Istanbul technique. London aftercare.

Two reasons. Our overhead is East London, not W1 — Harley Street rents are five times ours. And our technique team is Turkish-trained — the same surgeons and technicians who'd charge two-thirds less in Istanbul charge UK rates with us, but we don't pad costs with central-London real estate. Same surgical standard. Lower fixed costs.

Honestly — if cost is the only factor, Turkey is cheaper. The trade-offs are: flying with a fresh transplant (uncomfortable, slightly higher infection risk), follow-up access (if something doesn't heal right at month 3, you can't easily fly back), and regulatory protection (if anything goes wrong, you're navigating Turkish law, not UK law). For some patients those trade-offs are fine. For others, paying a bit more to stay in London is worth it.

The consultation is exactly for this question. Good candidates typically have: stable hair loss (not actively progressing), good donor density on the back and sides of the scalp, and realistic expectations. We turn down patients regularly — under-25s with progressing loss, very advanced Norwood 6–7 patterns without enough donor, or anyone whose goals can't be met with available grafts. Better to hear no upfront than be disappointed in a year.

The local anaesthetic injections at the start are the only really painful part. Once the scalp is numb (about 15–20 minutes), you'll feel pressure and movement but no sharp pain. Most patients watch films, read, or talk through it. Day 2–4 post-procedure can feel tight and tender, similar to mild sunburn — manageable with over-the-counter pain relief.

Realistic timeline: weeks 2–6 — transplanted hairs shed (this is normal, expected, and not a complication). Month 3–4 — new growth starts. Month 6 — visible density returning. Month 9–12 — final result, full density. Month 12–18 — texture and styling improvements continue. If anyone promises faster, they're misleading you.

Most office workers can return after 7–10 days when the visible scabs have shed. Visible swelling typically lasts 3–5 days. If you're customer-facing or photographed for work, plan for two weeks. Heavy gym work and contact sports should wait 3–4 weeks. We'll give you a detailed timeline at consultation.

The transplanted hairs are permanent — they're taken from the genetically resistant donor area and keep that resistance for life. However, your existing native hair can continue thinning around them, especially in young patients with progressing loss. Many patients use medication to protect their remaining native hair after transplant. We'll discuss whether that's right for you at consultation.

Yes — we offer interest-free 0% finance over 6 or 12 months for eligible procedures, subject to credit approval through our finance partner. Larger procedures can be split over 24 or 36 months with interest. We'll talk through options at consultation if you'd like — no commitment.

We assess female pattern hair loss and offer transplants where appropriate — though many women benefit more from PRP, medication or other approaches first; see our hair loss treatments for the full range. The pattern of female hair loss is different (diffuse rather than receding) and not every woman is a transplant candidate. A consultation — which carries no fee — is the right starting point.