Before You Come
You should stop using the blood thinners (Aspirin etc.) and herbal products (Green Tea etc.). If you have any systemic diseases, please visit your doctor before hair transplantation operation. You should wash your hair with your regular shampoo in the morning. Do not use conditioner. You should eat a good breakfast before coming. Unless specifically told otherwise, you should take your regular prescription medicines as usual.
On Arrival
Once you arrive, we will confirm your contact information, go over the usual instructions, take your pre-operative photos, let you change and use the washroom and get you set-up.
Day of Surgery - What To Expect
Your hair transplant day will likely be much easier than you expect. After you arrive, we will answer all your questions and get you all set. Dr.Karademir will then review the entire plan with you before starting your hair transplant.
You will likely prefer to have some medications to keep you comfortable during the initial local anesthesia and, because of this, you may not remember all of the initial procedure. You will be awake and talking throughout, but afterwards it will seem as if you had been asleep. You will most likely be awake, comfortable, and talking to us throughout the beginning of your procedure but won’t remember much after the plan is drawn because of the temporary amnesia of the sedatives. You will think that you slept through it and woke up after we had already planted some grafts. When the grafts are removed or are transplanted, you will not feel pain. Most patients say it is easier than going to the dentist.
Hair transplantation involves a continuous process of harvesting, preparing, and transplanting grafts, and so it takes many hours to complete. You may not feel that it is a long day, though. During the day, you may have a couple of naps, and for the remainder of the time you can watch movies, listen to music, or chat. You will have breaks to stretch, go to the washroom, and eat lunch. Our staff will also have rotating breaks. Some of our hard-working patients have said it was the most relaxing day they had had in months.
At the end of the day, you will feel alert and comfortable and will likely only need a brief recovery time before being driven home. After the hair transplant, you will have a red/brown dot of blood over each graft. Each graft will have some hair stubble. This can be hidden by a hat that sits off the head (like a ball cap) but you can’t wear a soft hat or bandana. You will wear a gauze headband the first night to keep your pillow clean.
Your follow-up appointment with Dr.Karademir will be planned for the next day and you will also have his contact numbers to ask him questions.
After the hair transplant, your reflexes may be slow until your body has cleared out the sedatives and other medicines. You can’t drive, operate heavy machinery, or climb for 24 hours. To prevent dislodging grafts and to reduce swelling, it is best to sleep on your back, with a travel pillow supporting your neck, in a reclining chair or patio-lounge chair for the first 3 days.