Frequently Asked Questions

What should we pay attention to before hair transplantation? What should be considered before surgery?

One week before the surgery, we should avoid herbal supplements that can increase bleeding by cross-reacting with aspirin, gigko biloba, ginseng, fish oil, garlic pills, ginger, saw palmetto, vitamin E and other drugs. We should not drink alcohol 1 night before the surgery. In the morning of the day of October, we should wash our hair and go to the clinic with a good breakfast.

After all, hair transplantation is a surgical procedure and it is important that the doctor and the patient, that is, both sides of the operation, have knowledge about blood-borne diseases. For this reason, before the operation, you should have your anti HIV, anti HBs, HBs Ag, and anti HCV values measured with a blood test that you will have in a health institution (such as family health centers or hospitals) and inform your doctor about the results before the operation.

Of course, COVID testing is a must. COVID negativity should be confirmed with a test to be performed at least 1 week before the operation.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR HAIR TRANSPLANT OPERATION?

Alcohol should be avoided for at least 2 days prior to operation. Smoking disrupts the nutrition of the skin and blood supply due to nicotine and substances it contains which cause blood vessel constriction. If you smoke, it is highly advisable that you do not smoke about 2 weeks before and after the operation. In addition, it may be useful to start some medications recommended by your doctor to improve blood flow within the capillary vascular network. Hair should be long on day of surgery for proper planning and cut right after the planning process on the day of operation by medical team. Arriving to the clinic with previously shaved hair may mislead your doctor when planning a hair transplant operation. /p>It is advised not to start surgery with an empty stomach and have a breakfast in the morning since the operation is performed under local anesthesia. In fact, the patient is free to eat during the lunch intervals.

It is recommended to bring an adjustable hard topped sports cap for camouflage the implant area that will not put pressure or touch the grafted area after the operation.

WHAT TO DO AFTER HAIR TRANSPLANTATION AND HOW TO PROTECT THE TRANSPLANTED HAIR?

After the hair transplantation process is completed, the most important thing to do to protect the transplantation site or  receiving scalp  area from possible impacts for the first 15 days and to prevent damage to the hair follicles.

While sleeping in the evening, your hair follicles should not touch the head of the bed, the quilt or the pillow and should not be damaged. You can also lie on your back on the area where the hair follicle is taken. For the first few days, it will be even better if you sleep on an armchair with a simple inflatable pillow to fill your neck. Lying prone is not recommended for two weeks as it increases the risk of the planting area coming into contact with the pillow and edema.

Most importantly, you should avoid any touch to the grafted area or damage to the hair follicles in the first 15 days after the operation to obtain the best results. Here are some suggestions:
You can sleep in head semi incline or recumbent/flat position on your back to kept grafted area away  from any contact The transplanted grafts should be kept safe and not touch the bed head, quilt or pillow. So, it is recommended to sleep in semi sitting  position on a sofa with a simple inflatable pillow supporting your neck for the first few days. A hard, small nape cushion or a travel cushion can be used for that purpose. It is not recommended to lie facedown at  least  for 10  days, as the transplanted area in the front may contact the pillow.

If you go on a trip immediately after hair tranplant, use a simple inflatable pillow (such as a travel pillow) to support your neck. This simple measure will prevent you from contacting implant area to the glass (windows of vehicle) or somewhere else that may touch and damage your hair follicles.

Do not wear narrow-collar clothing (athlete, T-shirt, sweater, etc.) that may rub through and cause damage. Prefer comfortable clothes with buttons on the day of operation (shirt, cardigan, zip sweater, tracksuit, etc.) in the first 2 weeks.

Be careful not to hit your head against the tools and devices hung or shallow located on the wall such as boilers, water heaters, sconces and appliques. Be extremely careful picking up something off the ground not to hit the grafted area against the door, window, sofa, armchair edges; or the door edges of the car especially when getting in or out.

Hammam, sauna, swimming, solarium and all kinds of hairdressing services should be avoided for two weeks to prevent the risk of infection and damage to the hair follicles. But low-intensity walks can be performed right after the operation, which is, in fact, recommended for the patient. You can go back to your fitness and gym routine in 10 days. Avoid any sports where you may take a direct blow to the head (football, basketball, taekwondo, kickbox, boxing, wrestling) for at least 45 days.

You can get a hair cut with scissors (no shaving) or get the donor area trimmed 15 days after the operation. All kinds of hairdressing services are permitted after 45 days (hair dying, complete shaving, perming, etc.).

You can easily use a concealer makeup product such as toppik to cover the grafted area as early as 4-5 days after the operation given that hair transplantation causes any inconvenience in your social life.

It is recommended to drink plenty of water after the operation as it increases blood circulation and helps the transfer of nutrients and oxygen to the grafted area.
Do not apply pressure when you use towels after washing in  first 10  days. But also do not leave the grafted area humid. You should dry the hair transplant area thoroughly with a hairdryer to prevent infection in the first 2 weeks.

Can I have natural hair that has never been perceived as operated or having hair transplant before ?

Yes, today, thousands of hair grafts can be taken with the FUE technique and natural, incomprehensible hair transplantation can be done. The most decisive points in this regard are the experience of the surgeon, well planning of operation, density and exit angle of transplanted hair and the hair density of the patient in the donor area.

Can we fix bad hair transplants that have been transplanted with the old, large punch graft, and hair growed up in the form of toothbrushes?

Yeah. Two methods are used for this: First, if the punch grafts are too large and wide, we remove them, separate them into 1 or 2 hair follicle bearing mini grafts, and transplant them again with a natural alignment. In the second technique, we camouflage the bad appearance by transplanting single follicular unit grafts around and between these bushy punch grafts. In other words, we hide these islets of hair with a dense hair transplantation and make them uncertain.

Is hair transplantation a painful procedure, how can the pain be reduced?

Today, pain is not a  big issue during hair transplantation. It is a surprise to most patients that they feel much less pain than they thought. Psychological factors as well as physiological pain in hair transplantation can increase the pain and make the person uneasy. Psychological preparation of patients for the operation is very important. For this, in addition to detailed information, patients can be relieved with the medication given before the operation. In order to minimize the pain during the procedure, the least injector entry should be made and the thinnest needles should be used. Anesthetic agents should be at body temperature when injected into the skin. It is possible to work on large areas without bleeding by using the tumescent technique on the skin to be transplanted and harvested. After the anesthetic substance takes effect in 5-10 minutes, the patient does not feel any pain and they watch TV, play with their smartphones or sleep during the operation!

If necessary, 8-12 hours of anesthesia can be achieved by applying scalp nerve blocks. With a strong analgesic substance given towards the end of the operation, post-operative pain is also prevented.
In patients with a very low pain threshold and who feel severe pain, the operation can be started without feeling any pain of local anesthesia with IV sedation anesthesia that can be done before the operation.

What is the planned density as a result of hair transplantation?

If we accept the natural density of the hair in the area to be transplanted as 100%, the human eye cannot perceive the difference between 50%-100% hair density. Therefore, the desired density ratio should be at least 50% of the natural hair density. In the first session, hair transplantation will be performed with a density of 35% to 45%, depending on the thickness of the hair, the density of the donor area, the hair color, the age and gender of the person, and even the difference in hair/skin color. Then, a second hair transplantation may be required to increas the density to 50-60% of “normal” density on pretransplant area.

WHEN AND HOW TO WASH YOUR HAIR AFTER HAIR TRANSPLANTATION?

Avoid washing or applying water to the transplanted area for the first two days. The first wash is performed at the hair transplantation centers 48 hours after the operation. Firstly, the head is dampened with warm water and some shampoo is applied on the fingertips massaging the grafted area slowly from back to front, then the grafted area is rinsed with plenty of warm water.

It is important to be gentle so as not to damage the hair follicles while washing the hair. From the beginning of the 2nd week, foam the shampoo on your hand and gently rub the scabs in the transplanted area to soften them.
No scabs should remain after 15 days of the operation. If they do, you should inform your doctor and ask how to clear them.

HOW TO FEED AND WHICH SUPPLEMENTS AND MEDICATIONS DO WE HAVE TO TAKE AFTER HAIR TRANSPLANTATION?

Although no special diet is required after hair transplantation, some hair growth supplements usage such as palmetto, B vitamins, zinc, iron, biotin, biotin and folic acid are recommended in the post-operative period for  6-7 months.

The use of serums containing the active substances minoxidil and procapil may help your hair grow faster and stronger by triggering the hair growth cycle after hair  transplant  surgery.

I strongly recommend you to use trixowell serum, trixowell anti hair loss shampoo and trixowell  advanced tablet (vitamine and mineral containing dietary supplement) as a hair regrowth supportive medicine (that you would be able to buy from my clinic) after operation with duration of 6-7 months. You may wish to buy a couple of them for long term use from us at the time of first wash in my clinic. Prices are 149 tl (turkish lira) for trixowell serum, 75 tl for trixowell shampoo and 89 tl for trixowell  advanced tablet. Please do not forget to bring a luggage with you to be able to put them in plane properly when you come back to your country. Take care of yourself and your family members and be safe!

An important thing is PRP, which means abbreviation of Platelet Rich Plasma. I also advise you to get this therapeutic proces at least one session during operationPRP stands for “platelet-rich plasma” meaning plasma high in platelets or thrombocytes. The growth factors found in thrombocytes as well as various factors that repair damaged tissues also stimulate and revitalize one’s hair follicles .PRP makes the grafted area more receptive and fertile, thus increasing the viability of the grafts and accelerating their growth. PRP is applied in 3 sessions at 3-weeks intervals after sıurgery and treatment takes only 20 minutes. PRP treatment can help to improve the results of hair transplantation as it helps the transplanted area to become more vacularised, keep hair follicles active and minimize the loss of the planted grafts and hair follicles with release  of  growth  factors.

What does hair transplant surgery promise?

First of all, to inform the patient realistically about the result that can be obtained; promises to make good use of the follicular  units.

A very natural and incomprehensible transplanting (a transplanting with single follicular  unit bearing  grafts  in the front and double-triple follicular  unit bearing  grafts  that provide volume in the back and sticking to the natural hair growth direction);

No or barely noticeable scars;

It is necessary to work at maximum density (nearly 50% of normal hair density) and thus to provide a natural look.

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How will I look after hair transplantation and when can I return to my normal life?

You will be washed within the first 2 days after hair transplantation and the bandages and dressings on the donor area are removed. Although there is no pain, swelling and bruising after the operation, crusting will be seen around the grafts in the transplanted area. Since it is an appearance that can attract people’s attention, it is possible to return to normal life immediately after hair transplantation, by wearing a hat and camouflaging the planting area. It may take up to 1-2 weeks for the crusts to clear.

What is the price of hair transplantation, is hair transplantation an expensive operation?

When it comes to cost of surgery, there may be many “variables” involved such as the specific surgeon’s credentials/experience level (or lack thereof), the specific geographic area of the world or even in same country, different locations etc. you are looking at. Hair restoration surgery must performed under supervision of surgeon and surgeon must participate to surgery. Unfortunatelly HT performed with technicians, paramedical teams  not with doctors in most of well known, “reputable” centers that spend  a lot money for advertisement with “ cheap package”s includes flights, hotels, and the operation. Please  be  aware that “cheap and good” usually do not go together. The risk of a bad result with, for example, destroyed donor area is not worth the cheap price, and that patients should better save their money for a good doctor.

Beside  that, people spend a lot of money to restore the lost hair and this creates a serious sector. The money spent on making the hair better has reached serious proportions. Prices of artificial hair prostheses and applications; annual maintenance fees for wig-like prostheses; Considering the money given to hairdressing services and products made to get money from people unnecessarily, hair transplantation is actually a very cheap operation. In order to get information about the hair transplant fee and the amount of graft to be transplanted, it is sufficient to send the photos taken from the front, top and nape of the head, showing the current state of the hair, to the e-mail address of the centers.

And of course, before hair transplantation, there are money paid to herbalists, charlatan internet products and centers claiming to regrowth hair. When we collect these, the money that a patient spends to restore his hair in 1 or 2 years approaches the cost of hair transplantation, but the person does not receive anything.

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Is there any change or shedding in normal hair after hair transplantation?

Yeah. Temporary shedding and thinning may occur in your own hair around the transplanted grafts, which gives the image of further opening in the transplanted area. This condition returns completely after a few months and heals on its own. This temporary shedding and thinning of existing hair is called “Telogen Effluvium”. This situation, which occurs until new hair starts to grow, should not disturb the patients because it is a temporary period.

How many sessions of hair transplant should I have?

This is one of the most asked questions. In general, in the centers that carry out hair  transplantation procedures in Turkey, the answer is “the entire open area is closed in a single session”. But  it may not  be always true!
Actually the number of hair transplant sessions to be performed on the person depends on 3 factors:

a)The degree of  hair  loss/Norwood grade/pattern of the patient;
b)The number of grafts to be used and the donor area hair density of the patient;
c)Hair characteristic of the patient: Thick, black and curly hair is much more covering compared to thin, light-colored and straight hair. If the area to be transplanted is very large, a sufficient result can be obtained with 2-3 sessions, or a high density (like 50% of normal hair density) can be  obtained in one  session for a narrower area.
The aim of hair transplantation is to increase the density between 25% and 35% in each session. In other words, if the frequency of 50-60% is reached in the open area with two sessions of hair transplantation, a perfect density that the human eye cannot detect will be achieved. Surgeon  should  plan the hair  transplant sessions, with  a period of at least 40 days (for  nonshave  FUE) to 6 months (for standart FUE operation).

When and how will my hair come out?

It will take about 3-6 months for your first hair to grow. Then we expect an extension of about 1 cm per month. The first hairs are matte, curly or wavy, thinner and undersized. Over time, the hair shines, thickens, acquires its color and returns to its normal form.

Does hair transplantation cause loss of existing hair?

It is possible in theory, but is rare in practice. During the opening of the channels before hair transplantation, follicles of the existing hair may be unintentionally damaged under the skin. In this case, the hair grows back and grows. We all know how strong the hair is normally and how it grows despite repeated plucking and hairdressing services such as torture. Only a damage to the blood circulation of the single hair follicle while opening the canal can cause permanent loss of the hair, which is very rare.

Does hair transplantation cause loss of existing hair?

Sometimes there may be early phase weakness and low density appearance in donor areas after FUE surgery, but fortunately most are transient. İt may happen because of over harvesting or transient post traumatic shedding /shock loss and called as donor efflivium. That situation heals and hair regrow in 3-4 months after hair restoration surgery .

Is the use of DHT (dihydrotestosterone) blocker equally effective in all areas of the scalp and in all races?

Dihydrotestosterone blocker has almost the same effect in men of all races and is the most important drug that prevents hair loss. It can stop hair loss more effectively in the area we call vertex, that is, at the very top. Although the effect is less at the front hairline, the rate of stopping hair loss and thickening existing miniature hair in 4-5 months of use is 95% and above.

Is the same result obtained in two different centers with the same number of grafts?

No. Most patients wonder about the number of grafts to be transplanted and assume that centers giving the same number can achieve the same result. But the experience of the surgical team, the direction of transplanted hair, the transplantation of grafts within a certain period of time without injury and the density of the transplantation are decisive in this regard and make a difference. The work of a team that can only extract and plant a few hundred grafts despite spending hours cannot be the same as another team that takes 2000 grafts per hour without causing any damage and transplants them intensively in a short time.

What are the complications and side effects of hair transplantation?

Hair transplant complications and possible side effects are very rare and insignificant. But for some reason, you can’t find any information on this subject in many hair transplant web site! However, as in every operation, there may be some minor complications in this procedure:

a)The pinkness that will occur in the hair transplant area may last for 2-8 weeks.
b)After hair transplantation, a temporary thinning can be seen in the existing hair, which may last for several months.
c)After the operation, slight leakage on donor area may be  observed. Crusting in the recipient area are cleaned with washings within 7-10 days.
d)Mild pain in the scalp donor area may occur 3-4 days after FUE operations and may last for several days; In FUT operations, this pain may last in a  couple  of weeks.
e)Numbness go away a few weeks after FUE operations, and may remain for months after FUT operations.
f)Mild itching may happen in donor  and recipient areas in the healing period and can be relieved with necessary medications.
g)Mild swelling/edema may appear on the scalp between the two eyebrows on the 3rd day and can be slowly go  away within 3-5 days with slight  massage  and sleeping  position .
h)Cyst formation: It can be seen up to 2 months after hair transplantation and resolves spontaneously within a few weeks. The cyst, which can be in different sizes from a pinhead to the size of a chickpea, is seen in the form of acne or abscess in the transplantation area.
i)Although infection is a complication that we rarely see, it is theoretically possible in any surgical intervention.
j)The scar is not obvious or  invisible in FUE operations. But after FUT operations, there will be a scar in the form of a thin line in the scalp donor area on the neck.

Which situations make hair transplantation risky?

Hair transplantation is an operation that is much safer and has a low complication rate compared to long-lasting complicated operations such as heart surgery, hip replacement, transplantation, etc. However, there may be some conditions and diseases that increase the risk of bleeding after hair transplantation and may lead to complications such as delayed healing and infection. These conditions are chronic metabolic diseases, recurrent infections of the scalp, diabetes, smoking and alcohol consumption, obesity, nutritional problems, use of immunosuppressive drugs such as chemotherapy drugs and blood thinners. The patient should definitely inform the surgeon about these medical conditions.

Will all the transplanted hairs come out, what is the growth rate?

There is no expert or method/technique to fully answer this question. Because after the hair has grown, it is difficult to say which hairs in that area are the hair that has grown as a result of transplantation and which are the hair that has existed before. In addition, it is impossible to count the hairs which regrow after planting one by one. According to my personal experience, while the amount of hair that grows after planting in the front part is about 80-90%, this rate decreases to 60-70% in the vertex region.

Is laser used in hair transplantation?

No. The laser has been used to open the channels where the grafts will be placed in some hair transplant centers in past. However, when the laser beam is used, the small blood vessels and capillary network in skin are damaged by burning, and that makes problems in the blood supply and viability of the grafts in the channels. In order for the transplanted hair graft to survive, it needs a skin with good blood supply. Otherwise, most of the transplanted grafts will not survive. In other words, with the use of laser, the transplantation results deteriorate dramatically. Healing of the skin that has been burned by laser is much later and more difficult than incisions made with a cold scalpel. Briefly, talking about laser in hair transplantation is just a fallacy for marketing the operation.

Will finasteride use destroy my masculinity?

Finasteride shows almost the same effect in men of all races and is the most important drug that prevents hair loss. It can stop hair loss more effectively in the area we call vertex, that is, at the very top, and little less effective at the level of the front hairline.

But  users may have Post-finasteride syndrome, occurs in men who’ve taken finasteride to treat hair loss by a chance of %4-5. Symptoms of Post-finasteride syndrome include: loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, panic attacks, gynecomastia, muscle atrophy. The condition may  cause a life-altering impact on patients and their families, such as job loss and the breakup of marriages and romantic relationships.

What kind of plan should be done in hair loss that starts at a young age?

Although the general perception in the society is that hair loss begins in the thirties, it can occur at very early ages, even in adolescence (16-17 years old), due to the increase in testosterone hormone in men. In this case, the first condition is not to panic. Most of the young people perceive the regression in the front hairline, which can be seen in 96% of the Caucasians, as hair loss. It is wrong to call “an expert to transplant hair” door to door in a hurry. Experienced doctors and surgeons may evaluate their patients with ethical principles and they should be contacted first. An opinion should be sought about what kind of roadmap to follow, how long and how wide the hair loss may affect. Under the age of 21, it is necessary to avoid hair transplantation if the shedding is not very severe in the patient. Hair restoration surgery should not be considered as the first choice at very early ages, the patient should be followed up with medical treatments and treatment changes should be made according to the shedding pattern by keeping them under control.