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Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
- Treated online: Assessment online. A doctor can check whether a transplant suits you and protect your hair with medicine; the surgery is done in person by a surgeon.
- What it is: moving hair follicles from the back of the head, where pattern hair loss usually spares them, to thinning areas, by FUE (single follicles) or FUT (a strip of scalp).
- Who it suits: people with stable pattern hair loss, enough hair at the back of the head, and realistic expectations. Younger men face more risk from future hair loss.
- Results: transplanted hairs shed in the first weeks and regrow slowly, about 1 cm a month; the full result takes a year or more.
- Emergency: call 112 for bleeding that will not stop with firm pressure, or chest pain, sudden breathlessness or a swollen, painful leg after surgery or a long flight.
Do not book a video appointment if, after a hair transplant, you have bleeding that will not stop with firm pressure, hot, spreading redness with a high temperature and feeling very unwell, or chest pain, sudden breathlessness or a swollen, painful leg after surgery or a long flight. Call 112 or go to an emergency department.
Can an online doctor help with a hair transplant?
Assessment online, surgery in person. A hair transplant is an operation done by a surgeon in a clinic. What a doctor by video can do, independently of any clinic, is look at your hair loss on photos and camera, work out its type and whether it is stable, start finasteride or minoxidil to protect the hair you have, explain what results are realistic, and go through the questions to ask before you book, at home or abroad. After a transplant, the doctor can check healing on photos and help with infection, pain or shedding.
How an online consultation helps before a hair transplant
- An independent opinion: Whether a transplant suits your type of hair loss, from a doctor who is not selling surgery.
- Your hair protected first: Medicine that can stop further loss, before surgery and afterwards.
- The right questions: Who operates, how many grafts, what aftercare includes and what happens if something goes wrong.
- Help after surgery: Checks of healing on photos, and treatment for infection, pain or shedding.
What the doctor checks before a hair transplant
The doctor asks about your hair loss, your health and what you hope for. The doctor asks about:
- Your hair loss: when it started, whether it is still progressing, and the pattern at the hairline, temples and crown.
- Your family: how far hair loss went in your father, mother, brothers and grandfathers, which hints at how far yours may go.
- The back of your head: how thick the hair is there, because it is the donor area.
- Medicines: finasteride, minoxidil and anything else you have tried, and for how long.
- Your scalp: itching, redness, scaling or shiny patches, which can be a scarring hair loss that a transplant could trigger.
- Your health for surgery: bleeding problems, blood thinners, heart conditions, diabetes and smoking.
- Your plans: where you are thinking of going, what you have been offered, and what result you expect.
- After a transplant: pain, redness, pus, swelling, numbness or shedding.
Before the call, take photos of your hairline, temples, crown and the back of your head in bright daylight, with dry hair. Have any quote or treatment plan from a clinic to hand.
How does a hair transplant work?
Pattern hair loss affects the follicles on the top and front of the head, while the hair at the back and sides is usually spared. A hair transplant moves follicles from this donor area to the thinning areas. It is done under local anaesthetic, takes several hours, and you usually go home afterwards, without a night in hospital.
Swipe sideways to compare →
| FUE (follicular unit excision) | FUT (follicular unit transplantation, strip) | |
|---|---|---|
| How grafts are taken | One by one, with a tiny punch of about 0.7 to 1.2 mm | A strip of scalp is removed and divided into grafts under a microscope |
| Donor area | Usually shaved | Closed with stitches or staples |
| Scar | Many tiny dot scars, usually less noticeable | A thin line across the back of the head |
| Recovery | Generally faster and often less painful | Longer, with stitches to heal |
| Skill and time | Takes longer and needs an experienced surgeon | Faster to harvest many grafts |
Is a hair transplant painful?
The scalp is numbed with local anaesthetic, so the operation itself should not be painful. The head and face can be sore and swollen while it heals, and surgeons often prescribe pain relief for the first days.
How long does a hair transplant take?
Usually several hours in one day, depending on how many grafts are moved. Some people need a second, touch-up procedure later to fill thin areas.
Do hair transplants work?
For the right person, yes: most people have thicker-looking hair after a successful transplant. The change is modest rather than dramatic, some grafts do not take, and your own hair can keep thinning around the transplanted area.
There are no large studies with reliable success rates. In one study of 79 people who had FUE using body or beard hair as well as scalp hair, most were satisfied after an average of nearly 3 years, scoring the result 8.3 out of 10. Results depend most on the surgeon’s skill and experience and on the density of the donor hair.
How long does a hair transplant last?
The moved hair usually keeps growing, but a transplant is not always a permanent fix: pattern hair loss carries on in the hair that was not moved, which can leave a patchy look, and some people need further transplants. Medicine to protect your own hair helps the result last.
What does a hair transplant look like after 10 years?
It depends mostly on what happens to the rest of your hair. If your own hair keeps thinning, the transplanted area can look isolated, which is why age, family history and medicine matter so much before surgery.
Who is a hair transplant for?
A hair transplant suits people who:
- have pattern hair loss that has been stabilised, often with medicine
- have enough hair at the back of the head for now and for any future procedure
- have realistic goals, and are medically safe to have surgery
- are older rather than younger: in your 20s, future hair loss is hard to predict
It does not suit hair loss that is still active or not yet diagnosed. Scarring hair loss, such as frontal fibrosing alopecia, needs to have been settled for some time, and hair loss from shedding grows back on its own. Some women with female pattern hair loss and people with permanent traction alopecia are suitable, but not everyone.
Hair transplant recovery: what to expect
Swipe sideways to compare →
| When | What usually happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The day of surgery | Several hours under local anaesthetic; usually home afterwards | Follow the clinic’s instructions |
| The first days | Soreness and swelling of the head and face | Follow the clinic’s advice on washing your hair, usually waiting a few days |
| 1 to 2 weeks | Tiny scabs around the grafts fall away | Let them fall off on their own |
| The first weeks | The transplanted hairs fall out while their roots stay | Expected: it is not a failure |
| Several weeks | Strenuous exercise is usually avoided | Ask your surgeon when to restart |
| After several months | New hairs start to grow, about 1 cm a month | Take photos from the same angles |
| A year or more | The full result | Decide with the surgeon whether more is needed |
Some people also shed some of their own hair near the transplanted area for a while, called shock loss. It usually recovers over the following months.
What are the risks of a hair transplant?
- bleeding and infection, as with any operation
- pain and swelling of the head and face while it heals
- scarring at the donor and transplanted areas: a line with FUT, small dots with FUE
- raised bumps or small cysts around the transplanted hairs
- grafts that do not take, and a need for a touch-up
- temporary shedding of your own hair nearby
- an unnatural hairline, hair growing in the wrong direction, or poor growth
- too many grafts taken from the back of the head, leaving it thin
In people prone to it, hairline surgery has also been suggested as a possible trigger for frontal fibrosing alopecia, a scarring hair loss.
A hair transplant abroad: what to check
Many people travel for a hair transplant, often to Turkey. Wherever you go, the same checks matter:
- Who operates: the surgeon should do the harvesting themselves. Hair restoration surgeons warn about clinics where technicians with little or no training do the surgery.
- Credentials: check the surgeon’s training, how many of these operations they have done, and their professional memberships.
- Two consultations: have two consultations with the surgeon who will operate, and time to think in between.
- The plan in writing: the technique, the number of grafts, and what is included. Some patients are told they will get 4,000 to 6,000 grafts and receive about half.
- Language: make sure you can discuss the procedure and your concerns in a language you understand well.
- Aftercare: what follow-up includes, where it happens, and what happens and what it costs if something goes wrong.
- Insurance: travel insurance does not normally cover problems from surgery.
- Packages: be cautious of deals that sell surgery with a holiday, and of paying for a clinic or a surgeon you have not met.
How much does a hair transplant cost?
Prices vary widely with the number of grafts, the technique, the country and the clinic. When you compare quotes, compare what is included: who operates, the number of grafts placed, aftercare and follow-up.
Does PRP work for hair loss?
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment uses your own blood: a sample is spun to concentrate the platelets, and the plasma is injected into the thinning scalp. It is offered on its own or alongside a transplant.
It may help a little. A 2024 review of 14 randomised trials found that PRP increased hair density by about 28 hairs per square centimetre compared with a dummy treatment, but the studies varied widely and the certainty of the evidence was low. Another review found it more effective than usual treatment in men with pattern hair loss. It is not approved specifically for hair loss, and the main side effect is brief pain at the injection sites.
Medicine before and after a hair transplant
Pattern hair loss carries on in the hair that was not moved, so surgeons look for hair loss that has been stabilised with medicine, and the same medicine protects your own hair after the transplant, for as long as you use it.
- **Finasteride:** a daily tablet for men that can stop hair loss and regrow some hair, while you keep taking it.
- **Minoxidil:** a solution, foam or tablets for men and women, which works only while you use it.
A prescription is never issued without a consultation. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
Considering a hair transplant? A doctor can check whether it suits you and protect your hair first, in one consultation.
See available times →Special situations
Women
Hair transplants are increasingly used for female pattern hair loss, but not everyone is suitable, and the cause of the hair loss needs to be clear first. See hair loss in women.
In your 20s
Future hair loss is hardest to predict when you are young, which makes surgery riskier. Stabilising hair loss with medicine first gives a clearer picture.
Children
Mobi Doctor consultations are for adults aged 18 and over. A child who is unwell needs a paediatrician or a local doctor in person, and emergency signs in a child mean 112.
When a hair transplant is assessed online, and when you need in-person care
Assessed online: your type of hair loss and whether it is stable, finasteride and minoxidil, the questions to ask a surgeon or a clinic abroad, and checks of healing on photos after surgery.
In-person care: the consultations with the surgeon who will operate, the transplant itself, PRP injections, and any wound that is infected, bleeding or not healing.
When to get in-person care
Call 112 or go to an emergency department now for:
- bleeding that will not stop with firm pressure
- chest pain, sudden breathlessness or a swollen, painful leg after surgery or a long flight
- hot, spreading redness with a high temperature and feeling very unwell
Get medical advice the same day for:
- redness, swelling, pain or pus in the donor or transplanted area that is getting worse
- a high temperature after a hair transplant
- swelling around the eyes that is getting worse rather than better
How Mobi Doctor works
- Book a time that suits you: daily 7am–11pm CEST. You can see a doctor over video, usually within 15 minutes. No subscription, and the exact price is shown before you pay.
- Speak to a licensed doctor about a transplant: show your hairline, crown and the back of your head on camera, and share any plan or quote you have from a clinic.
- Leave with a plan: whether a transplant suits you now, medicine to protect your hair, the questions to ask, and which signs after surgery mean you should be seen in person.
No sign-up needed
A transplant suits only some types of hair loss. Tick every symptom you have to see each condition page that mentions it. It finds the right page, not a diagnosis: a doctor gives you that on a video call.
Tap the body — an area or a point — to browse symptoms anywhere
Similar symptoms, different condition? Receding Hairline can start the same way. Compare them, or look up any other symptom in the full symptom checker.
Frequently asked questions about hair transplants
Do hair transplants actually work?
For the right person, yes: most people have thicker-looking hair afterwards. The change is modest, some grafts do not take, and your own hair can keep thinning around the transplant.
How long does a hair transplant last?
The transplanted hair usually keeps growing, but pattern hair loss carries on in the rest of your hair, and some people need more surgery. Medicine to protect your own hair helps the result last.
Is a hair transplant painful?
The scalp is numbed with local anaesthetic, so the hair transplant itself should not hurt. The head and face are often sore and swollen for the first days, and pain relief helps.
How long does a hair transplant take?
A hair transplant usually takes several hours in one day, under local anaesthetic, without a night in hospital; a large session of several thousand grafts can take most of the day or be split over two days. The transplanted hairs shed in the first weeks and regrow slowly, so the full result takes a year or more to judge.
What is the difference between FUE and FUT?
FUE removes follicles one by one with a tiny punch, leaving small dot scars. FUT removes a strip of scalp that is divided into grafts, leaving a thin line scar.
Who is a good candidate for a hair transplant?
A good candidate for a hair transplant is someone with stable pattern hair loss, enough hair at the back of the head, realistic goals and good health for surgery. Younger men face more risk from future hair loss.
When do transplanted hairs fall out?
In the first weeks after surgery the transplanted hairs fall out while their roots stay. New hair starts after several months and grows about 1 cm a month.
How do I look after my scalp after a hair transplant?
Follow the clinic’s instructions exactly: sleep propped up for the first few nights to limit swelling, do not touch, scratch or pick the grafts, wash the scalp only as shown, and avoid sweating, sport, swimming, saunas, alcohol and smoking for the first weeks, since they slow healing. The grafts shed around weeks 2 to 6 and regrow from about month 3, so do not judge the hair transplant before 12 months. See a doctor for spreading redness, pus or a high temperature.
Is it safe to have a hair transplant in Turkey or abroad?
A hair transplant abroad can be safe, with the right surgeon. Check who will operate, have two consultations, get the plan and graft count in writing, and know what aftercare includes. Travel insurance does not normally cover problems from surgery.
Does PRP work for hair loss?
PRP may help hair loss a little. Trials show a modest increase in hair density, but the evidence is low certainty. It is not approved specifically for hair loss.
Do I need to keep taking medicine after a hair transplant?
Pattern hair loss carries on in the hair that was not moved, and finasteride and minoxidil protect it only while you use them. Stopping can let your own hair thin around the transplant, so discuss it with your doctor.
What should I compare between hair transplant clinics?
The number of grafts planned and who actually performs the surgery, the technique and the scar it leaves, what aftercare and follow-up include, how many sessions you may need, and whether the clinic assesses your donor hair and the stability of your hair loss first; the headline figure alone tells you little, because it varies with grafts, technique, country and clinic. Get the plan and the graft count in writing before you commit to a hair transplant.
Can an online doctor help with a hair transplant?
A doctor can check whether a transplant suits you, start medicine to protect your hair, and help you prepare questions. The surgery is done in person.
- Hair loss, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 24 January 2024.
- Cosmetic surgery abroad, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 14 December 2022.
- FUE hair transplant: what is it?, International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), updated July 2024.
- Beware illegal hair transplants, International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), updated 18 September 2026.
- Do hair transplants work? Types, side effects, and recovery, Medical News Today, medically reviewed, updated 17 July 2025.
- Is autologous platelet-rich plasma capable of increasing hair density in patients with androgenic alopecia? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials, Kieling L, Konzen AT, Zanella RK, Valente DS. Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia, 2024.
- Platelet-rich plasma for androgenic alopecia, Georgiadis J, Phillips JH, Mott T. American Family Physician, 2022.
- Male pattern hair loss, DermNet, New Zealand, 2015, updated 2025.
- Female pattern hair loss, DermNet, New Zealand, 2015, updated 2026.
- Frontal fibrosing alopecia, Cleveland Clinic (US), updated 13 June 2022.
- Common questions about finasteride, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 2 August 2023.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Guideline links are provided for transparency; treatment decisions are made with your doctor.
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