What to Expect on Your Transplant Day
A step-by-step walkthrough of your procedure day.
On the hair transplant day the procedure runs 6–9 hours under local anaesthetic, in four phases – you are awake throughout.
Knowing what happens on the day removes anxiety. Here is your hour-by-hour walkthrough.
The day
Consultation & design, anesthesia, extraction, implantation and an aftercare briefing. See how it is done.
The operation day, hour by hour
The procedure runs 6–9 hours depending on graft count, entirely under local anaesthetic. You are awake, responsive, can listen to music, and are broken for meals and rest.
The four phases
| Phase | Duration | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Planning & shave | 30–60 min | The doctor draws the hairline and confirms it with you in the mirror |
| Anaesthetic | 10–20 min | The least pleasant part; then you feel pressure, not pain |
| Extraction | 2–4 h | Grafts removed one by one and kept in solution |
| Placement | 3–5 h | Channel angle and placement – where naturalness is decided |
The shorter grafts stay outside the body (ischemia time), the better survival. In DHI the separate channel step is skipped.
How to recognise a good clinic on the day
The doctor draws the hairline personally and confirms it with you. Grafts are stored chilled. Counting is documented. You are not processed alongside four other patients. And no one raises the agreed graft count on a whim. If you are told on the morning that “1,000 more grafts are needed”, that is a price question – and your donor area pays it. See safety.
The evening after
You get painkillers, an antibiotic, a cortisone schedule for swelling, and a neck pillow. No alcohol, no smoking, no sport, no bending. First wash next day in the clinic – have the technique shown and done by you, not just demonstrated. See aftercare.
This page is for general information and does not replace medical advice. Results are individual and cannot be guaranteed.
hair transplant day: key points
Planning and hairline, anaesthetic, extraction, placement. The shorter the ischemia time, the better survival.
A good clinic draws the hairline personally, counts grafts, and does not raise the agreed number on a whim.
For the full overview, see our main page on hair transplants in Istanbul.
Frequently Asked Questions
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