Hair Transplant FAQ

1. What is the best time to have a hair transplant?

• The right time for the hair transplant procedure varies depending on the preference of the person troubled with hair loss.
• The person troubled with hair loss can get a hair transplant as soon as the issue starts to appear. It is also possible to apply this procedure to increase the volume of the hair.
• The majority of people who prefer to get a hair transplant are generally people whose hair loss process is complete and its effects are quite visible.

2. What to look for when applying to a hair transplant clinic?

As hair transplantation is a quite popular procedure, there are many hair centers and clinics that offer this service. This results in a great number of options and alternatives to choose from. But when it comes to choosing the best clinic to get a hair transplant, a person should keep in mind that the clinic has the following characteristics. 

• A clinic must fulfill the conditions determined by the Ministry of Health and offer an accurate procedure in a fully equipped operation environment.
• It does not compromise hygiene, health, and safety.
• It has operators and equipment to intervene immediately in cases of emergencies and complications.
• Provides accurate information about the procedure including the process and the number of hair follicles to be transplanted.

3. How long does the hair transplant procedure take?

The hair transplant procedure takes around 6-8 hours. The duration of the process may vary depending on the target area, the suitability of the donor area, the transplantation method, and the complexity of the procedure (curly hair transplant, damaged target area). 

4. How painful is the hair transplant procedure?

• The method of hair transplantation is among the factors that directly determine the level of pain during the surgery. The patients who go through light anesthesia do not feel pain during the process.
• When local anesthesia without sedation is applied, the patient may feel pain during the anesthesia injection. The patients do not feel pain after the injection is complete.
• It is possible for the patient to prefer painless anesthesia as well.

5. Which season is the best for hair transplant?

• A great number of people generally prefer the winter season to get a hair transplant. That’s because the sun may have damaging effects on the patients who received the procedure.
• The hair transplantation procedure can be performed throughout the year. Choosing when to get a hair transplant is entirely the person's own preference.

6. How to prepare before the hair transplant?

• The patients must inform the doctors about the medications and blood thinners that they use on a regular basis. The doctor may ask the patient to take a break from their medication until the hair transplant procedure is complete. The patient is to discontinue taking their medications within the specified period.
• The patient should stop drinking alcohol or drinks that contain alcohol a week before the procedure as they have direct effects on the circulatory system.
• Taking part in sports and intense exercises or not recommended as they increase blood circulation in the body, which results in more bleeding during the procedure.
• Patients are advised to stop smoking before and after the procedure so as to expected healing process is not prolonged.

7. What to do after hair transplant surgery?

• The patient must prefer wider shirts and t-shirts in order to preserve the transplanted area from harmful impacts.
• Impacts that may damage the transplanted area should be avoided.
• Pills and medications prescribed by the doctor must be taken regularly.
• The patient must not indulge in sports activities.
• The patients must be aware of the weather and make sure that their head is not exposed to rain and excessive sunlight.
• The advised pillow must be used for sleep.
• The patient must avoid dusty areas.
• The transplanted area should not be touched or scratched in any case.
• The patient should not bend their head over and must be quite careful with their head movements.
• A person must be present with the patient at all times especially when the patient is going to have a long trip after the procedure.

8. How long is the hair transplant recovery time?

The transplanted area must be protected from impacts for 12 days. The day after the procedure is especially critical and the patient must be extremely careful. After the 12-day period, the hair follicles are fully seated and the crusting begins to fall off. The donor area, where the hair follicles are taken, requires a 12-day period to recover as well. The vulnerability of the transplant area takes around a month.

9. When to return to daily routine after hair transplant?

Provided that the utmost care and attention are taken, the patient may return to their daily routine 12 days after the hair transplantation.

10. How long it takes to see the results of the hair transplant?

The patient who has undergone the hair transplant surgery will go through the following timeline.

• Shock loss begins within a month
• After 1 month, hair starts to grow from the transplanted hair follicles
• After 3 months, the new hair begins to appear
• Almost half of the hair follicles grow hair within 6 months
• After 1 year, the result of the hair transplant is visible and almost all of the transplanted follicles grow hair
• The growth rate of transplanted hair might be slower than the patient’s regular hair
• The patient who has gone through the procedure must attend regular check-ups.

11. Can gray or white hair be transplanted?

Gray or white hair transplantation procedure can be performed as long as the hair follicles, or grafts are healthy and suitable.

12. Can there be hair shedding after a hair transplant?

The hair that grows from the transplanted hair follicles does not shed, unlike the person’s own hair.

13. Is hair transplantation harmful to health?

Hair transplantation is a surgical procedure that must be performed by experts. Risks and complications may arise otherwise.

14. Can a hair transplant procedure be performed without hair shaving?

There are different hair transplant methods. The suitable methods for the patient or preferred by the patient might include a process where hair shaving is not performed.

15. How to wash the hair after a hair transplant?

• The dressing is removed when the doctor sees fit. The patient must not wash their hair the day the dressing is removed.
• The patient can wash their hair a day after the dressing is removed.
• The transplanted area must not be rubbed or massaged during the washing. Nails should not touch the area as well.
• The hair-washing process should be done with small contacts in the first 10 days.
• After the 10-day period, the patient can wash their hair a bit harder to shed the crusting.
• The shampoo used to wash the hair should not contain cosmetics. An expert must be consulted about the soap and shampoo in order to use the right products.

16. Who is not suitable for a hair transplant?

• Those who do not have a suitable donor area to extract hair graft
• Those who do not have enough donor area that will offer the required number of hair grafts for the target area
• Those who are under the age of 21
• Those who are troubled with certain health issues
• Those who have diseases such as diabetes, blood pressure, etc.
• The hair transplant procedure cannot be applied to those who are Hepatitis C and HIV positive.

The person must inform their doctor during the examination if they have at least one of these conditions.