https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/Guides on sapphire FUE vs DHI, how many grafts you need and how to choose a hair transplant surgeon in Turkey, from Dr. Harun Alakaya's team.en https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/hair-transplant-aftercare-first-10-days/https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/hair-transplant-aftercare-first-10-days/Thu, 22 Oct 2026 08:00:00 +0300In the first 10 days after a hair transplant, the grafts settle into the scalp. Expect tightness and swelling that usually settles by days 5–7, gentle washing from the first days, and small scabs that loosen between days 7 and 10. Sleep with your head raised for the first week and avoid touching, scratching or hard exercise.After a hair transplant https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/how-to-wash-hair-after-hair-transplant/https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/how-to-wash-hair-after-hair-transplant/Thu, 22 Oct 2026 08:00:00 +0300Many surgeons start gentle washing one to three days after a hair transplant. In the first week, apply the lotion from your kit, let it soak, rinse with lukewarm water from a cup and let the recipient area air dry without rubbing. From about day 7, gentle fingertip circles loosen the scabs. Normal washing usually returns after two weeks.After a hair transplant https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/shock-loss-after-hair-transplant/https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/shock-loss-after-hair-transplant/Thu, 22 Oct 2026 08:00:00 +0300Shock loss is temporary shedding after a hair transplant. Most transplanted hairs fall out between weeks 2 and 8 while their roots stay alive under the skin, and some nearby native hair can shed too. New growth usually starts at months 3–4. Most patients see the final result around 12 months, the crown up to 18 months.After a hair transplant https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/smoking-alcohol-after-hair-transplant/https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/smoking-alcohol-after-hair-transplant/Thu, 22 Oct 2026 08:00:00 +0300Avoid smoking and alcohol completely for the first 3 days, when grafts are most fragile, and ideally for 2 weeks until they are anchored. Medical guidance suggests stopping smoking 3–6 weeks before surgery and for the same time after. Avoid alcohol for at least 3 days before surgery and while you take prescribed medicines.After a hair transplant https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/exercise-after-hair-transplant/https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/exercise-after-hair-transplant/Thu, 22 Oct 2026 08:00:00 +0300Most patients can walk gently from the day after a hair transplant. Light cardio usually restarts after about two weeks, once the scabs have gone. The gym, running and moderate weights usually follow at two to four weeks. Swimming, saunas and contact sports usually wait at least four weeks. Your surgeon's advice for your case comes first.After a hair transplant https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/not-a-candidate-for-hair-transplant/https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/not-a-candidate-for-hair-transplant/Thu, 22 Oct 2026 08:00:00 +0300You are usually not a good candidate for a hair transplant if your donor area is weak, your hair loss has another cause such as active alopecia areata or scarring alopecia, your loss is still changing fast, a health problem is not under control, or you expect pre-balding density. Many of these only mean waiting or treating a cause first.Before a hair transplant https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/how-to-prepare-for-hair-transplant/https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/how-to-prepare-for-hair-transplant/Thu, 22 Oct 2026 08:00:00 +0300To prepare for a hair transplant, share your full medical history and medication list with your doctor, stop smoking as early as possible and avoid alcohol for several days before surgery. Never stop a prescribed blood thinner without your doctor's approval. Plan time off work, wash your hair on the morning and wear a button-up top.Before a hair transplant https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/fue-vs-fut-hair-transplant/https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/fue-vs-fut-hair-transplant/Thu, 22 Oct 2026 08:00:00 +0300FUE removes grafts one by one with a tiny punch and leaves small dot scars, so short haircuts are usually possible. FUT removes a thin strip of scalp and leaves one linear scar that needs hair at least 2–3 cm long to stay hidden. Both can look natural; your donor area, hairstyle and future needs decide.Techniques compared https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/finasteride-minoxidil-after-hair-transplant/https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/finasteride-minoxidil-after-hair-transplant/Thu, 22 Oct 2026 08:00:00 +0300A hair transplant moves hair that usually resists hair loss, but the native hair around it can keep thinning. Finasteride and minoxidil can slow that loss in some men. Neither is required for every patient. Both need a doctor's assessment. Results take several months to show and last only while you keep using them.Hair loss https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/norwood-scale-hair-loss-stages/https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/norwood-scale-hair-loss-stages/Thu, 22 Oct 2026 08:00:00 +0300The Norwood scale grades male pattern baldness from stage 1 (no real loss) to stage 7 (only a horseshoe of hair at the back and sides). Stage 3 is usually the first stage called balding. Middle stages often suit a transplant, while advanced stages depend on how many donor grafts you have.Hair loss https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/is-a-hair-transplant-painful/https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/is-a-hair-transplant-painful/Thu, 22 Oct 2026 08:00:00 +0300A hair transplant is done under local anaesthesia, so most patients feel the anaesthetic injections for a few minutes and then only pressure or pulling. The operation usually takes 6–8 hours with breaks. Afterwards, the scalp is usually tight, achy and swollen for a few days, and prescribed painkillers usually keep this under control.Before a hair transplant https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/crown-hair-transplant/https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/crown-hair-transplant/Thu, 22 Oct 2026 08:00:00 +0300A crown hair transplant moves grafts from the back and sides of the head into the bald spot at the crown. Because hair there grows in a spiral, the crown needs many grafts for its size and looks less dense than the front. Growth starts at 3–4 months, and the final crown result can take up to 18 months.Techniques compared https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/sapphire-fue-vs-dhi/https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/sapphire-fue-vs-dhi/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 08:00:00 +0300Start from your own situation. DHI usually suits hairline work, adding density between existing hair and unshaven plans of small to medium size. Sapphire FUE usually suits large areas such as Norwood 4 to 6. Both use the same FUE extraction, heal on a similar timeline and show the final result at around 12 months.Techniques compared https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/how-many-grafts-do-i-need/https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/how-many-grafts-do-i-need/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 08:00:00 +0300Commonly quoted ranges run from about 500–1,500 grafts for early temple recession (Norwood 2) to 4,000 or more for advanced loss (Norwood 6–7), often over two sessions. These are rough guides that vary per patient. Your donor area, usually about 4,000–6,000 grafts over a lifetime, sets the limit, and your doctor sets the number after an examination.Before a hair transplant https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/how-to-choose-a-hair-transplant-surgeon/https://www.drharunalakaya.com/blog/how-to-choose-a-hair-transplant-surgeon/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 08:00:00 +0300Choose the surgeon before the technique or the price. Ask who plans the case, draws the hairline and opens the channels, and get the answers in writing. Then check medical training and ISHRS membership, real photos at 12 months or later, the number of patients per day, a written plan and follow-up for the first year.Before a hair transplant