What is hair transplant?
Hair transplant is the procedure that involves taking the patient’s own hair follicles from certain areas and then placing them in thin haired or bald areas on the scalp. It is a very important surgical procedure in solving hair loss and thin hair and baldness problems caused buy factors such as race, age, gender, hormones, nutrition, genetic and environmental factors, various diseases on the scalp, psychological disorders, and intense stress.
How is a Hair Transplant Operation Performed?
The first criterion that is necessary for obtaining a healthy result from hair transplant is the planning and development of a personalized treatment determined after a detailed examination by the physician. The second important criterion is the ensuring that the procedure is performed by an experienced specialist doctor and medical staff in a sterile and hygienic clinic or hospital setting. Transplants made under these conditions have no harmful side effects.
Anesthesia: Hair transplantation can be performed under local anesthesia alone or by using anesthetic drugs and sedatives. After the physician determines a personalized anesthetic dose, the hair transplant procedure can be performed painlessly.
Sourcing and transplanting hair follicles: First, the physician makes measurements in the patient’s recipient area, and then the physician and the patient discuss the operation in detail and decide on the required hair density in the recipient area. The number of hair follicles per 1 cm2 on a normal and healthy scalp is called the hair density, and there are 80 to 100 hair follicles per 1 cm2 in an average person.
To achieve a healthy result in hair transplant, it is necessary to obtain generally 60 or more hair follicles per cm2 in the recipient area. Accordingly, after the physician decides on the hair density by discussing with the patient, the hair follicles to be used for hair transplant are usually extracted from the patient’s nape of the neck or other parts of his/her body deemed appropriate by the physician, and then the hair follicles are planted in thin-haired or bald areas by using a technique suitable for the patient. Hair transplant operations take about 4 to 6 hours.
FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) Technique:
It is the most commonly used hair transplant technique in Turkey and the rest of the world. This technique is also used in our clinic. It is a technique that involves extracting micro hair follicle grafts called Follicular Unit (FU) from the scalp one by one, and then planting them in the desired area by using microsurgical techniques. After determining the donor area, the procedure starts with shaving or it is performed without shaving, depending on the physician’s decision.
The specialist physician applies local anesthesia to the donor area, where the hair follicle grafts will be extracted. The hair follicles are loosened using a micro motor, and then they are extracted using a medical instrument called micropunch, which is similar to tweezers.
After the completion of the hair follicle extraction, thin channels are opened using a sapphire blade, starting from the predetermined hairline or from another area deemed appropriate by the physician, and then the hair follicles are transplanted. In this way, a much more natural-looking result is obtained from the hair transplant procedure.
After the transplantation process is completed, a dressing is placed on the donor area, where the hair follicles have been extracted. Since this procedure is performed under local anesthesia, the patient feels no pain. In addition, it does not require sutures after the transplantation of the hair follicles, because no incision is made on the skin. The most important advantages of this technique: It causes minimum trauma on the scalp, leaves no scar in any sense, and allows for fast recovery. In addition, since the hair follicle grafts are placed in the natural growing direction of the hair, a completely natural appearance is achieved as a result of the procedure.
Am I a suitable candidate for Hair Transplant?
Hair transplant can be performed in cases of genetic hair loss, hair loss caused by burns or injuries, and thin hair or regional baldness caused by various reasons. In addition, it can also be performed on any patient approved by the physician, based on reasons that the physician deems appropriate after the examination.
Eligibility of the patient who comes to our clinic for hair transplantation is investigated with the necessary examination, detailed analysis, and tests. After the test results show that there is no metabolic or systemic problem, the donor area, from where the hair follicles will be extracted, is examined.
If the candidate is found to have adequate amount of hair follicles according to the result of the examination, the treatment method is determined based on the type of hair loss. There is no age limit for hair transplant. Hair transplant gives permanent results, and it is a surgical procedure that provides a definitive solution in the treatment of hair problems.
What Should Be Done Before Hair Transplant?
First of all, the physician gives detailed information about all indications, complications and possibilities to every patient who will have a hair transplant operation. If the patient has any chronic disease and if he/she takes any drug on a regular basis, the physician gives detailed information again, and makes a personalized treatment plan before the operation.
The hair of patients, who are approved after these stages, should be clean and washed, and chemical mixtures such as gel, hair spray, hair solution should not be applied to the hair before the operation,
What Should Be Done After Hair Transplant?
In the postoperative days of the hair transplant procedure, redness, wounds or scab formation are usually observed on the skin, but this is quite natural. In order to prevent scab formation, information is given on how to wash and care for the hair, in accordance with the instructions given by the physician. 2 days after the operation, the patient can completely return to his/her normal life.
The postoperative recovery of the scalp is very fast, and the transplant area heals within 10 days. The time required for the hair to grow enough to cover the thin-haired or bald skin after a hair transplant operation differs from patient to patient, but it is usually between eight and twelve months on average. From the time the hair begins to grow until that date, the hair gradually thickens and reaches the thickness of the hair in the donor site. Special care is not needed until the hair reaches the normal hair thickness.
Applications such as haircut, washing, shaping and dyeing can be done. In addition, the transplanted hair does not fall off, and it survives healthily for life, as a result of the transplant procedure.
Does Hair Transplant damage healthy hair?
When performed by an experienced specialist doctor and medical staff in a sterile and hygienic clinic, the hair transplant procedure does not damage other areas of the scalp and does not have any side effects.
Hair Transplant Prices
Since the treatment procedure and equipment used during the operation vary from person to person, the price varies accordingly. You can call our clinic to get information and make an appointment.
Hair Transplant in Turkey
Turkey offers you a fascinating experience with its thousands of years of history, unique nature and delicious food and beverages. For hair transplant in Turkey, please check our health tourism page and see how easy & fast the processes can be. You can also check out our page about places to visit in Mersin.