Hair loss affects both men and women, increasingly from the age of 25–35. A hair transplant does not hide the problem — it restores your own hair in the thinning area. We explain the FUE, DHI and FUT methods, contraindications, recovery, and why patients choose Turkey.
Why hair falls out
Losing up to 100 hairs a day is normal. Hair loss (alopecia) means the hair becomes thinner and does not grow back. The most common cause is androgenetic alopecia — an inherited sensitivity of hair follicles to hormones. Hair loss can also be caused by hormonal changes, thyroid disease, iron deficiency, severe stress, some medicines, and scars after injuries and burns. The first step is therefore a consultation with a hair specialist who will find the cause and say whether a transplant will help.
The first hair transplants were performed by the Japanese doctor Shoji Okuda: in 1939 he described about 200 operations in which he covered scars on the scalp.
Hair transplant methods
All methods follow one principle: follicles are taken from the donor area at the back of the head, where hair is resistant to loss, and moved to the thinning area. Only the patient's own hair is transplanted.
FUE — follicular unit extraction
The most common method. Follicular units (grafts of 1–4 hairs) are extracted one by one with a 0.7–1 mm micropunch and implanted into tiny incisions. The procedure is done under local anaesthesia, takes 5–8 hours and leaves no linear scar — only dot-like marks hidden by the hair. A variant is Sapphire FUE, in which the channels are made with sapphire blades.
DHI — direct hair implantation
Grafts are extracted as in FUE but implanted with a special implanter pen that creates the channel and places the follicle in one step. This gives precise control of angle and density and allows transplantation without shaving the whole head. The method works well for the hairline, eyebrows and beard.
FUT (strip method)
A strip of skin is removed from the back of the head, divided into grafts under a microscope and transplanted. The wound is sutured, leaving a thin linear scar. It is also performed under local anaesthesia and yields many grafts in one session, but because of the scar and longer healing it is used less and less.
Who is not a candidate
- insufficient donor hair at the back of the head;
- active scalp disease, scarring alopecia in an active phase;
- blood clotting disorders;
- uncontrolled diabetes, severe cardiovascular disease;
- very young age, when hair loss has not yet stabilised — the result is unpredictable.
The doctor makes the final decision after an examination or photo assessment.
The procedure and recovery
Usually 2,500–4,500 grafts are transplanted in one session. No hospital stay is needed: after the procedure the patient returns to the hotel, and the next day the doctor checks the area, does the first wash and explains aftercare. You can fly home in 2–3 days.
- Scabs fall off within 7–10 days.
- After 2–6 weeks the transplanted hairs shed — this is normal, the follicles stay alive.
- New hair starts growing from month 3–4.
- The final result is assessed at 12–18 months.
To preserve non-transplanted hair, the doctor may advise supportive treatment — minoxidil, finasteride, PRP.
Hair transplant in Turkey
Turkey is the most popular country for hair transplants: hundreds of thousands of procedures are performed there each year, and the package price usually covers the procedure, accommodation and transfers. It is important to choose not the lowest price but a clinic where planning and the key steps are done by a doctor, not only technicians. Medical centres Clinics Direct works with include the Acibadem hospital group and Medicana.
Frequently asked questions
Is a hair transplant painful?
Only the anaesthetic injections at the start are unpleasant; after that the patient feels nothing.
Will the transplanted hair fall out over time?
Follicles from the back of the head keep their resistance to hair loss, so the result usually lasts for many years. Your own surrounding hair may continue to thin.
Can women have a hair transplant?
Yes, if the cause of hair loss is established and the donor area is sufficient. DHI makes it possible to avoid shaving the head.
Want to know how many grafts you need and how much it costs? Send a request with photos — Clinics Direct coordinators will obtain a doctor's assessment and a price, free of charge.
