Female Hair Transplant in Turkey

In women, hair restoration carried out via the unshaven DHI method consists of relocating robust hair follicles from the donor site to areas of hair loss or sparse coverage. To begin with, we believe it would be useful to present a concise overview of female hair transplantation and its phases in tabular form.

In this article, prepared by Dr. Hakan Doğanay, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about hair transplantation in women. Before we get into the details, though, it’s worth taking a brief look at the factors that cause hair loss in women.

Causes of Hair Loss in Women

Hair loss is a common issue among women, just as it is among men. However, the underlying causes in women are quite different from those in men. Therefore, before deciding on a hair transplant, it’s helpful to understand what triggers hair loss in female patients.

• Genetic Predisposition: Women with a family history of hair loss among first-degree relatives, such as parents.
• Hormonal Factors: Thyroid disorders, pregnancy, menopause, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
• Stress and Trauma
• Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies: Iron deficiency is the most common cause of hair loss in women. Other contributing factors include biotin and vitamin B12 deficiencies, poor nutrition, and weight loss.
• Other Causes: Autoimmune diseases, chemotherapy, and certain medications.

Classifying Female Hair Loss

When evaluating women with androgenic alopecia for their suitability for hair transplantation, the Ludwig classification serves as a useful guide. According to this system, female pattern hair loss is examined in three stages.

• Type 1: Mild but diffuse hair loss. No recession or thinning along the frontal hairline.
• Type 2: Moderate hair loss. The frontal hairline remains intact. Thinning begins at the crown and extends toward the mid-scalp. The part line becomes noticeably wider, and a reduction in hair shaft thickness is observed, making the scalp more visible.
• Type 3: Advanced hair thinning and sparse coverage, accompanied by a disrupted frontal hairline. Hair loss is at an advanced stage, and the donor area also shows significant thinning and reduced density.

Is Hair Transplantation Performed on Women?

In men, the vast majority of hair loss cases are due to androgenic alopecia, which means that those with a strong donor area have a high likelihood of achieving successful results with a hair transplant. However, because the causes of hair loss in women are much more varied, unfortunately not every woman is a suitable candidate for the procedure. The most critical factor in determining suitability is the number and quality of hairs in the donor area. With that in mind, we can group the cases where women are considered suitable for hair transplantation into four main categories.

• Women with a naturally high or broad frontal hairline: These women have a strong donor area with no signs of hair loss. Their high hairline is either congenital or hereditary. This forehead prominence is a source of dissatisfaction for many women.
• Traumatic causes: Hair transplantation performed over surgical or burn scars. Since these procedures typically involve small, localized areas, they tend to yield highly successful results.
• Traction alopecia: Repeated use of hairpins, clips, or habitual hair-pulling can cause the hair around the temples to become thinner and sparser over time.
• Androgenic alopecia (genetic hair loss): Successful results can be achieved with hair transplantation, particularly in Ludwig Type 1 hair loss.

Outside of these cases, hair transplantation is not a suitable option for women with hair loss caused by anaemia or thyroid disease. This is because these conditions also affect the donor area, making the hair thinner and more prone to shedding.

How Is Unshaven Hair Transplantation Performed in Women?

The most fundamental feature that sets female hair transplantation apart from male hair transplantation is that the procedure is performed unshaven. The process follows these steps:

1. Graft Collection from the Donor Area: Only a small window-shaped area, roughly 2 cm by 10–15 cm, is shaved in the donor region. After administering local anaesthesia to this area, individual hair follicles are extracted one by one using the FUE technique. This step typically takes about 1 to 2 hours.
2. Implantation into the Recipient Area: Local anaesthesia is first applied to the recipient area. The follicles collected from the donor site are then transplanted one by one into the bald or thinning areas using either the DHI or sapphire FUE technique. The hair in the recipient area is not shaved. For female hair transplantation, the unshaven DHI method is the optimal choice. Now, let’s briefly take a closer look at female hair transplantation using the DHI technique. The implantation process can take approximately 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on the number of grafts.

DHI Hair Transplant for Women

For women, hair transplantation using the DHI technique is the most advantageous and successful option. This is because the procedure can be easily performed without shaving the hair, using specialised tools known as Choi pens. This method allows for safe implantation even in sparse areas, filling in gaps between existing hairs without causing any damage. Being able to undergo a hair transplant without having to cut the hair is a major benefit for women.

At AHD Clinic, founded under the leadership of Dr. Hakan Doğanay, unshaven DHI hair transplants have been performed on women since 2010. You’ll see proof of this when you watch the video below.

Please check the publication date of the video.

The Recovery Process in Female Hair Transplant

The overall procedure is essentially identical in both male and female patients. However, as the transplantation is carried out without the need for shaving, the healing period in women is generally shorter than that observed in men.

• Day 1: After the procedure, you can return to your home or hotel. The donor area is covered with a bandage after the transplant to apply gentle pressure.
• Washing: If you’ve had a DHI hair transplant, your hair can be washed on the 2nd day. We recommend having your first wash at the clinic where the procedure was performed. During the first 10 days, you should wash your hair at least once a day.
• Swelling: Swelling may occur on the forehead area 2 to 3 days after the operation. This is perfectly normal. However, with the DHI technique using the new Choi implanter pens, swelling is significantly reduced.
• Scabbing: From day 2 onward, small scabs may form around the transplanted follicles. This can last for up to 10 days. Each time you wash your hair, some of these scabs will gradually come off, and they should have completely fallen away by day 10.
• Redness: Redness may appear on the recipient area starting around 1 week to 10 days after the transplant. This typically fades within 15 days. However, in individuals with fair skin, redness can persist for up to 2 months.
• Shock Loss: Around 15 to 20 days after the transplant, some of the newly implanted hairs will fall out temporarily. This is a completely normal part of the process. But don’t worry – these hairs will grow back in due course.

Female Hair Transplant Before and After

Both male and female patients naturally desire a successful, natural-looking outcome following hair transplantation. It is important to note, however, that such results are not immediate; the full maturation process takes approximately one year.

• Months 3–4: The hairs that were shed during the shock loss phase will begin to regrow around the 3- to 4-month mark. By the end of the fourth month, approximately 30% of the transplanted hairs will have emerged. The initial growth tends to be fine and thin, so the desired density won’t be apparent just yet.
• Months 5–6: Hair growth continues gradually. By the end of month 6, the average growth rate reaches about 60%.
• Months 7–8: During this period, growth accelerates and a noticeable level of density is achieved.
• 1 Year: To be able to make a meaningful comparison between pre- and post-transplant photos in women, a full year needs to have passed. In other words, you’ll need to be a little patient before you can see the final result you’re hoping for.

To access detailed before-and-after results of hair transplants performed on women at AHD Clinic, please feel free to contact us.

How much does a hair transplant for women cost in Turkey?

In Turkey, you may come across a fairly wide price range when it comes to hair transplants for women. If we look at the factors that affect the cost in Turkey, they can be listed as follows:

• Number of grafts: For instance, in cases such as a burn scar, as few as 200 grafts may be sufficient. This naturally means the overall cost will be lower.
• Transplant technique: The unshaven DHI method comes with a higher price tag compared to other techniques.
• The reputation and quality of the clinic or surgeon performing the procedure:

In Turkey, you can expect to receive quotes ranging from €2,500 to €7,000 on average for a female hair transplant.

Prices for female hair transplants around the world, however, are significantly higher than in Turkey. To give you an idea of the costs in other countries, here are a few examples:

• United States: $8,000 – $20,000
• United Kingdom: £7,000 – £15,000
• Germany, France, Netherlands: €6,000 – €15,000

Unshaven Hair Transplants for Women at AHD Clinic – Since 2010

At AHD Clinic, all hair transplant procedures are carried out in accordance with scientific and ethical standards. For this reason, we only accept candidates who are genuinely suitable for the procedure. Moreover, our results are so natural that they go unnoticed – which is one of the main reasons why our patients choose us.

Frequently Asked Questions