FUE hair transplant is a surgical procedure that can help you regrow hair in balding or thinning areas. FUE hair transplant is among the most innovative hair transplant techniques and it’s mainly known for achieving a natural appearance and allowing a quicker recovery.
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quick details
WHO IS THIS FOR
- FUE hair transplant is suitable for individuals with partial baldness due to male-pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia)
- Men and women with a receding hairline
- Individuals with traction alopecia
- FUE hair transplant can also be an option for people who had a head trauma and subsequently lost hair
RECOVERY TIME
- In the first 2 weeks after FUE hair transplant surgery, your scalp and forehead may be tender, red, or swollen. After 2 to 3 weeks redness and swelling should subside.
- Light routine activities can be resumed 2 days after FUE hair transplant surgery.
- You can go back to the office after 3 days
- You can work out again after 1 month
- You can swim and do steam baths after 1 month
- You can wear hats after 10 days, and hard hats after 4 weeks
TREATMENT DURATION
- FUE hair transplant can last from 4 to 8 hours, depending on how many grafts you need. If you’re having an FUE hair transplant abroad, you should plan to be away from home for a minimum of 2 nights.
SUCCESS
- 90 to 95% of FUE hair transplants are deemed successful. Full results are typically visible after 12 to 18 months.
POTENTIAL RISKS & SIDE EFFECTS
- Pain
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Swelling or redness of the scalp and/or forehead
ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS
Before And After Pictures (335)
HOW DOES FUE HAIR TRANSPLANT WORK?
FUE (Follicular Unit Excision) is an innovative, increasingly popular hair transplant procedure where a surgeon manually harvests individual hair follicles from your donor area and then grafts them into your recipient area. FUE hair transplant is performed under local anaesthesia. The donor area is usually the back and sides of your head or other parts of the body, like your beard or chest, if the donor hair on your scalp is not sufficient. FUE hair transplant is amongst the most popular techniques as it allows the scalp skin to fully recover leaving little to no scarring.
Hair follicles naturally grow in groupings of 1 to 4 hairs, known as follicular units or grafts. During an FUE hair transplant, the surgeon will harvest grafts from a donor area and insert them into the target sites, areas where hair is thinning or has been completely lost. The donor area contains hair that is resistant to the hormone that is thought to contribute to the miniaturisation and eventual loss of a hair, dihydrotestosterone (DHT). When this hair is transplanted from the donor area to the target site, it keeps that resistance to DHT and should remain permanently implanted. The number of grafts extracted in one session ranges from 500 up to 5000.
What does an FUE hair transplant surgery involve?
An FUE hair transplant surgery is carefully planned based on individual needs, preferences and clinics’ practices. However, there are a few main stages that apply to all hair transplant procedures.
Below is a step-by-step guide for FUE hair transplant surgery.
1. FUE hair transplant consultation
To find out if you are eligible for an FUE hair transplant, you can send us a few pictures of your head (from all angles: top, front, left, right, back). One of our hair transplant specialists will give you an initial assessment of the number of grafts required. You will be also asked questions regarding your overall health, including:
- If you have any medical conditions
- If you take any medication on a regular basis
- When your hair loss started
- If hair loss runs in your family
This will allow the doctor to understand the underlying causes of your hair loss and what procedure would best work for you. This initial assessment will also indicate a cost estimate for your FUE hair transplant. Our hair loss treatment option guide gives you insightful information on hair loss and what your options are to stop it.
The pictures needed for an estimation of grafts and a price quote.
2. Planning your visit to the clinic
Once you decide to go ahead with your FUE hair transplant procedure, we will schedule the operation on the date you prefer. Surgery typically starts in the morning or early afternoon, so it is recommended to fly the day before to take proper time to rest and run medical tests beforehand.
3. On-site consultation with FUE hair transplant surgeon
You will discuss with your surgeon what coverage you aim to achieve with your FUE hair transplant, also depending on the quality and amount of your donor area. Once you’ve decided, the doctor will draw a line that will mark the beginning of your new hairline.
4. Medical exams
At the clinic, you will have physical and blood tests done to make sure you are in good health to start FUE hair transplant surgery. General blood tests will also check for major infectious diseases to make sure you are healthy and sound to proceed with the treatment and to rule out any medical reasons that could be of any harm.
5. Preparation for surgery
Once tests and drawing of new hairline are done, you will receive local anesthesia for the donor area to be desensitized. During an FUE hair transplant, the donor area is usually shaved down (although there are surgeons who utilize the no-shave technique). If you are afraid of needles, don’t hesitate to let us know! We work with selected doctors who offer in needle-free anaesthesia (which usually comes with an additional charge).
6. FUE hair transplant procedure
Below a step-by-step breakdown of how an FUE hair transplant is performed:
a. Harvesting/extracting the grafts
Once the anaesthesia has taken effect, the surgeon will start surgery. Hair grafts are extracted manually one at the time and placed in a container with a storage solution that will maintain the grafts' vitality.
b. Making the incisions
After the extraction, the surgeon (or a team of expert technicians will use microblades and fine needles (between 0.6mm and 1.0mm in diameter) to create the incision sites that will receive the hair grafts. The incisions determine the direction of hair growth and will be angled in a consistent pattern for a natural look and density.
c. Implanting the grafts
Once the incisions are made, the hair grafts are inserted into the target sites.
The whole procedure can last 4 to 8 hours and is performed on the same day. During the procedure, many patients read, take a nap, or watch TV. You will also be given breaks during the procedure.
There are surgeons who offer Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment as a complementary procedure to FUE hair transplant surgery to promote hair growth and healing after the surgical procedure. PRP treatment is typically performed during the implantation or after the grafts are implanted.
7. Post-op check up
After your FUE hair transplant is done, your head will be covered in bandages and you will be given painkillers. If you’re staying abroad, you will spend the night in a nearby accommodation. The day after surgery, you will meet with the surgeon for a post-operative check up and will receive precise instructions to follow during your post-operative time.
What shall I expect from an FUE hair transplant?
Here’s a breakdown of what to expect from an FUE hair transplant, from right after surgery until one year later. For a more detailed overview of what to expect after an FUE hair transplant surgery, check our Post-op guide on hair transplant surgery!
Percentage of new hair regrowing over a year after a hair transplant surgery.
First 2 weeks
Your scalp and forehead may be tender, red, or swollen for the first 2 weeks after surgery, and you may notice pimples in the recipient area. All the scabs will fall off during the second week after your FUE hair transplant, many of them with hair. Don’t panic!
Week 2 - 8
During this time, 90% of your transplanted hair will fall off. This is a normal process, occurring in 95% of FUE hair transplant cases.
Some of the natural hair located next to the transplanted grafts may fall off as well. This phenomenon is known as “shock loss”. Shock loss is a natural, transient process.
The donor area will recover gradually as your hair grows back.
Month 2 - 6
Between the second and the fourth month there will be a stationary phase. Around 5% of new fine hair may begin to grow during this time.
Between the fourth and the fifth month after your FUE hair transplant, 20% to 25% of the transplanted hair will start to grow.
Month 6 - 12
Between the sixth and the ninth month, most transplanted hair will grow (around 75%). At the same time, hair gets denser and thicker.
After the ninth month an additional 20% - 25% of new hair will grow. In some cases, it may take up to 18 months for the hair in the crown area to fully regrow.
WHERE CAN I FIND A DOCTOR?
quno price
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price calculation
The cost of an FUE hair transplant varies depending on the number of grafts required and the location where the procedure is performed.
popular destinations
FUE Hair Transplant is offered in 15 countries
In Kuala Lumpur from € 1,110
In Szeged from € 1,690
In Cape Town from € 1,780
In Athens from € 2,000
In Dubai from € 2,830
In Manila from € 3,590
In Alexandria from € 5,450
In Chicago from € 5,450
In Dallas from € 5,450
In New York City from € 5,450
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Treated very well from start to finish, would certainly recommend the services you provide.
Treated very well from start to finish, would certainly recommend the services you provide. Very informative [Qunomedical] from start to finish.
Verified Patient
Garry M.,
United Kingdom
Everything went smoothly for my visit to Smile on the 15/01/20. You guys at Qunomedical have been awesome & i would recommend anyone travelling to Turkey for a transplant to arrange this through yourselves.
Everything went smoothly for my visit to Smile on the 15/01/20. Firstly, the driver taking me to/from the airport was prompt & on time, as were the transfers to & from the clinic. I was impressed with everything about my day at Smile, Dr Erdogan was very professional as were his technicians & admin staff & all happy to answer any questions i had. The procedure itself went well, the injections weren’t much fun however nowhere near as bad or painful as i had expected. If any, then the only slight criticism i had was that everything possibly felt a bit rushed as there were 6 other guys getting a transplant on the same day but this wasn’t a huge issue. The clinic itself was very clean & seemed very well set up. No problems with my hotel either, the Holiday Inn was perfect for my visit & all staff there were very helpful, the room was comfortable also. Hoping to be as pleased with my transplant results in 12-18 months time. You guys at Qunomedical have been awesome & i would recommend anyone travelling to Turkey for a transplant to arrange this through yourselves. Always checking in, keeping me informed & quick to respond to any queries was hugely appreciated & a big thanks to Allison for all her help! The ONLY thing i feel i should mention is that i had an issue on the day of my procedure when trying to pay by cash at Smile, as i from Glasgow they would not accept Scottish bank notes as tender? I feel you guys might want to make future clients from Scotland aware of this, if i hadn’t taken my credit card with me then id have had to go home without the operation & it would have been a costly waste of time. Apart from this thanks again for everything.
Es ist sehr unkompliziert und man wird sehr gut betreut.
Zuerst wurde ich vom Flughafen abgeholt und direkt zum Holyday Inn gefahren. Hotel und Verpflegung war super. Am nächsten Tag wurden wir zum Krankenhaus gefahren. Im Anschluss wird alles erklärt und danach gehts los. Das Personal ist sehr freundlich und man hat das Gefühl in guten Händen zu sein. Am nächsten Tag bekommt man eine Nachuntersuchung und wird zum Flughafen gefahren. Es ist sehr unkompliziert und man wird sehr gut betreut. Alles [Qunomedical] sehr gut.
Alles Super!
Rund um zufrieden !
Verified Patient
Jamie C.,
United Kingdom
The staff were great and at no point did I feel concerned as they were fully confident in their abilities and experience. Maria [Qunomedical] was my contact and she was very informative and knowledgable about what I needed and guided me perfectly to the right clinic for me.
I was picked up from the airport and shared a taxi with a guy from Canada who was going to same clinic. Nice safe drive across Istanbul. Received well by Holiday Inn, very nice room with tv, fridge, walk in shower. First consultation was very thorough to my group of 6 guys and nobody needed to ask any questions because it was detailed and reassuring. The staff were great and at no point did I feel concerned as they were fully confident in their abilities and experience. The clinic is immaculate and if you needed anything they'd oblige. There is a toilet in each surgery room so if you need to refresh at any point it was no hassle and discreet. The final check up the next day was again thorough and they give you all the after care package that you need and a very useful brochure which takes you through pretty much everything you need to do day-by-day from that point onwards. Very slick, very commendable operation at every level. Maria [Qunomedical] was my contact and she was very informative and knowledgable about what I needed and guided me perfectly to the right clinic for me. I am now going to look at other treatments that Qunomedical can organise for me.
Verified Patient
Dylan,
United Kingdom
All in all, my experience was excellent, I'd do it again if I needed to and Mark T. of Qunomedical was extremely helpful, informative and was always there to help.
I arrived in Istanbul New Airport in the evening time and I was told to meet my driver at a specific place. He was not there unfortunately but arrived after about 30 mins (I was not early, I was in fact a bit late coming out myself). Got the hotel (Holiday Inn) which was really nice, staff were great and really friendly and all had very good English. Treatment was the next day, I went for FUE in Smile Hair Clinic. When I arrived, it was easy to tell that it was extremely well organised. Dr Erdogan drew my hairline, when I agreed I was happy, the tech's started extraction, Dr Bilgin opened the channels at no extra cost and I was given a break, then the implantation phase started. Left my hotel a 8am, was back for before 5pm as I expected. Communication between the clinic and myself was very efficient and my point of contact in the clinic was Fatima, she spoke multiple languages fluently and was very informative whenever she contacted me. *Note: Dr Bilgin asked during the channel opening phase about my transfer the night previous and I told him I was waiting about 30 mins and he advised me that the reason he asked is because they're trialling a new private car company and wanted feedback so I cannot hold that against the clinic*. Back to the room, got room service (free of charge) as I was a bit tired and weak from the anaesthesia. Next day I was back to myself again, went shopping in the large shopping centre across from smile hair clinic and relaxed for the rest of the night. Back to the clinic next morning for my first wash. I would advise to anyone looking to book a HT to stay an extra day for this process. It's very informative and shows you exactly how much pressure you can use on the recipient area. All in all, my experience was excellent, I'd do it again if I needed to and Mark T. of Qunomedical was extremely helpful, informative and was always there to help. He even worked a bit later than he was scheduled to one evening to accommodate a phone call to me as I was also working myself and couldn't take a call earlier. Looking forward to seeing results and I'll know of I'm truly happy then, but from the time I went about booking it to now (5 days post op),
I'm very happy with how it all went. Qunomedical: 5 Stars Smile Hair Clinic: 5 Stars Keep doing what you're doing, 100% satisfied, top class service!!
Verified Patient
Ivar M.,
Netherlands
Everything went very smoothly.
Everything went very smoothly. Very good communication and feedback.
Happy with overall experience. Delivery of the service has been done in a professional manner. Can't comment on the 'result' of the service until I see my hair growing.
Happy with overall experience. Delivery of the service has been done in a professional manner. Can't comment on the 'result' of the service until I see my hair growing. Friendly staff... despite poor english of some of the personnel they still engaged into conversations and made jokes together. Procedure itself run for about 9 hours and 30 minutes, it proved to be a complete drainer for myself, but their professionalism didn't run out, they paid undivided attention until the very last minute. I decided to get the procedure done together with a friend of mine. Unfortunately, he was the one dealing directly with you. I think you guys [Qunomedical] are hands-on.
Behandlung im Krankenhaus perfekt ich konnte nichts schlechtes sagen jeder in der Klinik hatt sich sehr bemüht um mich , sehr sauber.
Hallo, wurde abgeholt perfekt, Behandlung im Krankenhaus perfekt ich konnte nichts schlechtes sagen jeder in der Klinik hatt sich sehr bemüht um mich , sehr sauber. Auch wurde auf meine Wünsche vor während eingegangen. Mit besten Dank an alle
Verified Patient
Geoff,
United Kingdom
The hotel was excellent and the staff were all very friendly, the procedure was expertly done and I felt in safe hands at all times.
There was some confusion at the airport as drivers are no longer allowed to hold up signs. I wasn’t updated and could not find driver for quite a while, I called and spoke to the driver who said he would meet me outside Burger King at the arrivals gate, whilst I was waiting another driver then approached me and took me outside, although thankfully the correct representative called me before I got in a car with this stranger. The guy who did meet me was so lovely and really apologetic. We had to wait a further 20 mins for transport and I didn’t get to bed until 3am and only slept for an hour. The hotel was excellent and the staff were all very friendly, the procedure was expertly done and I felt in safe hands at all times. The medical staff were clearly tired and my only worry was for their well being, having to work full days without being permitted to take a lunch break. Overall I felt the experience was good value for money and am pleased so far with the results. Very positive, would perhaps provide shampoo and Panthenol in travel sized containers for carry on luggage as a standard option. Neck pillow needs a cover as makes your neck very sweaty. Lunch could have been better quality. All small things as the main experience was very positive and the doctors / team were all excellent.