Hair Transplant Center

At Acıbadem Hair Transplant Center, our experienced and specialized medical staff can provide the perfect solution for hair transplant treatments in an environment that provides the utmost care for the health and well-being of our patients.

What is a hair transplant?

Hair loss can be a stressful experience for anyone, regardless of age and gender; however, it is especially common among men. This is why hair transplants are considered one of the most life-changing treatments in cosmetic surgery for people who are losing or have lost their hair due to pattern hair loss or other reasons.

Hair transplant operations have always been popular among celebrities, and stories of celebrity hair transplant treatments, such as that of Elon Musk or Wayne Rooney, have been featured in the daily news. Thanks to several developments in medical technologies used in the field in recent years, hair transplants have quickly become a popular solution for many people, as it is now more accessible than ever with quick recovery times and a less painful process than before.

There are essentially three different procedures in the advancing field of hair transplant surgery; however, at its core, hair transplantation can be defined as transferring healthy hair follicles from certain parts of the head to the parts that have thin or no hair. Being a permanent solution, this treatment has a relatively quick and easy recovery, although the recovery time may vary according to the method used. For those that feel psychologically affected by hair loss, there should be no reason not to get medical treatment at Acıbadem Hair Transplant Center, where we use cutting-edge technology to remove the negative effects of hair loss.

Hair transplant procedures in Turkey

With its easily accessible geographical location, gorgeous historical places and landscapes, and vast array of options for accommodation, from luxurious to budget-friendly places, Turkey is already a big player that has proven its leading status in tourism and health tourism. Because Turkey hosts advanced medical centers and experts in hair transplantation, it has become one of the most popular choices for hair transplant surgeries over the years. Because the cost of a hair transplant in Turkey is much lower than in the UK, US, and Europe, hair transplant options in Turkey have gained popularity.

How much is a hair transplant? There is, of course, no set price for hair transplant operations anywhere in the world. However, an estimated price in the UK for such an operation ranges from £5,000 to £15,000, whereas in the US it can be anywhere between $4,000 and $20,000. The same operation in Turkey costs much less, even including accommodation in deluxe hotels, transportation, interpreter fees, and postoperative care. In addition, patients can stay in Turkey after healing from the operation and enjoy the marvelous cities and landscapes at reasonable prices.

Why choose Acıbadem Hair Transplant Center?

Turkey’s popularity with hair transplant patients around the world has caused some negative effects. In recent years, hair transplant clinics have been established all around the country. Due to inconsistent pricing, so-called unprofessional “experts,” and a lack of reviews from patients who have visited these clinics, finding a trustworthy and professional hair transplant treatment clinic with experienced surgeons and a hygienic environment that guarantees your well-being has become a confusing and difficult process. With professional medical staff and surgeons who have specialized in the field of cosmetic surgery and hair transplantation, at Acıbadem Hair Transplant Center, we offer medically proven hair transplant methods. Thirty years of experience and a nationwide web of connected healthcare services, comprising 21 hospitals and 13 medical centers, with more than 3,500 doctors and 4,500 nurses, make Acıbadem a prestigious and established household name in hair transplantation, not only in Turkey but also in Bulgaria, Macedonia, and the Netherlands, with hospitals providing various healthcare services.

When receiving treatment like hair transplantation, every patient has the right to be assured that the treatment will result in the best possible outcome. With this principle in mind, at Acıbadem Hair Transplant Center, we provide the best hair transplantation options for you, with state-of-the-art medical technologies and expert surgeons to ensure that your medical trip to Turkey will be a positive memory.

Hair transplant methods

Hair transplant technology has come a long way in a relatively short time. In the earliest days of hair transplant operations, before the 1940s, hair transplant surgery techniques were extremely limited, and expertise in the area did not exist in any shape or form when compared with today’s standards. In 1939, a Japanese dermatologist named Shoji Okuda described the first hair transplant experiments in the modern medical world. Although not much is known about the procedure, he used a very similar technique to the follicular unit extraction (FUE) hair transplant. Okuda extracted hair follicles using small, circular cuts and planted them in the balding area of his patient’s head. The operation was a success, according to his statements.

The next notable development in the hair transplantation field happened in the early 1950s. Another skilled dermatologist named Norman Orentreich, regarded as the father of modern hair transplantation, started conducting experiments in the field. He tried to move groups of hair follicles. He also discovered that moved follicles could grow hair in unhealthy or bald sections. As his method involved groups of follicles plucked with each punch, the results were not as natural-looking as one would desire. In the following decades, experts around the world came up with new methods to achieve better results by making the punches on the scalp smaller and smaller. In today’s technology, three techniques have become popular among surgeons. These methods are FUE, follicular unit transplantation (FUT), and direct hair implantation (DHI).

Follicular unit extraction

FUE is one of the latest advancements in hair transplant techniques. Building upon the first findings of Shoji Okuda, this technique of removing follicular units individually using needles and dermal punches was first attempted in 1989. However, it still needed time to be streamlined in order to reach its current popularity. In the following decades, the punches and blades used in this technique became smaller and smaller. Because the FUE method provides specialized surgeons with precise decision-making ability and the result looks natural, this method is the most popular of the three foremost techniques in the hair transplant field.

There are three different types of FUE hair transplants.

Sapphire follicular unit extraction

In Sapphire FUE operations, instead of steel needles, sapphire blades are used to pluck grafts and follicles. When compared with steel needles, these sapphire blades allow for more precise cutting abilities during the operation and shorter recovery times for patients (approximately one week).

microFUE

The microFUE method is the most precise of all FUE techniques. Thin needles, with a diameter of 0.6–0.8 mm, attached to a micro motor are used in the microFUE technique. The operation is shorter than the other techniques thanks to the micro motor used in this method.

Long hair follicular unit extraction

The long hair FUE technique is preferred for patients who do not want to shave their heads completely before the procedure. After allowing hair to grow on the back and sides of the head, a rectangular patch of hair from the back of the scalp is shaved, and hair follicular units are removed from this section and transferred to the desired parts of the scalp. This rectangular section can be concealed by combing the longer hair down until it is fully healed.

Follicular unit transplantation

The FUT hair transplant is an older technique than the FUE and DHI techniques. Therefore, the FUE and DHI techniques are now used more often, and the FUT technique is no longer preferred by or utilized in experienced and technologically advanced hair transplant centers. The difference between an FUE and FUT is that follicle units are removed and transferred in groups in the FUT technique instead of one by one. This makes the FUT technique most suitable for cases in which a big portion of hair needs to be transplanted. In these cases, it yields better results than individual follicle transfer. However, there are some drawbacks, such as a longer and more painful recovery period. Moreover, the operation leaves a scar (a horizontal strip) at the back of the scalp, though this is easy to conceal by growing the hair.

Direct hair implantation

DHI is the most recent method in the hair transplant field. It is similar to the FUE method, where hair follicles are plucked and planted one by one. The differentiating factor is the tool used in the DHI method. While conducting an FUE operation, the surgeon needs to open small holes to plant the follicles in the balding part of the scalp using a different tool to the one used to remove the follicle. However, the DHI method combines the removal and planting of the hair follicles into one process with a specialized, pen-like tool, thereby decreasing the duration of the operation significantly.

Stages of the hair transplant journey

After safely arriving in Turkey and checking into their hotel, the patient can visit the Acıbadem Hair Transplant Center for the required tests, preliminary examination, and detailed analysis to decide on the best hair transplant method. This process also includes determining how many grafts will be used. At this stage, the patient can ask any questions that come to mind and consult with our medical experts to get the best experience and result out of their surgery.

Following the final blood tests and preparations for the operation, the patient will be taken to the operating room. After a local anesthetic is applied to the scalp, the surgeon will perform the operation using the hair transplant technique that was found to be the most suitable for the patient by the experts during the preoperative phase. After the operation, the patient will be discharged from the hospital on the same day. At Acıbadem Hair Transplant Center, our experienced medical staff will provide the patient with the postoperative care they need and pay the utmost attention to their well-being. If necessary, extra appointments can be arranged to check the patient’s healing progress over the days following the procedure. Regardless of the technique used, the patient will be able to go back to their everyday life in less than a week, and they will be almost completely healed within a month.

FAQ

Is hair transplantation permanent?

The donor area selected for the transplant operation contains the sturdiest hair follicles. For this reason, the patient will not lose the hair on the part of their head where the hair transplant operation was conducted. The transplanted hair will be permanent in almost every case.

Which hair transplant method is suitable for me?

It is not possible to decide on the hair transplant method without conducting the necessary tests and preliminary examinations. The leading medical experts in the hair transplant field will be able to determine the most suitable technique for each patient during their preoperative appointment at Acıbadem Hair Transplant Center.

Do you need anesthesia for a hair transplant?

Yes, local anesthesia will be applied to the patient’s scalp by an anesthetist before the operation. The patient will be fully awake, but they will not feel anything on their scalp during or after the surgery for a certain period.

Should I shave my head before my hair transplant?

In most cases, yes. However, the patient does not need to do anything before they arrive at the clinic because their head will be shaved before the surgery if necessary.

Does the hair grow back in the donor area?

Technically, as the hair follicles are removed from the donor area, they will not grow back. However, thanks to the advanced technique of choosing individual hair grafts in the FUE and DHI methods, it is impossible to see the absence of hair in the donor areas once the patient is fully healed. Please keep in mind that the same does not apply to the FUT hair transplant.