Hair of Istanbul 2025 Annual Clinical Report

This report is a retrospective, aggregated analysis of clinical activity between 1 January and 6 December 2025. All procedures described were performed at the Istanbul clinic. It is not a prospective study: there is no control group, no randomisation and no pre-registered protocol.

The Dubai office is a consultation and patient-coordination location only. No surgical or medical procedures are performed there.

What is included and excluded

Included in the 1,250 procedures: primary hair transplantation, beard transplantation, revision procedures (internal and external referrals), and planned second sessions.

Excluded: scalp micropigmentation, eyebrow transplantation, and non-surgical treatments such as PRP and Regenera Activa.

Data sources

Internal clinical software and procedure logs; doctor notes and operative reports; follow-up visits, standardized photography and measurement records; and AI-assisted analysis records. All data are presented in aggregated form — no names, contact details or identifiable facial images are included.

Which figure is calculated over which group

Different figures in this report are calculated over different groups. Reading a figure against the wrong denominator is the most common way to misread a clinical report, so the group is named wherever a figure is given.

Counted, recorded and estimated figures

This report separates three kinds of figure. They should not be treated as equivalent.

Handling of missing data

Patients without sufficient follow-up documentation, and patients who did not respond to satisfaction surveys, are excluded from the relevant calculations rather than imputed or assigned an assumed value. Figures therefore describe the patients for whom data exist, not the entire treated population. Because the clinic serves a largely international patient base, most follow-up is conducted remotely through standardized photography and structured digital contact rather than in-person visits.

Limitations

Single-centre data. Results reflect one clinic’s protocols, team and patient mix, and are not generalisable to hair transplantation as a whole.

Graft retention is an assessed, not manually counted, figure. It is derived from AI-assisted measurement cross-checked by the medical team, not from a standardised fixed-area trichoscopic count.

Satisfaction data are self-selected. Scores come from patients who chose to respond. Non-responders are not represented and the response rate for this period was not recorded.

Smoking status is self-reported and not verified.

The two cohorts differ. Volume, complication and profile data describe the 2025 cohort; graft retention describes an earlier group of 975 patients.

Disclosure

This report was prepared by Hair of Istanbul from its own clinical records. The clinic both performs and reports on the procedures described, so the data have not been collected or verified by an independent third party, and no external peer review was carried out. The figures are published in the interest of transparency, and the methodology above is set out so that readers can weigh them for themselves. This report is not a peer-reviewed scientific publication and should not be cited as one.

Age and gender

The 2025 cohort is predominantly young adult and middle-aged male patients. The majority age group is 25–34 years, with a secondary cluster at 35–44 and smaller proportions at 18–24 and 45+. The mean patient age lies in the late twenties to mid-thirties, consistent with typical androgenetic alopecia patterns and international hair transplantation demand.

Where patients come from

Origin is self-reported. This international profile is also the main reason structured long-term follow-up cannot be completed for every patient.

Revision and previous surgery

Nearly one in seven procedures corrected work performed elsewhere. The clinic therefore functions both as a primary hair transplantation centre and as a referral centre for complex or unsatisfactory cases. If you are considering corrective work, our page on revision hair transplant surgery sets out what is and is not achievable.

Smoking status

Approximately 1% of patients reported smoking; 99% reported not smoking. Smoking status is self-reported at the pre-operative assessment and is not verified. Given the known impact of smoking on healing and graft survival, this low rate likely reflects a combination of pre-operative counselling, self-selection and reporting bias.

Donor harvesting

Donor harvesting is performed exclusively via FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) in 100% of cases. Punch diameters are adjusted to hair shaft thickness, curl, donor density and scarring risk, within a range of 0.80–0.85 mm. In some patients more than one punch size is used in different donor zones to optimise quality and minimise transection.

Implantation technique

The figures below describe the primary implantation technique recorded for each procedure — the technique used for the largest share of grafts in that case. They sum to 100% of the 1,250 procedures.

Separately, in approximately 20% of patients a second technique was also used in a different scalp zone — for example high-density DHI work in the frontal hairline with slit or sapphire coverage in the mid-scalp or crown. These cases are counted once, under their primary technique; the mixed-approach share therefore overlaps the table rather than adding to it. The mechanics of donor harvesting are covered in more detail on our FUE technique page.

Channel creation and graft preservation

Average slit or channel size is 0.6 mm, a dimension chosen to support natural angulation and direction, high-density placement where indicated, and minimal tissue trauma and post-operative scarring.

All grafts are stored in isotonic solution during the procedure. Average out-of-body time is 3–4 hours and storage temperature is maintained between 0–5 °C, to slow metabolic activity, preserve cellular integrity and reduce the risk of ischaemic damage.

All procedures are completed within a single day. Even for patients scheduled for two-stage plans, each stage is structured as a full-day, independent procedure.

Pre-operative assessment

Each patient undergoes a structured pre-operative process that typically includes a comprehensive medical history (past illnesses, medications, allergies, prior surgeries); physical examination with focused scalp and donor area evaluation; hair loss pattern assessment and realistic goal-setting; photographic documentation; and, where indicated, baseline laboratory tests or cardiology consultation. Indications, limitations, realistic expectations and potential risks are discussed in detail with every patient before scheduling.

Anaesthesia and monitoring

Local anaesthesia is applied in all patients. Sedation may be used on a case-by-case basis depending on patient preference, medical fitness and approval by the anaesthesiologist, primarily to improve comfort during local anaesthetic injections. Final sedation decisions are based on standard risk assessment and ASA classification.

Each patient is continuously monitored throughout the procedure. The anaesthesiologist supervises heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and clinical status and comfort.

Sterilization and emergency preparedness

All consumables are single-use only. Surgical sets are sterilized to high standards for every patient, and sterilization devices undergo monthly maintenance and quality checks, which are logged.

Although hair transplantation is a micro-surgical outpatient procedure with a very low complication rate, the clinic maintains emergency procedures aligned with Ministry of Health and regulatory requirements, keeps emergency equipment and medications readily available, and trains staff in recognition and management of emergency scenarios.

This range reflects a spectrum from limited recession and smaller Norwood stages to extensive hair loss patterns requiring higher graft numbers. The total is a derived figure, not an independent count. For how a graft number is calculated from an individual scalp rather than from a table, see how many grafts do I need.

Approximately 8 patients underwent combined procedures (for example hair plus beard, moustache or eyebrow work), and 8 dedicated beard transplantation procedures were recorded in the period.

Follow-up model

All patients are offered a structured monthly follow-up programme after surgery, including clinical evaluations, standardized photography, trichoscopic examination where appropriate, and AI-assisted measurements in selected cases. Because a large majority of patients travel from abroad, participation in in-person follow-up varies and is not complete for the cohort. What recovery looks like month by month is set out on our aftercare page.

Density assessment

Density is evaluated using a combination of trichoscopic measurements, manual counts in representative scalp regions, standardized before-and-after photographs, and AI-assisted density analysis where applicable. Given the variability in baseline density, area size, Norwood class and individual plans, density improvements are interpreted at patient and zone level rather than reduced to a single global figure.

Estimated graft retention

This section does not report an outcome for the 2025 cohort. It reports an estimate for a separate, earlier group of patients, and the wording is deliberately limited to what the underlying data can support.

The factors the team considers determinative of graft retention are careful donor harvesting, optimal punch size and angulation, controlled graft storage temperature and duration, proper channel creation, gentle implantation, and patient adherence to post-operative instructions.

Patient satisfaction

Patient satisfaction is captured via internal surveys and digital feedback using a 10-point scale, covering aesthetic outcome, naturalness and density, perioperative experience, communication with staff, and post-operative support.

Global average patient satisfaction score: 9.8 / 10 — from voluntary respondents; the number of respondents and the response rate were not recorded for this period.

Every figure in this section is given as a recorded case count together with the percentage that count represents of the 1,250 procedures. No rate in this section is quoted independently of its case count.

In 2025 the clinic systematically recorded infectious events, allergic or inflammatory reactions, folliculitis, clinically significant edema, necrosis, persistent shock loss and longer-lasting sensory changes. Minor erythema, limited swelling and expected early shock shedding were considered part of the normal post-operative course and were not classified as complications unless prolonged or clinically meaningful.

Zero recorded events. No case of persistent shock loss after regrowth was recorded in the period. This is stated as zero rather than converted into an approximate rate.

Edema and sensory change. These two events are not logged as discrete numbered records; the counts shown are the clinical team’s approximation and are marked with “~”. Both are expected, self-limiting features of the normal post-operative course rather than adverse outcomes.

Bleeding and hematoma. Mild bleeding or small hematomas may occur immediately after the procedure or the following day and are typically self-limiting with proper care. These were not recorded as discrete complication events and therefore carry no count.

Expected shock shedding. Immediate post-operative shedding in the transplanted area is expected and occurs in almost all patients; it is not a complication. Only persistent shock loss after regrowth is counted above.

Revisions and touch-ups

Internal revision or touch-up procedures: 6, an internal revision rate of 0.5%. Planned second sessions (124 patients) are not classified as revisions; they are part of a deliberate, staged strategy to build density or extend coverage in appropriate candidates.

Before surgery, each patient is explicitly informed about donor capacity, recipient area size and realistic achievable density. Visual references and case explanations are used to ground expectations — documented cases with graft counts and month-by-month timelines are published on our before and after page.

The plastic surgeon designs and oversees the overall surgical plan, determines the global strategy for donor management and coverage, and holds ultimate responsibility for the clinical protocol and outcome standards. The medical aesthetic doctor performs channel opening during the procedure, supervises the intraoperative process from a medical perspective, and coordinates the surgical team during implantation. The anaesthesiologist ensures patient safety and comfort throughout, manages local anaesthesia and sedation where appropriate, and conducts continuous monitoring.

The clinic operates with a multidisciplinary team of approximately 60 professionals, including doctors, nurses, surgical technicians, patient coordinators, and administrative and support staff. Full credentials are listed on our medical team page.

A monthly internal review meeting is held under the theme “What did we do this month?”, at which complications, challenging cases and improvement opportunities are reviewed and successful practices are standardized across the team. New staff undergo shadowing and structured training to align with clinic protocols and quality expectations.

The clinic uses a proprietary, clinic-specific AI-assisted hair analysis system. In 2025 the system was used in more than 2,000 analyses, including multiple time points for selected patients. It measures donor density, hair thickness, scalp coverage in different regions, and hairline design parameters and geometric relationships, with an average analysis time of approximately three minutes.

The AI output is always cross-checked against doctor-performed assessments, and final treatment decisions are never automated; they remain fully under medical control. The system supports objective baseline documentation, better surgical planning, and more consistent and quantifiable follow-up. It is also the basis of the graft retention assessment described above.

Motor and punch systems, as well as implanter brands and models, are not publicly disclosed but are selected according to international standards and performance. All grafts are held in isotonic solution. All sterilization equipment conforms to current standards and undergoes regular monthly maintenance and calibration. The overarching principle is to combine high-quality devices with strict sterilization and single-use consumables to minimise infection risk and optimise long-term outcomes.

All data presented in this report are aggregated and anonymized. No information that could personally identify individual patients is included. Photo and video materials used by the clinic are obtained only after appropriate patient consent, in accordance with the requirements of relevant health and data protection authorities.

This report is intended solely for informational and scientific transparency purposes. It does not replace individual medical consultation, diagnosis or treatment planning. Treatment decisions must always be based on individual clinical evaluation by a qualified physician.

In the reporting period of 1 January – 6 December 2025, Hair of Istanbul recorded high surgical volume at 1,250 procedures with a mean graft count of 3,800 per procedure; low complication and revision rates within the context of micro-surgical hair restoration; robust safety, anaesthesia, monitoring and sterilization protocols; integration of a proprietary AI-assisted analysis system into planning and follow-up; and a consistently international patient base, particularly from the UK, US and wider Europe.

Separately, among 975 patients from earlier periods with documented follow-up of at least 12 months, AI-assisted analysis with medical cross-check indicated an estimated graft retention of 98.2% within that documented follow-up subset. This is an estimate for a selected subset and not a 2025-cohort outcome. The global average patient satisfaction score was 9.8 / 10, from voluntary respondents whose number and response rate were not recorded for this period; it is reported for completeness and is not used as a performance indicator.