Hair Transplant: How It Is Planned, How It Is Performed and What Determines the Result

Prepared by the Hair of Istanbul medical team. Medical review: Dr. Ahmet Dilber, Specialist in Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery. Last reviewed: 14 August 2026.

What is a hair transplant?

A hair transplant is a surgical procedure in which follicular units taken from the donor area are transferred to regions where hair loss is permanent. A graft is a natural follicular unit that may contain one or more hair follicles; a graft and a single hair are not the same thing.

The back of the head and the area around the temples are used as the donor area. Because the follicles in this region are less affected by male/female pattern hair loss, they can produce long-lasting growth where they are transferred. Existing hair that has not been transplanted, by contrast, may continue to thin over time; planning is therefore based not only on today’s appearance but on the future course of hair loss.

The aim of a hair transplant is not to cover a bald area but to use the available donor resource in a way that creates a natural hairline and balanced coverage, while preserving the overall appearance of the donor area.

Who is a suitable candidate for a hair transplant?

A hair transplant is considered in people with sufficient donor reserve whose hair loss has a genetic, hormonal or stress-related cause. At Hair of Istanbul the age range assessed is 18–60. Age alone is not decisive; it is considered together with donor capacity, the course of hair loss and general health.

Situations generally considered suitable

• Male/female pattern hair loss that has stabilised at a certain level
• A receding frontal hairline and deepening temporal recessions
• Permanent hair loss in specific areas
• A naturally high forehead
• Correction of a previous procedure (revision hair transplant) and grafting into scarred areas
• Female pattern hair loss and Afro hair texture — planning is adapted to these cases

Situations that require further assessment

• Rapidly progressing hair loss that has not yet stabilised
• Donor density that is clearly insufficient for the area to be covered
• Uncontrolled systemic conditions and matters relating to bleeding tendency
• Active scalp problems — itching, redness, flaking or spots
• Goals that expect more than the procedure can provide

Individual planning

Two patients with a similar degree of baldness may require different plans. Hair shaft calibre and curl, the colour contrast between hair and skin, donor density, the future pattern of hair loss and facial proportions together determine which regions the grafts are distributed to first and how much visible coverage can be achieved.

Thick, curly hair produces higher visible density with the same number of grafts. Where the contrast between hair and skin is low, sparse areas look fuller. Graft numbers alone are therefore not a measure of quality.

Hairline design

A natural hair transplant result is achieved with a hairline design that is in harmony with the anatomical proportions of the face and takes the individual’s long-term hair loss dynamics into account. The aim is a frame that looks natural at first glance and does not become artificial with age.

The height and shape of the hairline are therefore not decided arbitrarily; facial reference points such as the glabella (the area between the eyebrows), the nasal root, the lateral canthus (the outer corner of the eye) and the tragus are used. Age-appropriate positioning is essential: hairlines placed too low, which may turn into an unnatural appearance over time, are avoided.

The depth of the temporal recessions, the width of the forehead, facial symmetry and the appropriate hairline type are assessed together — a slight M shape, a soft curve and a mature male line; in female patients, a more oval and rounded frame.

Four principles behind a natural appearance

• Facial proportion analysis — the height of the hairline is determined by facial reference points, not by a fixed template.
• Age appropriateness — a hairline that looks natural today must still look natural in fifteen years.
• Donor management — every graft spent on the frontal band is a graft that cannot be used for the regions behind it.
• Micro-irregularity — a perfectly straight line is not natural; the transition zone is built with controlled irregularity.

Two common errors are the use of too few single-hair grafts in the frontal band and positioning the hairline too low. Correct graft architecture — single-hair grafts at the front, graded density, and correct angle, direction and depth — makes the hairline natural at first impression and sustainable in the long term.

Donor area assessment and graft plan

The donor area is a limited resource that has to be managed over the long term. The harvesting plan takes into account not only how many grafts can be obtained in this procedure, but also how the donor area will look afterwards and what needs may arise later. The aim is balanced harvesting, not the highest possible number of grafts.

The ranges below are for guidance only and do not replace clinical assessment. The final graft number is based on measurement: the area to be covered and the density the donor area can support without being over-thinned are calculated together. Two patients at the same Norwood stage may require markedly different graft numbers.

In extensive baldness the aim is not to fill every region to the same density. The regions that frame the face and add the most visual impact are prioritised; the crown is treated as a second priority. If donor capacity is not sufficient for a single session, this is discussed openly before the procedure.

How is a hair transplant performed?

A hair transplant is completed in a single day and is performed under local anaesthetic. The five stages below follow the same order in every case; what changes from case to case is the content of each stage.

The number of grafts harvested and the number of channels created must match. The duration of this stage depends on the graft number; the total procedure time is usually between 6–9 hours, with rest and meal breaks in between.

Techniques: FUE, DHI, Sapphire and Slit

The names of the techniques are not alternatives to one another, nor separate quality packages. FUE describes how the grafts are harvested; DHI, Sapphire and Slit describe how the recipient area is prepared and how the grafts are placed. In a procedure carried out with DHI, the grafts are still harvested with FUE.

Which approach is used is determined by the hair structure, the condition of the existing hair, the area to be covered and the density aimed for. No additional fee is charged for the choice of technique; the technique is part of the individual treatment plan. For details, see the FUE technique and DHI technique pages.

Preparation before the procedure

Preparation begins before the day of the hair transplant. The points below are the general framework that applies to every patient; individual instructions are given separately after the consultation.

• No alcohol is consumed for one week before the procedure, and smoking is reduced.
• The medicines you use and your current health condition are reported in advance. Blood-thinning medicines must not be stopped on your own initiative; whether they are stopped is planned jointly by the doctor who prescribed them and the Hair of Istanbul medical team.
• If you have itching, redness, flaking or spots on your scalp, this must be reported before the procedure.
• You are asked not to shave the donor area for about one month before the procedure.
• Blood tests, an ECG and an anaesthetic assessment are completed before the procedure; current medication and allergy information is reviewed with medical approval.
• On the morning of the procedure the hair should be washed and clean, with no styling products applied.
• Breakfast is eaten on the morning of the procedure; coffee and caffeinated drinks are not taken.
• Comfortable clothing is preferred — a wide-necked T-shirt, a shirt or a top that opens at the front.

What happens on the day of the procedure?

The day of the hair transplant begins with a face-to-face consultation at the clinic. A detailed hair and scalp analysis is carried out, a natural hairline suited to your facial features is drawn, and the plan is approved together with you.

Once the hairline has been determined, your blood tests are confirmed and blood is taken for the PRP applied as part of the procedure. When the preparations are complete, local anaesthetic is administered and graft harvesting from the donor area begins. The grafts harvested are counted.

The channels are then created in the recipient area and the grafts are placed. The operative area is numbed with local anaesthetic; brief discomfort may be felt while the anaesthetic is being administered. When the procedure is complete, a dressing is applied to the donor area and the instructions for the first night are given.

The first 10 days after the procedure

After a hair transplant, both the transplanted area and the donor area remain sensitive for a period. In the first few days, keeping the grafts in place directly affects the rest of the healing process.

Detailed instructions on washing, product use, sleeping position and returning to daily life are set out on the hair transplant aftercare page.

What to avoid in the first months

The periods below are based on the current post-operative protocol at Hair of Istanbul and are important for graft survival and for the healing of the donor area.

Sensitivity in the treated area may last about a month. During this period the area must not be scratched with the nails; from the tenth day it may be touched gently with the palm and the fingers. Reducing smoking supports healing.

The hair transplant results timeline

The result of a hair transplant does not appear on the day of the procedure. Healing and hair growth progress over months, and the process varies from person to person.

Sharing photographs every month during this period is recommended. Progress is then followed with comparable clinical data rather than a subjective impression, and individual guidance can be given where needed.

What determines the result of a hair transplant?

The result of a hair transplant does not depend on the number of grafts alone. Two patients treated with the same number of grafts may end up with different visible density. The determining factors are:

• Donor density and the quality of the harvested grafts
• Hair shaft calibre and curl
• The colour contrast between hair and skin
• The size of the transplanted area and the degree of hair loss
• Hairline design and the distribution of grafts across the regions
• The angle, direction and depth at which the grafts are placed
• The future course of the existing hair
• Compliance with the healing and aftercare process

Risks and realistic expectations

A hair transplant is a surgical procedure. Temporary swelling, redness, numbness, folliculitis, shock loss or irregular growth in the early period may occur. Less commonly, infection, reduced graft survival, visible thinning in the donor area and — where planning and execution fall short — an unnatural result may occur.

Individual risk is determined during the medical assessment. If healing does not follow the expected course, the medical team should be contacted; early intervention corrects the process in most cases.

Patients travelling to Istanbul for a hair transplant

The hair transplant process begins before you arrive in Istanbul. A preliminary assessment is made from your photographs, and a plan is drawn up according to your pattern of hair loss and your donor capacity. The appointment, accommodation and travel are arranged within a single programme around your flight dates; airport pick-up and the hotel and clinic transfers are part of that programme. Communication support in your own language is provided throughout.

The programme is built as the day of arrival followed by a three-day clinical schedule: the consultation and the procedure take place on the same day, the check-up and the removal of the dressing follow the next day, and the return is planned once the first wash has been completed on the third day. Accommodation is arranged as three nights in line with this schedule.

Patients travelling from abroad must hold a passport valid for at least six months. Because the aftercare products cannot be carried in hand luggage, you are asked to travel with a suitcase.

Medical team

The consultation, the planning, the procedure and the post-operative check-ups are carried out by the same medical team. The decisions taken during planning are therefore carried through in full to the day of the procedure and beyond.

Hair of Istanbul has been operating in Istanbul since 2013, and more than 19,000 cases have been carried out to date. You can review the training and clinical roles of the doctors on the medical team page and see the centre on the clinic page.

Hair transplant before and after

Hair transplant results vary from person to person according to donor capacity, hair shaft calibre, colour contrast and the degree of hair loss. Each case must therefore be assessed within its own context.

Cases involving the frontal hairline, extensive baldness, Afro hair texture, revision, hair transplants in women and beard transplants can be reviewed in the before and after gallery, together with the hair type, the degree of loss and the graft range.

Hair transplant prices

At Hair of Istanbul the hair transplant price is determined by the number of grafts; no additional fee is charged for the choice of technique. The ranges below reflect the current package structure.

The final plan and price become clear after the case assessment. For package contents, additional procedures and current prices, see the hair transplant prices page.

Frequently asked questions

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