Hair Transplant FAQ: 30+ Questions Answered

Suitability: who can have a hair transplant?

A hair transplant surgically moves permanent follicles to thinning areas. It suits people with inherited pattern hair loss and enough healthy donor hair.

Who is a good candidate for a hair transplant?

Suitable candidates usually have inherited pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia), a stable or slowly progressing pattern, and dense donor hair at the back of the scalp. Good health and realistic expectations matter too. The NHS notes that transplants are usually not suitable for other types of hair fall, such as alopecia areata.

How common is pattern hair loss in South Asian men?

It is common. A population study of 1,005 men in India found pattern hair loss in about 58% of men aged 30 to 50. Comparable Bangladeshi data are limited, so the Indian figure gives useful regional context. Hair fall at this age is common, and it is treatable.

Is there a minimum age for a hair transplant?

The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery advises against immediate surgery for anyone under 20, because the final pattern of hair loss is hard to predict. Younger patients usually start with medical treatment and are reassessed after about 12 months. Your age, family history and pattern are assessed together at consultation.

Can women have a hair transplant?

Yes, when there is enough stable donor hair. Female pattern hair loss, graded on the Ludwig scale, often thins the crown while keeping the frontal hairline. A careful diagnosis comes first, because some causes of hair fall in women need medical treatment instead. See the page on hair transplantation for women.

Do diabetes or smoking affect a hair transplant?

They can. In one published series, the only infections occurred in diabetic patients, and minor skin loss in the transplanted area occurred only in smokers. Neither rules out surgery on its own. Well-controlled blood sugar matters, and your surgeon may ask you to stop smoking around surgery.

Procedure: what happens on the day?

A hair transplant is a day procedure under local anaesthesia: follicles are harvested from the donor area and placed into tiny recipient sites.

What is a hair transplant, exactly?

It is a surgical procedure that moves hair follicles from a permanent donor zone, usually the back and sides of the scalp, to thinning areas. Donor follicles keep their resistance to pattern hair loss after moving, a principle called donor dominance. That is why transplanted hair keeps growing.

Does a hair transplant hurt?

Local anaesthesia numbs the scalp, so you should not feel pain during the procedure. The injections themselves cause brief discomfort. Afterwards, soreness comes mainly from the donor area, which often feels tight for a few days. In one published study, pain after FUE was lower than after FUT, and most patients had little pain by day three.

How long does the procedure take, and will I stay overnight?

Most procedures are completed in a single day, and you go home the same day. Larger areas may need two or more sessions on different days. The length depends mainly on the number of grafts being moved and the technique used. Ask whether sedation will be used, as that affects travel home.

What is the difference between FUE and FUT?

Both move the same follicular units. They differ in how grafts are taken from the donor area, which affects scarring, recovery and graft yield. The table below compares them. For a fuller comparison, see the FUE and FUT technique guide.

Do I need to shave my head?

For FUE, the donor area at the back of the head is usually shaved so individual follicles can be removed. With FUT, longer hair can often hide the donor strip. Whether the recipient area needs trimming depends on your plan. Ask about shaving options at consultation.

What is DHI, and is it different?

DHI (direct hair implantation) is a variation of FUE in which grafts are placed with a pen-like implanter instead of into pre-made slits. The harvesting step is the same as FUE. The right technique depends on your donor hair, hair loss pattern and goals, and is agreed at consultation.

Recovery: what is the first month like?

Most patients return to desk work within one to two weeks. The week-by-week hair transplant recovery guide covers this in detail.

When can I go back to work?

The NHS advises that you may need one to two weeks off work. Desk work may be possible sooner if you are comfortable with visible scabbing. Jobs involving heavy lifting, heat or dust may need a longer break. Your surgeon will confirm timing at your first follow-up visit.

When can I wash my hair?

Bandages are usually removed after two to five days, and gentle hand-washing typically begins around day six, according to NHS guidance. Use only the method shown to you, with no rubbing or scratching of the grafts. Scabs loosen and fall away naturally over the following days. Do not pick at them.

When can I exercise or play sports?

Exercise is usually restricted for the first month to protect healing and reduce scarring. Light walking is usually allowed. Heavy gym work, running, swimming and contact sports such as football or cricket should wait until your surgeon clears you. Sweating and impact both put fresh grafts at risk.

Can I wear a cap or a motorbike helmet?

Grafts are not secure during the first two weeks, so avoid anything that presses or rubs on them in that period. A tight helmet is the main concern for motorbike riders. Ask your surgeon whether a loose cap suits you for sun protection, and when a helmet is safe again.

Will my face swell after surgery?

Some forehead and facial swelling is common. In one large published series, it began around day three and settled by about day seven. Sleeping on your back with your head slightly raised helps. Avoid sleeping face-down or on your side during the first nights.

Hair fall and results: what is normal?

Hair fall after a transplant is expected: transplanted hairs shed within weeks, regrow from about month four, and mature over 10 to 18 months.

Why is my transplanted hair falling out?

This shedding is a normal part of healing. The hair shafts fall out within a few weeks, but the follicles stay under the skin and start a new growth cycle. According to the NHS, new hair usually appears around four months later. Shedding does not mean failure.

What is shock loss?

Shock loss is temporary fall of your existing, non-transplanted hair near the treated area. A published review describes it usually appearing three to four weeks after surgery, linked to the trauma and swelling of the procedure. The hair often regrows within three to four months. Minoxidil may help it recover faster.

When will I see the final result?

New growth usually starts around month four. Early hairs often come in fine, then thicken and lengthen over the following months. NHS guidance places full results at 10 to 18 months, so judging the result at three or six months is too early.

Will the result look natural?

A natural result depends on design: a hairline that suits your face and age, grafts angled the way hair naturally grows, and density planned within your donor supply. Thicker hair shafts and low contrast between hair and scalp colour also make hair look fuller with fewer grafts.

How many grafts will I need?

That depends on the size of the thinning area, often graded on the Norwood scale, the density you want and your donor supply. Grafts are counted in follicular units of one to four hairs. An estimate is made at consultation. The guide to estimating graft numbers explains how the count is worked out.

Permanence: will the hair last?

Transplanted hair is long-lasting because donor follicles resist pattern hair loss, but untreated native hair around them can continue to thin.

Is a hair transplant permanent?

The transplanted follicles usually are, because they come from a zone that resists pattern hair loss and keep that resistance after moving. The NHS cautions that existing hair around the transplant can keep thinning. Long-term results depend on controlling ongoing hair loss, not only on the surgery itself.

Can I run out of donor hair?

Yes. Donor hair is a finite supply, and the most reliable grafts come from a central safe zone. Taking too many grafts, or harvesting outside that zone, can thin or scar the donor area. A good plan treats your donor hair as a lifetime budget and reserves some for future needs.

Will I need a second session?

Some patients do, either because the area was large or because they want more density later. Additional density work is usually considered after about a year, once the first result has fully matured. Whether you need it depends on your hair loss pattern, donor supply and goals.

Can my hair loss continue after the transplant?

Yes. A transplant does not stop the underlying process in your native hair. If pattern hair loss progresses, gaps can appear behind or around the transplanted area over time. This is why young patients are assessed carefully and why medical treatment is often discussed alongside surgery.

Medications and related treatments: what helps alongside surgery?

Medication can protect native hair around a transplant, and related procedures restore facial hair.

Will I need finasteride or minoxidil after surgery?

Your surgeon may advise them. European dermatology guidelines recommend oral finasteride 1 mg and topical minoxidil for men with mild to moderate pattern hair loss, and topical minoxidil for women. One study cited there found finasteride combined with transplantation improved hair counts at 12 months. Both medicines need medical supervision.

Does PRP help after a hair transplant?

PRP (platelet-rich plasma) uses a concentrate of your own blood. A 2024 review of randomised trials found it increased hair density in pattern hair loss, but the authors rated the certainty of that evidence as low. Find out more about PRP therapy for hair fall.

Are there alternatives to surgery?

Yes. For early or still-progressing hair loss, medical treatment is usually the first step. International guidance favours finasteride with minoxidil for young men, with reassessment after about a year. Surgery is considered once the pattern is clearer and the donor area can support a plan.

Can hair be transplanted to the beard, eyebrows or mustache?

Yes. The same follicular unit methods can restore facial hair, with each graft placed at an angle that matches natural growth. Each area has its own design, graft count and recovery considerations. See the pages on beard transplant, eyebrow restoration and mustache transplantation.

Risks: what side effects can happen?

Published series report few serious complications, and most side effects settle within weeks.

What are the common side effects?

Expect a tight, sore, swollen scalp and temporary scabbing in the first one to two weeks. Small donor-site scars are part of every hair transplant. The NHS also lists bleeding, infection, allergic reaction to the anaesthetic, grafts that fail to take and continued thinning around the transplant.

How common are infection and folliculitis?

In a published Indian series of 2,896 patients, the most frequent complaint was sterile folliculitis: small, pimple-like bumps that lasted three weeks to three months. True infection was rare and occurred in diabetic patients. That series reported no life-threatening complications. Following your aftercare instructions closely is the practical safeguard.

Will I have numbness?

Temporary numbness of the scalp can happen when small nerves are disturbed during harvesting. In published series it usually resolved within two to three weeks, and occasionally took a few months after strip surgery. Report any numbness that lasts beyond a few months at your follow-up visit, so it can be checked.

Will people see a scar?

There is no surgery without a scar. FUE leaves many tiny dot scars that are less noticeable and usually hidden by short hair. FUT leaves a single linear scar in the donor area, hidden unless hair is cut very short. Discuss your preferred hairstyle before choosing a technique.

Cost: how much does a hair transplant cost in Bangladesh?

Dr. Mughni’s current range is BDT 25 to 65 per graft, with the final figure set after an in-person assessment.

How much does a hair transplant cost with Dr. Mughni?

The 2026 range is BDT 25 to 65 per graft. Where your cost falls depends mainly on the technique and the number of grafts. The final figure depends on consultation, once your scalp and donor area are assessed. See the full breakdown of hair transplant costs in Dhaka.

What is included, and what costs extra?

The quoted range covers the surgeon’s fee, operating theatre charge and anaesthesia. Pre-operative investigations and medications are billed separately, and investigation costs vary by diagnostic centre. Payment is usually made in stages. The cost guide linked above covers inclusions and payment in detail.

Is there a consultation fee, and what if I need more density later?

The first consultation costs BDT 1,200 at EKAGRA Health, Dhanmondi, and BDT 1,500 at Cosmetic Surgery Centre, Satmasjid Road. It is not waived when surgery is booked. If a revision or added density is needed, it is done after a year at a reduced rate.

When to consult Dr. Mughni in person

Consider a consultation when hair fall continues for months or your hairline or crown is visibly thinning. Dr. Mughni assesses your pattern, donor hair and health, then explains what your donor supply can achieve and whether medication alone may be enough. Before any surgery, he makes sure patients know that hair fall in the first months is expected, so it does not come as a shock. His complete hair transplant overview sets out the procedure in full.

Patient resources

The hair transplant before and after gallery shows results over time, shared with patient consent and faces blurred. Patient experiences across procedures are collected on the patient testimonials page.

Hair fall affects confidence as much as appearance. A well-planned transplant can restore form and, for many patients, hope, when expectations are realistic and the first year is met with patience.

Read the full medical disclaimer.

References

1. NHS. Hair transplant. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cosmetic-procedures/hair-transplant/

2. Garg AK, Garg S. Complications of hair transplant procedures: causes and management. Indian J Plast Surg. 2021;54(4):477–482. https://www.thieme-connect.de/products/ejournals/pdf/10.1055/s-0041-1739255.pdf

3. Androgenetic alopecia: an update. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2013. https://ijdvl.com/androgenetic-alopecia-an-update/

4. International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery. Early hair loss: the young patient. https://ishrs.org/early-hair-loss-the-young-patient/

5. Kim YS, Na YC, Park JH. Comparison of postoperative pain according to the harvesting method used in hair restorative surgery. Arch Plast Surg. 2019;46(3):241–247. https://doi.org/10.5999/aps.2018.00843

6. Kanti V, Messenger A, Dobos G, et al. Evidence-based (S3) guideline for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia in women and in men: short version. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2018;32(1):11–22. https://guidelines.edf.one/uploads/attachments/cl262ylye009ulajnpuci9r2i-androgenetic-alopecia-2017-gl.pdf

7. Kieling L, Konzen AT, Zanella RK, Valente DS. Is autologous platelet-rich plasma capable of increasing hair density in patients with androgenic alopecia? An Bras Dermatol. 2024;99(6):847–862. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11551241

8. International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery. Hair characteristics: a major consideration in hair transplantation. https://ishrs.org/hair-characteristics-a-major-consideration-in-hair-transplantation/

9. Kayiran O, Cihandide E. Evolution of hair transplantation. Plast Aesthet Res. 2018;5:9. https://www.oaepublish.com/articles/2347-9264.2017.86

10. Rousso DE. Thieme Medical Publishers. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0028-1102902