Before Your Hair Transplant — Complete Preparation Guide
How you prepare in the days before your hair transplant directly affects the surgery and recovery. This guide covers everything Hairmedico patients need to do — and avoid — before arriving in Istanbul.
Two things determine how the surgery day goes and how well your grafts take afterwards: the condition of your scalp's blood supply on the morning of surgery, and how rested you are for a procedure that runs several hours under local anaesthesia. None of the steps below are complicated, but skipping them can mean a longer session, a harder recovery, or grafts that take longer to establish.
Health Conditions & Medications to Disclose Before Surgery
Some medical conditions do not rule out a hair transplant, but they change how it is planned. Mention any of the following to Dr. Arslan's team as early as possible — ideally during your consultation, well before the 2-week countdown below — so your surgical plan and medication schedule can be adjusted correctly.
When You Should Postpone or Reschedule Surgery
A small number of situations come up often enough that it helps to recognise them before they happen, rather than discovering them the week of your flight. None are permanent obstacles — they simply mean waiting until your body or your scalp is in the right condition, so grafts have the best possible chance of taking.
If any of this applies to you, message the clinic as soon as you notice it rather than waiting until you arrive — most reschedules are a matter of a few weeks, and moving your date costs nothing.
2 Weeks Before Surgery
- Stop finasteride (if applicable): If prescribed, discuss with Dr. Arslan before stopping — continuation is usually fine but some cases require a brief pause.
- Avoid blood-thinning supplements: Stop fish oil, vitamin E, ginkgo, aspirin (unless prescribed for cardiac reasons) 2 weeks before surgery.
- Stop smoking: Smoking reduces blood circulation to the scalp, affecting graft survival. Ideally stop 2 weeks before; minimum 3 days before surgery.
- Confirm time off work: Most patients need 4–7 days in Istanbul plus a short recovery window at home before returning to normal activity — block this out now so surgery day isn't rushed by other commitments.
1 Week Before Surgery
- No alcohol: Alcohol thins the blood and affects anaesthetic response. Avoid entirely for 7 days before surgery.
- Avoid scalp products: No minoxidil, no styling products, no harsh shampoos on the donor or recipient zones for the week before surgery.
- Do not cut your hair: Leave donor and recipient zones at their natural length. Do not shave or trim unless specifically instructed by Dr. Arslan's team.
- Stay well hydrated: Drink plenty of water in the days before surgery. Good hydration supports healing and makes the local anaesthetic more comfortable to administer.
Day Before Surgery
- Wash your hair: Wash with a mild shampoo the evening before — no conditioner. Do not apply any styling products afterwards.
- Good sleep: Aim for 7–8 hours. Surgery begins in the morning; a rested patient responds better to local anaesthesia.
- Comfortable clothing: Prepare a button-front or zip shirt for the day of surgery — no pullovers that need to go over your head.
- Light meal: A light breakfast is recommended the morning of surgery. Do not arrive on an empty stomach.
- Confirm your pickup time: Reconfirm your transfer and consultation time with the clinic team the evening before, so there is no uncertainty about timing the next morning.
Morning of Surgery — Your Pre-Operative Consultation
Your first in-person meeting with Dr. Arslan takes place on the morning of surgery, not weeks before — the technique and graft estimate from your photograph assessment are confirmed and finalised at this session. He examines your donor density and scalp directly, designs your hairline and density plan by hand, and reviews it with you before anything is marked. Pre-operative photographs are taken from multiple angles for your medical record and for later comparison against your results. Blood tests are taken at this stage if your medical history calls for them, and you sign your consent form once every question has been answered. Only then does the team move to needle-free anaesthesia and the start of surgery.
Travel Preparation
- VIP transfer from Istanbul Airport or your hotel is included — provide your flight details in advance.
- Arrive the evening before surgery where possible — most patients fly in Sunday for a Monday procedure, giving you time to settle in before your pre-operative consultation.
- Comfortable, non-tight clothing for the journey home after surgery (4–7 days post-op typically).
- A wide-brimmed sun hat or baseball cap for the return journey — to protect the scalp from direct sun.
- Bring any prescribed medications with you and inform Dr. Arslan's team in advance.
- Mention any allergies — including to plasters, antiseptics or anaesthetic agents — before you travel, not on the morning of surgery.
- If you take daily medication on a fixed schedule, pack enough for your entire stay plus a few extra days in case of travel delays.
