These FAQs provide a better understanding of our working process at the HLC.
Hair loss with men and women most commonly occurs with inherited balding (androgenic hair loss). The ageing process affects all individuals differently, and each person will experience a different balding pattern. Genetic hair loss is caused by the male hormone Dihydrotestosterone, which causes the hair follicles to accelerate the regular growth cycles of hair. This results in miniaturization of the hair and, ultimately, the failure of the hair follicle. The typical male pattern for hair loss is being categorized by the Norward Scale and follows a receding hairline, advancing to the mid-scalp and then the crown.
Additionally, hair loss may be caused by inflammation, accidents or several diseases. Hair transplant at the HLC will only be performed on patients with inherited balding. We regret that it cannot be successfully performed on patients suffering from pathological balding.
Every patient of the HLC will be instructed by our consultation team prior to the procedure. This will be via phone or email, detailing every aspect to be considered for the hair transplant. When you arrive at the clinic you will undergo a thorough medical investigation, including a blood test. We kindly ask each of our patients to inform us of their medical history and any necessary medications to be taken. There is a possibility that some medications will need to be suspended for the surgery. For health reasons, our clinic wants to avoid allergies and unnecessary reactions. Our medical team takes the greatest care to minimize any risks and avoid unforeseen consequences.
The maximum time for every procedure will depend on the patient´s predisposition, and the number of grafts (hair follicles) needed. For patients with progressive balding a greater number of grafts will be required. As every step of the procedure at the HLC is manually and precisely performed, without any use of motorized punches, the maximum number of grafts to be transplanted per day will be 1500-1800. This involves a daily procedure of about 8-10 hours, with several breaks between each extraction and implantation process. Patients with higher extraction demands, such as 3000 grafts and higher, will require two more daily sessions. If you are arriving from outside Turkey, we kindly advise to plan for a minimum stay of about 4 nights.
The whole hair transplant procedure will be performed under local anaesthesia with sedation. This means the patient will not feel any pain throughout the whole process. Many patients of the HLC are pleasantly surprised at how little discomfort they feel when our surgeon injects the numbing agent in the scalp area. After the extraction process you will be allowed to sit back and relax, or have something to eat. For the relocation process our team will use local anaesthesia again to make you feel comfortable. You can expect to be painfree during the whole procedure, and you can watch a movie or listen to your preferred music.
For regular hair transplant via FUE we kindly ask every patient for a full shaving of the scalp, including the donor area and the recipient site. However, the HLC appreciates the personal needs and circumstances of patients asking for discretion, or who want to immediately engage with social life. Therefore, the HLC offers hair transplants without any shaving of the recipient site. As this method is more labour-intensive, and time-consuming, the rates for partial-shaving hair transplants will be higher than those for regular procedures.
Unfortunately, some of the hair follicles will be damaged during the extraction process, as is the case with all hair transplants. Sometimes hair follicles offer a complicated position and may not easily be extracted by the manual punch. Our medical team will use all their artistic skills to delicately perform expert hair transplants with state-of-the-art equipment. Consequently, the HLC has one of the lowest transaction rates in the business. With untalented physicians at other clinics transaction rates of 20% – 30 % are common. However, at the HLC the average full transaction rate is no more than 1%.
Most of the patients will initially experience some shedding at the recipient site after a hair transplantation process. In most casess, the transplanted hair will resume growing after 3 months. This part of the process will vary from patient to patient, and only a few hair follicles will be witnessed growing at this time. The final result of a hair transplant will not be expected until 8-12 months post-surgery.
We emphatically ask our patients for trust and patience during these 8-12 months. They are also advised to manage their expectations during this time as our team will not be able to judge the results of the hair transplant earlier.
As for FUE representing a minimally invasive method for hair transplant, the recovery time is shorter than with any other methods. Scabs can take up to a week to fall off and some reddening at the recipient site might occur for a while. The HLC kindly asks every patient to wait for at least 7-10 days before going back to work again. The healing process will be longer risking the success of the hair transplant in case patients want to migrate back to social activities earlier. Depending on the physical requirements of the patient´s work we ask to avoid heavy activities and sweating during the first week. Those who do not care about scabs or a shaven head and who will not be involved with strenuous work can feel free to instantly go back to work after transplant.
The HLC team will give you personal instructions after the hair transplant procedure. This also includes a course of antibiotics and special shampoo to be used for head washing. Those patients wearing a cap or hat should avoid initial pressure on the head during the first two weeks after surgery. If you don’t care too much about your appearance in public you might be able to go back to work very soon. We recommend to refrain from intensive sports, or exercise which cause you to sweat, during the first four weeks after your procedure.
If you experience persistant swelling, you may be prescribed some medication issued by the HLC team.
Exposure to strong sunlight at the recipient site should be avoided for the first months following a hair transplant. We recommend wearing a sun hat or cap should you be out in the sun for a long time.
Hair follicles transplanted from the donor site are not at risk of genetic balding because they have not been harmed by the male hormone DHT (Dihydrotestosterone). As these hairs are meant to grow in longer cycles, patients undergoing a hair transplant will not experience hair loss with transplanted hair. However, it is possible that transplanted hair can thin after some years. In this case, the blood circulation of each patient should be checked. In such cases we recommend the use of vitamins and Rogaine to keep the blood circulation high.
Successfully transplanted donor hair will achieve the same characteristics in length, caliber or color as before. Scalp hair tends to grow endlessly, which means it will match with pre-existing hair at the recipient-site with no comparable difference. With regards to a body hair transplant (BHT), this procedure is not definitively proven to fully achieve the same characteristics as scalp hair at the recipient site. Body hair has shown varying results on patients and will not be used for the receding hairline.
Unfortunately, only the patient’s own scalp hair can be used for a hair transplant. As for extensive baldness, patients with a Norwood 7 grade will not qualify for a hair transplant since there is not an adundance of hair supply available. Those with too-little donor supply may consider a body hair-transplant (BHT) as there may be sufficient beard or chest-hair available.
Unlike older methods for hair transplant, such as Strip Surgery, the state-of-the-art technique, FUE, allows for a minimally invasive hair restoration process. During the extraction process a manual punch (FUE-extractor) between 0.8 to 1.0 mm will be used to delicately remove the hair follicles from the donor area. HLC will investigate the patient´s donor site prior to the procedure, to allow a wider range of hair distribution and minimize the risk of any scarring. With FUE, no visible scars will be left behind. This method is currently the global gold standard for hair transplants worldwide.
We always work with the same team of doctors on every patient. During the consultation, we decide which doctors will be assigned to the patient.
We take into account various factors including the length of hair to be transplanted, the type of hair required, hair structure (is it curly ot straight?), the type of procedure required, along with patient skin characteristics. All our doctors are ISHRS and FUE Europe members, and are well trained, professional individuals with many years of experience in these procedures. Every patient can rest assured that they are treated by a doctor who can meet their individual requirements.
A hair transplant is a surgery, actually a hair transplant qualifies as an organ transplant! There are no guarantees in plastic surgery and hair transplant procedures. Avoid offers which give you 20 years warranty and other promises, as these are often substandard procedures. Use common sense, and don’t treat your hair transplant as you would if you were purchasing a TV or a car.
The Hairline Clinic has an excellent reputation in hair surgery. We always offer a free touch up if the growth rate at a site is not as we expected. The chance that you will need a touch up is less than 1%. However, if a touch up is required then the HLC will keep its promise.
Yes, you can take a family member or a friend with you. The extra charge is 30 Euros per night, including breakfast and lunch.
We carry out 2-3 treatments on a daily basis with our team of four surgeons. We work with the same surgeon team and no assistant will touch your head!
First of all, be aware that DHI is not a technique. Many clinics have started to promote DHI and Sapphire Hair Transplant. These are not new innovations, but are instead small changes made to the FUE procedure, in the aim to recruit more patients. As a patient, you want to consider other important elements, such as who carries out the treatment? How many grafts are transplanted daily? How are the grafts cooled?
You can read more about DHI Hair Transplant here: https://www.fue-hlc.com/dhi-hair-transplant/
At the HLC we offer a Hair Transplant Scheduling Deposit. This is an advanced deposit of 1,000 Euro or US-Dollar in order to schedule a date for your hair transplant procedure. This payment will be deducted from the total due balance.
Our refund policy for the initial deposit requires a minimum 20-day cancellation notice. The amount deposited is fully refundable (minus bank charges), if the notice is given at least 20 days prior to the scheduled hair transplant procedure.
The deposit is non-refundable if the cancellation notice is provided in less than 20 days prior to the scheduled hair transplant day. The non-refundable amounts could be transferred to a rescheduled hair transplant date.
We do not offer any monthly payment options. You have to pay the amount of the surgery on-site in cash or with credit card ( all major credit cards are accepted). A wire transfer is also possible. Before you have your surgery, please clarify what payment options you will be using.
