  One way to do this is to make sure that your blood sugar level is stable at least 10 days before the procedure.

The hair transplant procedure can be performed by a Plastic Surgeon or a Dermatologist, ( in our clinic the doctor is a Plastic Surgeon).

The FUE method leaves no scars. The extraction and implantation of the grafts are done individually.

Before having the operation you should remember that the most important factors related to your operation are the quality of the hospital or clinic, its reputation, the experience of the doctors, the medical certificates, the services provided, the professionalism and ethics of the medical team and the price.
The price of the procedure is important but it is very important to remember that your overall care and the results of the procedure are the most important issues.
Be careful about cheap clinics in Turkey because if your operation is unsuccessful or if the donor area is damaged you will not be able to have the procedure again.

Usually patients can fly one day after the hair transplant operation.  Some patients prefer to extend their stay in Turkey by one night because they want to have their hair washed or because they live very far away.

The hair transplant procedure is performed under local anesthesia and consists of three stages:
▪ Extracting the grafts from your donor area
▪ Opening the micro-channels in the bald area of your scalp
▪ Implanting the grafts

The hair transplant procedure is performed under local anesthesia and consists of three stages:
▪ Extracting the grafts from your donor area
▪ Opening the micro-channels in the bald area of your scalp
▪ Implanting the grafts

The hair implantation procedure does not require general anesthesia because it is not considered a major operation.  In addition the operation generally takes about six to seven hours so there is no need for you to be given general anesthesia.

The main reason of hair loss in men is because of genetics.
There are other factors that cause hair loss to accelerate like stress, medication, age, illesses and environmental factors.

Hair loss in women might be related to a hormonal disorder, pregnancy, stress, lifestyle, emotional shock, breast feeding, medications and illnesses, genetics and environmental factors.
Using strong chemicals in hair colouring can also accelerate hair loss.

After diagnosing the actual cause of hair loss hair transplants can be performed on women.
We can also repair the hairline to make the forehead smaller and more feminine.

The most used and effective method is the FUE method which is suitable for all types of baldness.

The evaluation and plan for the hair transplant surgery is done by the doctor.  The entire process is a team effort as one doctor cannot do everything by himself.

There is no period of preference for undergoing hair transplantation. It can be done in any season of the year.  If you have a preference please let us know. 

Yes, but remember that you will have a risk of rejection as artificial hair will be considered to be a foreign body by your immune system.  Synthetic hair is also not natural and gives an unnatural ‘look’.

When the donor area (the back side of the head) is too small or not enough to provide enough hair grafts then we can take hair from the chest or the lower part of the beard.  Chest hair is weaker, curlier, shorter, doesn’t grow like hair on the head and the life expectancy of it is shorter than hair on your scalp.
We don’t use chest hair on the hair line.  However, we may use chest hair on the crown to increase the density.
Body Hair Transplant (BHT) is only good for some patients.  After the consultation we will decide if you are a suitable candidate for BHT.

The extraction of the hair from the beard can be done if the hair on the beard is similar to the hair on your scalp.  We can only use hair from the lower part of the beard as if we remove grafts from this area they will not be visible to others.  If we remove grafts from the cheeks the lower density of hair from this area might be visible to others. 

A beard transplant involves taking grafts from the donor area (the backside of the head) and re-implanting them onto the face to increase the density of hair on the face or to create a new beard or moustache.
If the amount of hair in the donor area is not enough we will not be able to beard transplant.

Beard transplantation involves taking grafts from the donor area (the backside of the head) by way of the FUE method and re-implanting them onto the face to increase the density of hair on the face or to make your beard or moustache fuller.

You must be a minimum of twenty years old in order to be considered for a beard transplant.
It is advisable to make sure that you do not have any existing medical conditions that might limit or prevent your beard from growing.
Please consult your doctor before contacting us in order to make sure that the lack of hair on your face is not a result of a pre-existing medical condition.
Beard transplants may be an option in patients who have very thin beards or patients who have bald spots on the face or no beard at all.

One square centimeter may contain between 35 to 60 implanted grafts.  This number is based on the zone being treated, the thickness of the grafts, methods used to implant hair, etc.

Yes, a certificate mentioning the number of grafts will be delivered or given to you after the surgery and before you leave the clinic.  In addition we guarantee that the transplanted hair will not fall out.

It takes about ten (10) months for the donor area to fully heal.  Therefore if you want another hair transplant you must wait at least ten (10) months.
It takes about one year for all of the transplanted grafts to produce hair.  If we transplant hair onto an area where grafts already exist and where these grafts are not producing hair yet we can damage the grafts by opening channels during the second operation.
You can have your second hair transplant procedure after the final result which will take about ten (10) to twelve (12) months.
For hair that has been transplanted onto the crown area it sometimes takes fifteen (15) months for the final result to be fully realized.

We are associated with one of the best hospital groups in Turkey.  We possess JCI ISO certificates and are surrounded by qualified healthcare professionals (a Plastic Cosmetic Surgeon, a Dermatologist, an Infection Specialist Physician, a Nurse and and a Doctor of Pharmacy). This ensures that we will take every precaution to make sure that your privacy is protected and that all procedures from initial consultation to post-operative follow up if necessary are conducted in a professional, safe, secure sterile and hygienic environment.

Yes,
Everyone has a right to medical care.  Our philosophy is to leave no patient untreated. Because of this we recently put in place a qualified, experienced and specialized medical team that can perform HIV hair transplant surgery.

The hair transplant operation takes about five (5) to six (6) hours depending on the number of implanted grafts.  On very rare occasions it can take up to seven (7) hours to complete the procedure because of certain medical conditions.

The method used during the beard transplant is the micro FUE technique which will give you a very natural look.  The DHI technique is not good at all for beard transplants because the look will be unnatural.

A graft contains between one (1) – three (3) individual hairs.

It is not necessary to travel to Turkey for post-operative check ups.  If you happen to visit Turkey up to one (1) year after your operation you are more than welcome to visit us for a free post-operative consultation.

One or two days after the operation we will do a follow up consultation with you.
The post-operative follow-up is carried out remotely by way of email, WhatsApp (or Skype).

The FUE technique involves three stages:

In the first stage the graphs are extracted.
In the second stage the channels on the recipient area are opened.
In the third stage the hair graphs are transplanted one by one onto the recipient area.

For the DHI technique the first stage is the same as the initial stage in the FUE technique.  The second and third stage as mentioned above are combined in the DHI technique.  A special pen which is called a Choi implanter simultaneously opens the channel and injects the hair follicle into the scalp.

The method that will used on the patient depends on the results of the consultation with the hair transplant professional.  As such it varies from one patient to the other and depends on a variety of factors including but not limited to the type of baldness, number of grafts, quality of the grafts, the thickness of the graphs, skin elasticity, previous operations, etc.

The ARTAS hair transplantation allows grafts to be removed by using a robot.

Some hair transplant clinics or some countries do not have enough experienced or knowledgeable clinicians to extract healthy graphs from the scalp.  This is why the ARTAS robotic hair transplant method was developed.

The robot will only do the first stage of the operation.  The medical team will open the channels and implant the graphs.

The hair transplant operation consists of three (3) stages.  The first stage is extracting the grafts by way of the Micro-FUE method.  The second stage is opening the channels by way of the Sapphire method and the third stage is transplanting the grafts by way of the Selective Implantation Method.

The Micro-FUE hair transplant method is a process or procedure that is used to extract extra grafts from the donor area.   In the normal FUE hair transplant method the extracted grafts are extracted with some extra skin from the scalp.  However, during the micro-FUE method the head of the punch will be chosen by the plastic surgeon and during this procedure more grafts are extracted per square centimeter and less skin.  As a result, we will be able to transplant more grafts to the bald area per square centimeter if we use the micro-FUE method.

Another advantage of the micro-FUE method is that the healing time is less and the hair density of the donor area (back side of the head) regarding hair re-growth or hair coverage after the operation will be greater compared to the normal FUE method.

The Sapphire hair transplant technique is the latest type of transplant method. It uses a specialized sapphire stone which opens up the channels in a ‘V’ shape.  As a result there is less bleeding during and after the operation compared with the older method which uses normal needles.  In addition because the tip of the needle is ‘V’ shaped the amount of grafts implanted onto the bald area will be greater compared with the old method.  The benefits of using the Sapphire method are that we can open more channels per square centimeter, the healing time on the transplanted area is less, there will be a greater density of hair in the transplanted area after the operation, you will have a more natural look, better results, etc.

Some hair grafts have one (1) hair, some have two (2) hairs and some have three (3) hairs.  During the extration of the grafts by way of micro FUE method we seperate them. For those grafts which have only one (1) hair we select and use them to create a new hairline.  For the grafts which have either two (2) or three (3) hairs we select and transplant them in the areas behind the hairline.  The reason for this is because we want you to have a more natural look.