Direct hair implantation in Istanbul
DHI Hair Transplant in Turkey
- Grafts implanted with a Choi pen
- Precise angle & density
- Often possible with less shaving
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Hair transplant before and after
Results of MAYCLINIK patients, photographed about 12 months after their hair transplant.
Results vary from person to person. Photos are shared with patient consent.
DHI hair transplant in Turkey at a glance
6–8 hours
Procedure time
depends on the number of grafts
None, a day procedure
Hospital stay
About 3 days
Total stay in Istanbul
After about 5 days
Back to desk work
After 2–4 weeks
Sport & swimming
swimming after 4 weeks
12 months
Final result
crown up to 18 months
- Anaesthesia: Local anaesthesia
- Grafts per session: Usually around 2,500–3,000
What is a DHI hair transplant?
DHI (direct hair implantation) is a hair transplant technique in which each graft is implanted directly with a pen-like instrument called a Choi implanter. The grafts are taken one by one from the back of the head, as in FUE, but instead of opening all the channels first and placing the grafts afterwards, the pen makes the opening and places the graft in one movement. People who ask us about a DHI hair transplant in Turkey usually want a dense, natural hairline or to add density between hair they still have.
Because the angle, depth and direction of every graft are controlled individually, DHI is especially good at the front hairline and for packing grafts closely. It also makes it easier to work between existing hairs without damaging them, which is why it is often done without shaving the whole head.
DHI is slower per graft than Sapphire FUE, so sessions are usually smaller, around 2,500–3,000 grafts. For very large areas, your doctor may suggest Sapphire FUE or a combination.
Not the answer for
- Very large bald areas in one session
- A weak or thin donor area
- Stopping existing hair from thinning
- Instant results: hair still takes 12 months
- Hair loss with an untreated medical cause
DHI vs Sapphire FUE
Both use the same graft harvesting. The difference is how the grafts are placed.
Placement
- DHI (Choi pen)
- Implanted directly with a pen
- Sapphire FUE
- Channels opened first, grafts placed after
Control of angle & depth
- DHI (Choi pen)
- Very high, graft by graft
- Sapphire FUE
- High
Grafts per session
- DHI (Choi pen)
- Usually around 2,500–3,000
- Sapphire FUE
- Larger sessions possible
Shaving
- DHI (Choi pen)
- Often possible with less shaving
- Sapphire FUE
- Usually full shave
Best for
- DHI (Choi pen)
- Hairlines, density, women
- Sapphire FUE
- Large areas, maximum coverage
Visible healing
- DHI (Choi pen)
- About 5–7 days
- Sapphire FUE
- About 7–10 days
Many patients have a combination: Sapphire FUE for coverage and DHI for the hairline.
Is a DHI hair transplant in Turkey right for you?
DHI suits most people who are good candidates for a hair transplant, especially when the hairline or density matters most.
DHI usually suits you if
- You want a dense, natural hairline designed around your face
- You have thinning areas with hair still growing in between
- You would prefer not to shave your whole head
- You have a good donor area at the back and sides of your head
- Your hair loss has slowed down or is already being treated
A different plan may be better if
- A very large area needs covering: Sapphire FUE or a combination may suit better
- Your donor area is thin and can’t supply enough grafts
- Your hair loss is still progressing fast
- Your hair loss started suddenly or in patches: see a doctor first
- You have a scalp condition that hasn’t been treated
Your medical team in Istanbul
Your hairline is designed and checked by a doctor, and the procedure is carried out by an experienced medical team. You know who is responsible for your care before you book.
The MAYCLINIK Standard
Four commitments that cover your care from the first video call to long after you fly home.
MAYContour
Before surgery
Surgeons are not interchangeable. Each of ours performs certain operations far more often than others, so you are matched to the one whose routine work is your operation. You meet on video before you travel, and the plan is agreed there, not on arrival.
MAYContourMAYCare+
In Istanbul
From the moment you land to the moment you fly home, one team is responsible for you: airport transfers, your hotel stay, hospital admission, a doctor and nurse who visit you at the hotel, and a check on how you are every day, in your own language.
MAYCare+MAYCheck
Back home
The hardest part of recovery happens after you get home. For twelve months your aftercare nurse stays with you, reviewing how you are healing, telling you what is normal and what is not, and answering questions through our London and Stuttgart offices.
MAYCheckMAYCover
If anything changes
Healing is not always a straight line, and a final result can take up to a year to settle. MAYCover is how we handle it, with your surgeon, if something does need revisiting. Ask your coordinator what it covers, before you book, rather than after.
MAYCover
DHI hair transplant cost in Turkey: what’s included
Your price depends mainly on the number of grafts and whether DHI is combined with Sapphire FUE. You receive a fixed, written quote after your doctor has assessed your photos, before you book anything.
Your MAYCLINIK package includes
- Consultation and hairline design
- Blood tests
- The procedure under local anaesthesia
- Medication and the aftercare products you take home
- First hair wash at the clinic, with care instructions
- Hotel accommodation for your stay
- VIP airport, hotel and clinic transfers
- Online follow-up for 12 months
Your 3 days in Istanbul
A typical plan for a DHI hair transplant. Your coordinator adjusts it to your flights.
Day 1
Arrival & consultation
VIP transfer to your hotel, then a face-to-face consultation, hairline design, blood tests and planning of the number of grafts.
Day 2
Procedure
Grafts are harvested and implanted with the Choi pen under local anaesthesia, over about 6–8 hours. You rest at your hotel in the evening.
Day 3
First wash & fly home
Check-up and your first hair wash at the clinic, with instructions and products to take home. Then a VIP transfer to the airport.
DHI results, month by month
Healing after DHI is usually quick. The growth still follows the same natural cycle as any hair transplant.
Days 1–7
Healing
Small scabs form and fall off within about a week. Slight swelling of the forehead is normal.
Weeks 2–8
Shock loss
The transplanted hairs shed. The follicles stay in place and start a new growth cycle.
Months 3–4
New growth
Fine new hairs start to appear, often uneven at first.
Month 6
Visible density
A clear difference in coverage and density.
Months 12–18
Final result
Full density and natural texture. The crown can take a few months longer.
What helps
- Sleep with your head raised for the first 3–4 nights
- Wash gently as shown at the clinic; don’t rub the grafts for 10 days
- No caps for 7–10 days, then only a loose one
- Avoid sun on the scalp, swimming pools and saunas for 4 weeks
DHI risks, and how we reduce them
DHI is a safe procedure under local anaesthesia. These are the issues your doctor will discuss with you.
Swelling & numbness
Swelling of the forehead and numbness of the donor area are common and settle within days to weeks.
Shock loss
Shedding of transplanted hair, and sometimes nearby existing hair, in the first weeks. It usually grows back.
Graft survival
Grafts must be handled quickly and kept moist. Implanting them straight away with the pen helps.
Donor area overharvesting
Taking too many grafts thins the back of the head. Careful planning keeps the donor area natural.
Folliculitis
Small spots can appear as new hairs grow through. They are easily treated.
DHI hair transplant in Turkey: frequently asked questions
DHI is a type of FUE: the grafts are harvested the same way. DHI gives finer control when placing them, which suits hairlines and density. Sapphire FUE allows larger sessions. The best choice depends on your hair.
Usually around 2,500–3,000 in one session, depending on your donor area. Larger areas may need Sapphire FUE or a combination.
Often not completely. The donor area, or strips of it, is usually shaved, but the recipient area can often stay unshaven, especially for smaller sessions.
Usually 6–8 hours, depending on the number of grafts. You can rest, watch films and have breaks.
Only the local anaesthetic injections are uncomfortable. After that, most people feel little. The donor area is sore for a few days.
Your first wash is done at the clinic after about 48 hours, and you are shown how to continue at home.
New hair from 3–4 months, a clear difference at 6 months and the final result at about 12 months.
Yes. DHI is often the preferred technique for women because it can add density to a widening parting without shaving.
About 3 days: consultation, the procedure and a check-up with your first wash.
It can be, if your provider is licensed by the Turkish Ministry of Health, a doctor is responsible for your procedure and designs your hairline, and it is done in a licensed medical facility. MAYCLINIK holds licence AK-0086.
Related articles
Medically reviewed guides that answer the questions patients ask most about this treatment.
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