Hair Transplant FAQ

During the procedure: No. You're under local anesthesia the entire time (6-8 hours). Most people report feeling pressure or tugging but no pain.

The worst part: The initial anesthesia injections to numb your scalp. After that, you're numb.

After the procedure: Mild discomfort for 2-3 days, like a sunburn on your scalp. Manageable with over-the-counter pain meds. Donor area is more uncomfortable than recipient area.

This requires patience—full results take 12-18 months.

• Weeks 1-2: You look like you just had a transplant (red, scabby). Not leaving the house much.
• Weeks 3-12: Shock loss phase—transplanted hairs fall out. This is NORMAL and expected! Many people panic here.
• Months 3-6: New growth begins. Thin and wispy at first.
• Months 6-9: Noticeable improvement. About 50% of final results visible.
• Months 12-18: Final results, maximum density and thickness achieved.

Anyone showing immediate dramatic results is wearing a hair system or edited photos. Real growth takes time.

Immediately after: Yes. For the first 10-14 days, it's obvious (scabs, redness). Plan to work from home or take time off.

Long-term: Depends on the surgeon's skill. A well-done transplant with natural hairline design should be undetectable. Signs of a poor transplant:

• Straight "doll hair" hairline (should have irregular, natural variation)
• Pluggy look (grafts too large or wrong angle)
• Visible linear scarring (FUT strip method—rare now)
• Unnatural density patterns

This is why hairline design expertise matters. Turkish clinics do thousands yearly, so they know natural patterns for every ethnicity.

Transplanted hair is permanent (from the "safe zone" that's genetically resistant to balding). However:

Your existing hair will continue to thin unless you prevent it. Most doctors recommend:

• Finasteride (Propecia): Prevents further hair loss in existing (non-transplanted) hair. ~$20-40/month.
• Minoxidil (Rogaine): Promotes thicker hair growth. ~$15/month.

Without these, you might end up with a "donut" pattern—thick transplanted hairline but thin crown/mid-scalp.

Not everyone needs them, but most doctors recommend at least finasteride to protect your investment.

This varies dramatically by individual, but rough guidelines:

• Hairline restoration only: 1,500-2,500 grafts
• Hairline + mid-scalp: 2,500-3,500 grafts
• Hairline + crown: 3,500-4,500 grafts
• Extensive/full coverage: 4,500+ grafts (may need 2 sessions)

Factors that affect graft count:

• Size of bald area
• Desired density
• Your donor hair density (some people have more available grafts than others)
• Hair thickness (thicker hair provides more coverage per graft)

Beware clinics promising huge graft counts (5,000+) in one session—overharvesting damages your donor area permanently.

Not immediately, but soon. Most surgeons recommend:

• Minimum 2-3 days post-op before flying (to monitor for any immediate complications)
• Use a travel neck pillow to avoid rubbing the transplant area against the seat
• Avoid baseball caps or tight hats for the first 10 days

Most people fly home on day 3-4 without issues. Bring a soft, loose hat for sun protection in the airport.

Each graft contains 1-4 hairs (average ~2 hairs per graft). So:

• 3,000 grafts = approximately 6,000 hairs
• 5,000 grafts = approximately 10,000 hairs

But more isn't always better:

• You have a finite donor supply (typically 6,000-8,000 grafts maximum lifetime)
• Overharvesting damages the donor area
• Dense packing can damage surrounding follicles

Quality over quantity. A well-designed 3,000 graft transplant with natural hairline looks better than a poorly executed 5,000 graft procedure.