How a hair transplant works: the day, step by step
How does a hair transplant really work? Not the general idea — you know that one — but the concrete day: how long it lasts, if it hurts, what happens while you're lying down and what awaits you in the three days after. This is the step-by-step explanation, with the real times of an FUE or DHI operation involving 2,500-3,500 grafts.
FUE vs DHI: the two techniques in brief
Both take single follicular units (grafts) from the back of the head, where the hair is genetically resistant to falling out, and implant them in the thinning areas. The difference is in the implantation phase:
- FUE: first micro-channels are opened in the recipient area, then the grafts are inserted with tweezers. Faster on large areas.
- DHI: the grafts are implanted directly with a Choi pen, without pre-opening the canals. More precise on density and angle, ideal for hairlines and areas between existing hair.
The final result at 12 months is comparable: the choice depends on your specific case, and is made by the surgeon after the evaluation — not the marketing.
The day of surgery, hour by hour
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 8:00 | Arrival at the clinic, final exams, pre-surgery photos and hairline design agreed with you in the mirror. |
| 9:00 | Local anesthesia on the donor area. Shaving of the area (partial with DHI technique). |
| 9:30 – 12:30 | Extraction phase: removal of the grafts one by one from the donor area. You are awake, you can look at your phone or rest. |
| 12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch break. The extracted grafts are selected and preserved in a specific solution. |
| 13:30 – 17:00 | Implantation phase: opening of the canals (FUE) or direct implantation (DHI). The longest and most meticulous part. |
| 17:00 – 18:00 | Final dressing, explanation of post-operative instructions, return to the hotel. |
Anesthesia and pain: the unfiltered truth
The only really annoying moment are the first injections of local anesthetic: 10-15 stings that burn for a few seconds each, on a pain scale most patients say 3-4 out of 10. After 10 minutes the head is completely numb and remains so for the entire operation.
During the following hours you don't feel pain but you feel pressure and movement: it's strange, not painful. In the evening and the following days, the discomfort can be managed with the common painkillers included in the kit — most patients only use them for the first two nights.
The first 72 hours: what to do and not to do
- Sleep at 45 degrees: head raised with two pillows, to reduce swelling that runs down towards the forehead.
- Do not touch the transplanted area: the grafts are still setting in the first 3 days.
- Spray the saline solution every hour on the transplanted area: it keeps the grafts hydrated.
- First wash in the clinic on day 2-3: the staff does it, they teach you the technique for the following days.
- No alcohol, smoking kept to a minimum, no physical effort: blood pressure does not help engraftment.
- No hat for the first 3 days, then only the large one provided by the clinic.
When you see the results: the honest timeline
Weeks 2-6 bring shock loss: the transplanted hair falls out. It's physiological — the stem falls, not the follicle. Months 3-4 seem like a step back, then from month 4-5 the real regrowth begins. At month 6 you see 50-60% of the result, at month 12 the complete result, with further improvements in density up to month 18.
Do you want to understand how it would work in your specific case? The free quote starts from 3 photos: we tell you the recommended technique, necessary grafts and expected times - before making any decisions.
Free quote within 24 hours
Send 3 photos of your skin on WhatsApp or tell us your situation: the Italian team will respond within 24 hours with an evaluation and a written quote, item by item. Without obligation, without spam.
Written by
Tirana Hair Transplant Team
The Italian team that accompanies patients from the evaluation of the photos to the 12-month follow-up, in collaboration with the team of the specialized partner clinic in Tirana.
