Hair Transplantation from A to Z: From First Consultation to Result

Hair Transplantation from A to Z: From First Consultation to Result

Hair transplantation is not just an aesthetic operation that solves the problem of baldness; it is a comprehensive process spanning about a year that rebuilds a person’s self-confidence and social life. For many patients, this process may seem like a complex journey full of unknowns. However, with the right information and expert guidance, this journey transforms into one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. As the Görkem Kazan Hair Transplant clinic, we explain step-by-step all the stages that will pass from the moment you decide to have a hair transplant until that final moment when you comb your new hair in the mirror, with our “A to Z Hair Transplant Guide.”

This guide covers not only the surgical part of the process but also the preparation, operation day, recovery period, and long-term care stages, ensuring you know exactly what to expect.

Phase 1: Consultation, Analysis, and Planning (Laying the Foundation)

The foundation of a successful hair transplant is laid not in the operating room, but during the first examination. This stage includes:

• Personalized Hair Analysis: Our experts analyze your shedding type, hair strand quality, and most importantly, the capacity of your donor area (nape). Whether your hair loss has stabilized and your suitability for transplantation become clear at this stage.
• Hairline Design: A completely natural frontal hairline is designed in accordance with your facial features, age, and the golden ratio rules. This is the artistic signature of the operation.
• Technique Selection: Depending on your needs, it is decided whether FUE or DHI techniques are more suitable, and the number of grafts (follicles) is determined.

Phase 2: Operation Day (The Transformation Begins)

The operation day is a comfortable process, usually lasting 6-8 hours, performed under local anesthesia. It consists of 3 basic steps:

1. Local Anesthesia and Graft Harvesting: The procedure is painless. The donor area is numbed, and healthy hair follicles are harvested one by one with the help of micro-motors. The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) emphasizes that harvesting grafts without damage is critical for the density of the result.
2. Channel Opening (For FUE): Micro-channels where the harvested follicles will be placed are opened at angles appropriate to the natural hair direction. (In the DHI technique, this stage is combined with implantation).
3. Implantation: Grafts are placed one by one with great precision into the opened channels or directly into the skin with the DHI pen.

Phase 3: Initial Recovery Period (First 15 Days)

The first two weeks after the operation are the most critical time for the transplanted follicles to take hold.

• First 3 Days: You need to rest at home and protect your head from impacts. Slight edema (swelling) may be seen.
• First Wash: It is usually done at the clinic on the 3rd day, and you are taught how to wash your hair.
• Scab Shedding: With gentle washes performed until the 10th day, the scabs in the transplanted area completely fall off, leaving your short, transplanted hair behind.

Phase 4: Shock Loss (A Challenging But Temporary Process)

Between the 2nd week and the 2nd month after the operation, a period occurs where the transplanted hair suddenly falls out. This is called “Shock Loss.” This is the phase patients worry about the most, but it is completely normal. The roots remain alive under the skin; they just shed the hair shaft and enter the resting phase.

Phase 5: Rebirth and Results (Month 3 – Month 12)

This is the period when you start to reap the fruits of your patience.

• Months 3-4: Shock loss ends, and the first permanent hairs begin to grow. These hairs may be thin and weak at first.
• Month 6: About 50-60% of the hair has grown. The hair thickens and takes form. A visible change begins.
• Month 12 (Final Result): Almost all of the hair has grown, thickened, and taken its natural form. In crown (vertex) transplants, this process may take up to 18 months. Data from the National Library of Medicine (NCBI) indicates that waiting 1 year is necessary to fully evaluate the final result.

Recommendations for the Success of the Process

Hair transplantation is a whole from A to Z. Even the best surgeon can fail if the patient does not follow post-operative rules (smoking, receiving impacts, etc.). Staying in constant communication with your clinic during this process, receiving supportive treatments (PRP, Mesotherapy), and being patient are the keys to achieving the hair of your dreams.

As Görkem Kazan Hair Transplant, we are with you at all these stages from A to Z. We walk this journey together, not just on the operation day, but until your hair grows out and you smile in the mirror. You can contact us to start your hair transplant process and take the first step.