A hair transplant moves your own follicles from the back of the scalp to thinning areas, under local anaesthesia. It suits men and women with stable pattern hair loss and a healthy donor area. Plan a 3-day trip; most people return to desk work within a week.
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A hair transplant relocates follicles from the donor zone at the back and sides of the scalp, where hair resists loss, to thinned areas. Because follicles keep the traits of where they came from, transplanted hair usually keeps growing. At Vivid Clinic, one patient coordinator arranges the whole trip, from transfers and hotel to aftercare.
| Procedure time | Typically 6–8 hours, depending on graft number and technique |
|---|---|
| Anaesthesia | Local anaesthesia, with light sedation if your doctor recommends it |
| Hospital stay | None — you return to your hotel the same evening |
| Recommended stay in Istanbul | 3 days (arrival, surgery, check-up and first wash) |
| Back to desk work | Usually 5–7 days; visible redness and crusts for about 10–14 days |
| Exercise | Light walking straight away; gym after about 2 weeks; contact sports and swimming after about 4 weeks |
| Shedding | Weeks 2–8 (a normal “shock loss” phase) |
| New growth | From months 3–4 |
| Final result | 12–18 months |
| Results last | Transplanted follicles usually keep growing long term; native hair may continue to thin |
| Stitches | None — FUE and DHI leave tiny round marks that heal within days |
Results from Vivid Clinic patients, shared with consent. Individual results vary. 6 cases shown; each caption states what the photos show and what is not recorded.
Before: Extensively receded hairline (Norwood-type recession). After: Lowered, denser hairline.
Vivid Clinic patient, shared with consent. Individual results vary; this is one case, not a promise of your outcome.
Before: Receded hairline and thin frontal zone. After: Denser, lowered hairline.
Vivid Clinic patient, shared with consent. Individual results vary; this is one case, not a promise of your outcome.
Before: Receded temples and thin frontal hair. After: Fuller frontal hairline.
Vivid Clinic patient, shared with consent. Individual results vary; this is one case, not a promise of your outcome.
Before: Receded hairline with pre-op hairline marking. After: Restored hairline and frontal density.
Vivid Clinic patient, shared with consent. Individual results vary; this is one case, not a promise of your outcome.
Before: Extensive baldness. After: Full, grey-toned coverage.
Vivid Clinic patient, shared with consent. Individual results vary; this is one case, not a promise of your outcome.
Before: Advanced frontal and crown thinning. After: Dense curly coverage over the frontal and crown zones.
Vivid Clinic patient, shared with consent. Individual results vary; this is one case, not a promise of your outcome.
Photos are unedited clinic composites; before and after photos may differ in lighting, clothing and pose. Consent is on file at the clinic.
Your doctor may first discuss medical options such as finasteride or minoxidil, and plan surgery once the pattern settles. The NHS overview of hair transplants gives an independent summary of suitability.
All three methods start the same way, with grafts extracted one by one from the donor area. They differ in how the grafts go in.
The surgeon opens tiny recipient channels first, then places the grafts with fine forceps. It is efficient for wide areas such as the mid-scalp and crown.
The same FUE process, but channels are opened with sapphire-tipped blades. Their fine, smooth edge allows small, precise channels, which many surgeons prefer for dense packing.
Each graft is loaded into a pen-like implanter and placed directly, creating the channel and inserting the graft in one movement.
Your doctor may combine methods, for example sapphire FUE on the crown and DHI along the hairline. Read more on our FUE hair transplant page, DHI hair transplant page and sapphire FUE guide. Women and beards need different planning: see our female hair transplant page and beard transplant page.
You stay awake under local anaesthesia and can watch a film or rest. Surgery usually runs for most of the day, with breaks for lunch.
Hairline and zones drawn with you, to suit your age and face.
Donor area, and usually recipient area, trimmed short unless unshaven DHI.
The scalp is numbed with local anaesthesia.
Grafts harvested one by one and sorted under magnification.
Placed by FUE, sapphire FUE or DHI, following natural hair direction.
Donor area dressed; medication and aftercare kit provided.
Day 1
Your patient coordinator meets you at the airport and a VIP transfer takes you to your hotel. You receive a timetable and a direct number for your coordinator.
Day 2
You meet the doctor, agree the hairline and graft plan, and have routine blood tests. An interpreter or coordinator is available, and you return to your hotel the same evening.
Day 3
The team checks both areas, removes the dressing and performs the first gentle wash, showing you how to repeat it. Most patients fly home the same afternoon or evening.
Clear photos from the front, top, sides and back let the medical team suggest a technique and estimate your graft range. You receive a personalised 3-day plan. Free, no obligation.
Transplanted hairs shed in the first weeks, and this is expected. New growth starts around months 3–4, and the final result takes 12–18 months.
Transplanted follicles come from a zone resistant to pattern hair loss, so they usually keep growing long term. Native hair around them can continue to thin with age, so your doctor may discuss medication and plans the hairline for future loss.
Results depend on donor quality, hair characteristics and aftercare, so no clinic can promise a specific density. Our hair transplant aftercare guide explains each day, and our before and after gallery shows examples.
Hair transplant pricing in Turkey is often more affordable than in the UK, US or Western Europe. A responsible quote is given only after the medical team has seen your photos, and the assessment is free.
Typically covers:
Your price depends on
Compare your hairline and crown with the chart, then choose the closest Norwood stage. Ranges are general guidance only; the medical team confirms your number after reviewing photos.
Tap the head that looks most like yours, or choose your Norwood stage below.
The specialists who work on DHI and FUE cases, currently at Avrasya Hospital in Istanbul.
Hair Transplant Specialist
Hair Transplant Specialist
Hair Transplant Specialist
Hair transplantation is generally well tolerated, but it is still surgery.
The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery publishes independent patient information on these risks. Meet the wider medical team on our doctors page.
Three days is usually enough. Day 1 is arrival and hotel check-in, Day 2 is consultation, blood tests and surgery, and Day 3 is the check-up and first wash. Most patients fly home on Day 3, and the 24/7 support line and online follow-ups stay available afterwards. If you would like a longer rest before travelling, your coordinator can add hotel nights to your plan.
Many people at Norwood 4 fall somewhere around 2,500–3,500 grafts. The real figure depends on donor density, hair calibre and how dense you want the front and crown. Send clear photos from the front, top, sides and back. The Vivid Clinic medical team then gives you a personal estimate before you travel. Your number is then confirmed in person before surgery.
The choice depends on the area and your priorities. FUE or sapphire FUE suits large sessions and the crown, while DHI gives fine control for hairlines and allows partial-shaven or unshaven options. Many plans combine both, for example sapphire FUE on the crown and DHI along the hairline. Your doctor recommends a technique after examining your scalp, rather than applying one method to everyone.
The Vivid Clinic package typically includes consultation, hairline design, blood tests, the procedure, medication and an aftercare kit. It also covers the first wash, hotel accommodation, VIP transfers and coordinator or interpreter support. The exact inclusions and hotel nights are confirmed in writing before you book, so you know what is covered and what is not. The photo assessment is free, with no obligation.
Most people return to desk work five to seven days after surgery, once swelling settles. Redness and small crusts can remain visible for about 10–14 days, so some patients plan two weeks off if appearance matters for their job. Physical or dusty work may need a longer break; your doctor will advise you individually. The gym usually waits about two weeks, and swimming about four.
Yes, when the pattern and donor area are suitable. Women often need a diagnosis of the cause of thinning first, because problems such as thyroid disease, low iron or alopecia areata are treated differently. Many women are suited to unshaven techniques such as DHI. Our female hair transplant page explains the planning in more detail, and the medical team reviews your photos before recommending surgery.
Transplanted hairs usually shed between weeks 2 and 8, which is expected; the follicles stay in place. New, fine hairs start to appear around months 3–4, and density improves noticeably by months 6–9. The final result takes 12–18 months, and the crown often matures last. Online follow-ups at key milestones let the medical team track your progress after you return home.
Send a few clear photos of your hair from the front, top, sides and back. It is free and there is no obligation.
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Vivid Clinic plans FUE, DHI, female and beard transplants in Istanbul. Your own follicles move from the back of the scalp to thinning areas under local anaesthesia. Most trips take 3 days, and most people return to desk work within a week.
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Editorially reviewed by the Vivid Clinic Surgical Board · Last reviewed September 2026
Choose what matters most to you, and we highlight the pages that fit.
Showing all 5 procedures
Your own follicles moved from the back of the scalp to thinning areas, with FUE, DHI or sapphire FUE in a 3-day trip.
Follicles taken one at a time and placed into tiny channels. Classic or sapphire FUE, with no linear scar.
Each graft placed with a Choi implanter pen for hairlines and density, with partial-shaven or unshaven options.
Diagnosis first, then follicles moved to a thinning parting, temples or hairline, often without shaving.
Single follicles, usually from the back of the scalp, placed into a patchy beard, moustache or sideburns.
Vivid Clinic is a hair transplant clinic Istanbul patients can plan with from home. You send photos, our medical team reviews your hair-loss pattern and donor area, and you receive a suggested technique and graft range. Most trips take 3 days, with no hospital stay.
The main options are FUE hair transplant and DHI hair transplant. With FUE, follicles are extracted one at a time and placed into tiny channels. With DHI, each graft is placed with a Choi implanter pen. FUE, including sapphire FUE, suits large areas and the crown. DHI suits hairlines, temples and density between existing hair, often without shaving your head.
Neither technique is automatically better. The right choice depends on your donor area, hair-loss pattern, scalp and density goals, and many plans combine both. For women, a female hair transplant starts with a diagnosis of the cause, because only stable, localised thinning suits surgery. A beard transplant uses the same extraction method with smaller grafts and flatter angles.
Results build slowly. New growth usually starts around months 3–4, and the final result takes 12–18 months for the scalp. Read how the whole trip works in our hair transplant Istanbul guide.
Typical timings for each option, taken from its own page.
| Procedure | Procedure time | Anaesthesia | Stay in Istanbul | Back to desk work | Final result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hair Transplant Istanbul | 6–8 h | Local, light sedation if advised | 3 days | 5–7 days | 12–18 months |
| FUE Hair Transplant | 6–8 h | Local, light sedation if advised | 3 days | 5–7 days | 12–18 months |
| DHI Hair Transplant | 6–9 h | Local, light sedation if advised | 3 days (unshaven may need 1 more) | 5–7 days | 12–18 months |
| Female Hair Transplant | 5–8 h | Local, light sedation if advised | 3 days | 3–7 days | 12–18 months |
| Beard Transplant | 4–7 h | Local | 3 days | 5–7 days | 9–12 months |
Typical ranges from each procedure page; your doctor confirms your plan.
A quick guide to what each technique suits.
DHI is the precision choice for hairlines, temples and density between existing hair. It usually suits Norwood stages 2–4 with a healthy donor area.
FUE or sapphire FUE opens the channels first and can move more grafts in a day. Many larger plans combine FUE for the crown with DHI at the front.
Unshaven or partial-shaven DHI keeps your length. It suits smaller areas, and an unshaven session can need one extra day in Istanbul.
A female hair transplant can help when thinning is diagnosed, stable and localised. Diffuse thinning that also affects the donor area usually needs medical treatment instead.
A beard transplant places single hairs at a very flat angle. If you also want scalp work, your doctor balances the donor supply between the two.
Results from Vivid Clinic patients, shared with consent. Individual results vary. 6 cases shown; each caption states what the photos show and what is not recorded.
Before: Extensively receded hairline (Norwood-type recession). After: Lowered, denser hairline.
Vivid Clinic patient, shared with consent. Individual results vary; this is one case, not a promise of your outcome.
Before: Receded hairline and thin frontal zone. After: Denser, lowered hairline.
Vivid Clinic patient, shared with consent. Individual results vary; this is one case, not a promise of your outcome.
Before: Receded temples and thin frontal hair. After: Fuller frontal hairline.
Vivid Clinic patient, shared with consent. Individual results vary; this is one case, not a promise of your outcome.
Before: Receded hairline with pre-op hairline marking. After: Restored hairline and frontal density.
Vivid Clinic patient, shared with consent. Individual results vary; this is one case, not a promise of your outcome.
Before: Extensive baldness. After: Full, grey-toned coverage.
Vivid Clinic patient, shared with consent. Individual results vary; this is one case, not a promise of your outcome.
Before: Advanced frontal and crown thinning. After: Dense curly coverage over the frontal and crown zones.
Vivid Clinic patient, shared with consent. Individual results vary; this is one case, not a promise of your outcome.
Photos are unedited clinic composites; before and after photos may differ in lighting, clothing and pose. Consent is on file at the clinic.
Most hair transplant trips take 3 days, fully coordinated.
Send clear photos of your hairline, top, crown and donor area. Our medical team replies within 24 hours, free and with no obligation.
You receive a suggested technique, shaving option and graft range, then a personal quote and 3-day plan.
Your patient coordinator meets you at Istanbul airport, and a VIP transfer takes you to your hotel with your schedule.
Meet the doctor, agree your hairline and graft plan, and have routine blood tests. An interpreter or coordinator stays with you.
The procedure takes most of the day under local anaesthesia. There are no stitches, and you return to your hotel that evening.
The team checks the grafts and carries out the first wash. Most patients fly home the same day, with a 24/7 aftercare line.
Your written quote lists exactly what is included. We do not publish prices before a medical review.
The hair transplant specialists on the Vivid Clinic team, currently at Avrasya Hospital in Istanbul.
Hair Transplant Specialist
Hair Transplant Specialist
Hair Transplant Specialist
Both extract grafts one at a time from the donor area. FUE opens channels first and suits large areas and the crown, usually with a full shave. DHI places each graft with a Choi pen and suits hairlines, temples and density between existing hair, with unshaven options. Recovery is similar. Many plans combine both, and your doctor recommends a technique after reviewing your photos.
Ask who plans and supervises your procedure, and where it takes place. Check what the package includes, such as blood tests, medication, the first wash, hotel and transfers. A careful team diagnoses the cause of hair loss first and gives an honest graft estimate. It should also explain aftercare once you are home. Our free review answers these questions before you travel.
Plan 3 days for most hair transplants. Day 1 is arrival and hotel check-in. Day 2 is the consultation, blood tests and procedure, and you return to your hotel that evening. On day 3 the team checks the grafts and carries out the first wash, and most patients fly home the same day. An unshaven DHI session can need one extra day.
Sometimes, yes. Both use grafts from the back of the scalp, so the deciding factor is your donor supply. Beard work usually needs fewer, smaller grafts placed at a flatter angle. If you want both, your doctor balances the grafts between the two areas and tells you whether one trip is realistic. See our beard transplant page for timings.
It can be, when the cause of thinning is diagnosed and the loss is stable and localised. Good examples are a widening parting, temple recession, a high hairline or stable traction alopecia. Diffuse thinning that also affects the donor area usually is not suitable. Blood tests come first, and many women keep their length. See our female hair transplant page.
Age matters less than how stable your hair loss is. If you are in your early twenties and still losing hair quickly, it is often better to wait. The cause of thinning should be diagnosed first, for example thyroid problems, low iron or alopecia areata. Your doctor may also discuss finasteride or minoxidil to protect your existing hair.
Redness and crusts usually clear within 10–14 days. Shedding of the transplanted hairs between weeks 2 and 8 is normal. New growth starts around months 3–4, and density improves by months 6–9. The final scalp result takes 12–18 months, and the crown often matures last. Beard transplants usually settle sooner, at around 9–12 months. Transplanted follicles usually keep growing long term.
Send clear photos of your hairline, top, crown and donor area through the form or WhatsApp. Our medical team replies within 24 hours with a suggested technique, shaving option and graft range. You then receive a personal quote and a 3-day plan. The review is free, and there is no obligation to book. If surgery is not the right step yet, we tell you.
Send a few clear photos of your hairline, top, crown and donor area. It is free and there is no obligation.
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