Diagnostic tests for alopecia before hair transplantation

About the department

The Department of Hair Transplantation at the Liv Hospital Istanbul offers both conservative and surgical treatment methods for alopecia, including severe types. The department's specialists successfully carry out high-quality and effective hair loss treatment using FUE and DHI techniques. Among the department’s patients are not only men, but also women, since alopecia can occur due to hormonal disorders, chemotherapy or as a result of accidents. The department also offers the injection of platelet-rich plasma, which helps to strengthen hair follicles and stimulate hair growth. The service range is complemented by hair mesotherapy. The department is headed by Dr. med. Hamid Aydin.

The department specializes in hair transplantation using FUE technique, which today is known as one of the best in the world. Hair transplantation is performed under local anesthesia and does not require the use of a scalpel. After the hair transplantation, the patient does not have any scars, while the transplanted hair looks natural, which contributes to a better quality of life. Upon treatment completion, the department's specialists provide all the necessary recommendations for hair care in the future. It is worth noting that the transplanted hair does not fall out and continues to grow throughout life.

At the initial stages of alopecia, the doctors try to avoid surgery and prescribe cosmetic procedures for the patient – injections of nutrients for the restoration of hair growth, density and beauty. The most effective of them include injections of platelet-rich plasma and mesotherapy. In some cases, it is enough to use special therapeutic shampoos and masks at home. All cosmetic procedures and hair care products are selected on an individual basis.

The department's therapeutic options include:

• FUE hair transplantation. This method of hair transplantation is considered the most widespread and demanded all over the world. This procedure solves the problem of alopecia in 85% of patients. The duration of the operation is 4-6 hours. The FUE technique allows the doctor to transplant up to 3,500-5,500 grafts, which is at least 10,000 hairs. The back of the head is most often used as a donor site, but other parts of the body can be used as well. Once extracted, the follicles are placed in a special nutrient solution and then transplanted to the target area. The scope of the surgical procedure depends on the particular clinical case and is determined individually for each patient.
• DHI hair transplantation. It is a modification of the FUE technique. The difference is that the special instrument called the CHOI Implanter Pen is used during the transplantation. The tip of the instrument has a blade with a diameter of 1 mm, which allows direct transfer of hair follicles without preliminary formation of canals in the skin of the recipient part of the head. The donor hair is transplanted to the required depth and at a certain angle, which helps to restore a more natural and dense hairline. The procedure lasts from 8 to 12 hours, while the patient can assess the final result in a year.
• Hair transplantation without shaving the head. This procedure is more suitable for women, since it does not require preliminary shaving of the hair and long waiting for the growth of new hair from the transplanted follicles. The procedure is also performed using the FUE technique. When performing the procedure, the doctor uses the surgical instruments to extract grafts from the back of the head without shortening the length of the hair. The recovery period does not differ from the standard FUE techniques. Immediately after the hair transplantation, a crust forms on the head, which falls off after a week, and in 2-3 months the hair will start its natural growth.
• Platelet-rich plasma injections. During the procedure, the patient is injected with his own platelet-rich plasma, which stimulates hair growth, strengthens damaged hair and fights hair loss. The recommended treatment course is 3-6 procedures with an interval of one month. The therapy is also prescribed after hair transplantation, as it stimulates and strengthens the follicles during their engraftment, which contributes to the best result.
• Hair mesotherapy. The essence of the procedure is the injection of nutrients into the middle layers of the skin. During this method of injection, the drug enters directly into the hair follicles. For maximum comfort of patients, the procedure is performed under local anesthesia and does not cause any pain. On average, one session takes up to 40 minutes, the treatment is carried out no more than twice a week. An important advantage of this method is the possibility of mesotherapy on local areas of alopecia, thereby preventing hair loss in a particular problem area. The result is very quick and after the first session the hair will look much better. Nevertheless, the first significant results can be observed not earlier than in a month.
• Other treatment methods for hair loss