Questions and answers

Are the hair transplant procedures covered by any warranties?

All procedures at Akacia Medical are covered by a warranty. We will sign a contract with the patient in Sweden which clearly states the conditions of the procedure. Our hair transplants performed in Istanbul are covered by the Swedish patient safety legislation.

  • We always leave at least 80% (the normal ratio is at 90-95%).
  • The evaluation of the result is normally done 12 months after the procedure depending on the patient’s individual healing process.
  • If you are a smoker or consume a lot of alcohol the above warranty will not cover your procedure since these factors greatly impact circulation.

 

What is the difference between a hair strand, a hair follicle and a transplant?

A hair follicle contains several hair strands. A hair follicle at Akacia Medical is the equivalent of a “graft” as it is sometimes referred to by other clinics. This is important to know since many clinics in Sweden call hair strands hair follicles and hair follicles hair transplants etc. They say one thing and mean another. We always recommend asking questions to make sure you know what you will be getting.

 

How many hair strands can you get from a hair transplant?

To calculate the number of hair strands after a hair transplant we usually take the number of follicles times 2.5. This will roughly equal the number of hair strands that will be transplanted.

How long time does it take for the scabs to fall off from the transplanted hair follicles?

The transplanted hair follicles will become black and look like scabs after about 3 days. It takes about ten days for the scabs to start falling off.

 

How long will it be before I can see the final result?

You can usually start to see a difference after about 3-4 months. The full result can be seen after about 9-12 months. Akacia Medical will perform an evaluation of the result after about 12 months, where we analyze the end result.

 

How long does the hair transplant procedure take?

The procedure takes between 6 and 10 hours. The time will vary depending on how many hair follicles will be transplanted.

 

How big is the tool used during a transplant?

The needles/punches used have a diameter of about 0.6 or 0.7 millimeters.

Do I need to do anything before the procedure?

Please refrain from drinking alcohol during the days before the procedure! Otherwise there is not much you need to do before the procedure.

 

Anything special that I need to keep in mind for the day of the procedure?

Not unless the doctor says otherwise. Please wear a buttoned shirt during the procedure so that you don’t need to pull a shirt over your head after the procedure.

 

What are the steps of a procedure?

  • Blood samples are taken
  • The donor area is anesthetized
  • The hair follicles are extracted (normally we take more than the goal of the transplantation to be on the safe side (about 100-200 extra hair follicles) free of charge)
  • Lunch
  • The transplantation area is marked
  • Anesthesia
  • Pores are opened

Hair follicles are placed

  • PRP treatment (patient’s choice)
  • Bandaging
  • Information about the after care plan

 

How long after the procedure do I need to be extra careful?

  • During the first 10 days it is very important not to impact/expose the scalp to external factors since the hairs are very fragile in the beginning. Examples of external factors are rain, head gear etc.
  • You will sleep on an “airplane pillow” so that the donor area is touched as little as possible.
  • The donor area needs about three days to heal. Thereafter you will apply lotion once a day for seven days (let sit on the skin for 45 min. and then rinse off with lukewarm water and air dry).
  • After these ten days you will (if the scabs have not already fallen off) start to massage the area carefully to make the scabs fall off. During this time you may lose the transplanted surface hair, but this will grow back.
  • Refrain from exercise, sun exposure, sea water, sauna and similar things that can cause sweating during one month after the procedure.

 

General information about PRP

  • A PRP treatment is also performed with a hair transplant.
  • We also recommend PRP as an after treatment during six sessions (normally with one month in between sessions)

 

For patients who wish to have the procedure done in Turkey (Istanbul):

 

What is the difference between Akacia Medical and other clinics that organize hair transplant trips to Turkey?

All procedures at Akacia Medical are covered by a warranty. No other clinic or hospital in Turkey offers a warranty. They may say that they will offer you a warranty but they would never sign a contract with you that binds them to this.

Akacia Medical is a company registered in Sweden and all payment is done in Sweden, whereas other trip organizers usually accept payment in Turkey. When payment is made in Turkey it becomes much harder to claim and exercise your rights if any problems should arise.

 

How many days do I need to stay in Istanbul?

For a hair transplant you need to stay in Istanbul for four days/three nights.

Day 1 arrival

Day 2 operation/hair transplant

Day 3 check up

Day 4 trip home