DHI hair transplant in Turkey
Choi pen: direct implantation, with no pre-made incisions
Up to 70% savings compared with the UK
Specialist surgeons, natural and dense results
English-speaking support and follow-up from start to finish
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DHI
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Get back a fuller head of hair with DHI
Your DHI transplant in Turkey, in the hands of surgeons who specialise in the Choi pen, with up to 70% savings.
Why choose Body Expert?
Our accreditations
Our patients talk about us
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Ronan's - Dorian's
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Your DHI transplant plan, shall we talk it through?
Our English-speaking coordinators build your personal DHI treatment plan, with a detailed quote within 24h.
Who is DHI for?
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DHI for menA receding hairline, a thinning vertex (the crown of the head): DHI is built for exactly these cases. The Choi pen rebuilds a believable hairline, follicle by follicle, which is why it is often chosen for the areas everyone sees.
- DHI for women
DHI has one advantage women particularly value: it can often be done without shaving. A real plus when you want to thicken thinning hair without anyone noticing a thing when you get back.
- Androgenetic alopecia
This is the most common cause of hair loss, in men and women alike. The Choi pen restores the frontal areas and the vertex with precise control over the implantation angle, for a natural look even on the spots most on show.
- Scars and traction alopecia
Scars on the scalp, areas damaged by hairstyles worn too tight (what is known as traction alopecia): the Choi pen implants into fragile tissue where the work is more delicate. The precision of the tool makes all the difference.
FAQ: your questions about DHI
What exactly is the DHI technique?
DHI (Direct Hair Implantation) borrows the same principle as the FUE technique for extracting grafts, but changes the way they go back in completely. Instead of cutting incisions in the scalp and then placing the follicles, the surgeon uses a Choi pen that opens the channel and implants the graft in a single move. The upshot: less time out of the body for the follicles, and full control over the angle, depth and direction of every hair that goes in.
What regrowth rate can you expect with DHI?
Lee et al. (2001) reported a hair survival rate of around 90% at 12 months with a Korean implanter, the family of tools the Choi pen belongs to. Time outside the body also plays a part, as grafts can be loaded into the Choi pen and implanted without waiting for a full set of pre-made incisions. The result also depends, of course, on following the aftercare our team talks you through before you leave.
How long does the procedure take?
Allow 8 to 10 hours for a session of 2000 to 3000 grafts. It is longer than a standard FUE because each follicle is implanted one at a time with the Choi pen. For cases that need more grafts, the operation can run over two consecutive days.
Does DHI let you avoid shaving?
Yes, and it is one of its biggest advantages. The Choi pen can place grafts between existing hairs without shaving the recipient area. This option is in high demand among women, and anyone who wants a no-shave transplant so they can get back to normal life quickly.
When do you see results?
You will need some patience. The implanted hairs fall out within 2 to 4 weeks, which is expected. Shock loss is different: a temporary thinning of native hair around the treated area, and it does not affect every patient. Regrowth starts around the 3rd to 4th month. Results become genuinely visible by the 6th month, and the final density settles in between the 12th and 18th month.
Does DHI leave scars?
Scarring is minimal. In the donor area, you get the same tiny dots as with FUE, invisible once the hair grows back. In the recipient area, the Choi pen leaves only a tiny puncture for each graft, not a strip scar.
Is DHI suitable for women?
It is often the technique of choice for a female hair transplant, precisely because it can be done without shaving. It works well for diffuse thinning, sparse temples or a receding hairline.
DHI or FUE: how do you know which to choose?
Put simply: DHI is at its best on the frontal areas and smaller zones that need density. FUE is still more efficient for covering large areas of the scalp. Some protocols actually combine the two. Our article DHI vs FUE sets out all the differences. During your free consultation, our surgeons point you towards the technique that suits your case best.
Let’s discuss your project
DHI hair transplant in Turkey: what to know before you go ahead
Hair loss, whether it creeps up slowly or arrives all at once, is rarely just a cosmetic annoyance. For a lot of people it chips away at how they see themselves, and it gets in the way day to day. If you are reading this page, chances are you have already thought about a hair transplant and the DHI technique has caught your eye.
You are right to dig into it. DHI (Direct Hair Implantation) is not a marketing label: it is a real step forward in hair restoration, built for more precision and a more natural finish. And having it done in Turkey with Body Expert gives you that technology in a rigorous medical setting, with substantial savings against UK prices.
Demand for hair transplants has never been higher, driven by finer techniques and results that are hard to tell apart from a natural head of hair. DHI is a clear example of that shift, and it is now one of the most sought-after methods in Istanbul.
The Choi pen: what makes DHI different
DHI shares the same extraction method as the FUE technique: the grafts (the follicles, meaning the living roots of the hair) are taken one by one from the donor area with a micro-punch. What comes next, though, changes everything.
One tool, two moves in one
With standard FUE, the surgeon first makes micro-incisions in the area to be treated, then places the grafts. Two separate stages, and in between, the follicles wait outside the body. With DHI, the Choi pen combines those two moves: it pierces the scalp and sets down the graft in the same motion. Because there is no separate incision stage, grafts do not have to wait for a full grid of slits to be cut before they go in. How long they stay out of the body still depends on the team’s workflow. That time matters: the shorter it is, the better the graft’s chances of taking (Sethi & Bansal, 2013).
In practical terms, the Choi pen looks like a long pen fitted with a hollow needle sized to the graft. The surgeon loads the follicle into the tool, picks the angle to match the natural lie of the hair, sets the depth, then implants. Several pens run in parallel during the operation, reloaded continuously by the team.
The Choi pen is especially useful where placement has to be precise, on the hairline and the crown, because the surgeon controls the angle and depth of each graft as it goes in. A decisive advantage for a natural result.
Larger areas FUE and DHI: the practical comparison
| Criterion | Larger areas FUE | DHI (Choi pen) |
| Number of steps | 3 (extraction, incisions, implantation) | 2 (extraction, direct implantation) |
| Implantation tool | Forceps | Choi pen |
| Typical use | Larger areas | Hairline and targeted zones |
| Time the graft is out of the body | Grafts wait while slits are made | No separate slit stage |
| No-shave transplant | Difficult | Possible |
| Procedure time | 8 to 10h | 8 to 10h |
| Follicle survival rate | High when grafts are handled well | High when grafts are handled well |
To go further with this comparison, our dedicated article lays it all out: DHI or FUE, how to choose your transplant technique?
How a DHI transplant works at Body Expert
Before you travel: the remote consultation
It all starts with a conversation with our medical team. You send photos of your scalp, and our surgeons assess how far your alopecia has progressed, the density of your donor area and how many grafts you will need. You get back a detailed quote and a treatment plan built around you.
The big day in Istanbul
The procedure takes place under local anaesthetic, in our partner clinic in Istanbul. Once it has taken effect, the area itself is numb. The surgeon starts by harvesting follicles from the occipital area, at the back of the head, where the hair naturally resists falling out. He sorts them under a microscope, then keeps them in a nutrient solution while the implantation is prepared.
Then comes the work with the Choi pen. Single-hair grafts are kept for the hairline, to recreate that slight irregularity that separates a good transplant from one that shows. Grafts of two or three hairs add density to the rest. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), drawn from your own blood, can complete the transplant to support follicle survival and healing, on your surgeon’s recommendation.
Allow 8 to 10 hours for the procedure for 2000 to 3000 grafts. The Body Expert package includes a number of grafts matched to your needs, with no nasty surprises on the bill.
After the transplant: what to really expect
The first two weeks
Redness, mild swelling, a tender scalp: all of this is normal and eases off within a few days. Small crusts form around the grafts, then drop off on their own in 7 to 10 days. Through this phase, it is better to sleep on your back, stay out of the sun and follow the post-transplant shampooing routine our team gives you before you leave.
Shedding (weeks 2 to 4)
The transplanted hairs fall out. That is expected: the follicles go into a resting phase before starting a new growth cycle. Shock loss is different, a temporary thinning of native hair around the treated area, and it does not happen to everyone. Both are documented stages of the cycle, not a sign that the transplant has failed.
Regrowth (months 3 to 18)
The first fine hairs show up around the 3rd or 4th month. The real change shows from the 6th month: density builds, the hairs thicken. The final result is there to judge between 12 and 18 months after the procedure. Every month brings its share of progress. To follow this in pictures, take a look at our page on hair transplant results over time.
The cost of a DHI transplant: why Turkey changes the maths
In the UK, a DHI transplant is a serious expense, often out of reach the moment the procedure calls for a lot of grafts or spreads over two days. It is one of the reasons so many patients look towards Istanbul.
In Turkey, the sums work out very differently. For an equivalent service, you make up to 70% savings against UK prices, without giving anything up on quality of care or the surgeon’s experience. The gap comes from lower running costs and a favourable exchange rate, not from a medical compromise.
At Body Expert, the DHI package covers the full procedure, a stay in a 5-star hotel with breakfast, all transfers in a private car (airport, hotel, clinic), an English-speaking assistant-interpreter and 12-month follow-up. You will find the full pricing in the price table higher up this page. For a figure matched to your profile, lean on our hair transplant cost page or ask for your free quote directly.
DHI calls for an experienced surgeon
Let us be plain: DHI is not within reach of every practitioner. Getting to grips with the Choi pen takes noticeably longer than standard FUE. The movement has to stay precise at every implantation, repeated thousands of times through the day without ever dropping in quality.
At Body Expert, our surgeons keep training as hair restoration moves on and work with the Choi pen every day. Our partner clinic in Istanbul is selected for its facilities and fitted with the latest equipment. It is that mix of skill and facilities that separates a good transplant from a disappointing one.
Whether you go for DHI, Sapphire FUE or standard FUE, our team steers you towards the technique that best fits your profile. And if you want to look deeper before deciding, our complete DHI transplant guide answers all your questions.
In summary
The DHI transplant, or direct hair implantation, rests on a precise tool, the Choi pen, which implants each follicle in a single move after extraction with a micro-punch. The result: no separate incision stage, and fine control over the growth angle of each graft. All of which explains its success on the hairline, the crown and, for women, the option of a transplant without shaving.
Having your DHI hair transplant in Turkey means reaching this technology in our partner clinic in Istanbul, selected for its facilities and its surgeons’ experience with the Choi pen. All for up to 70% savings against the UK, with no trade-off on quality. The first hairs grow back around the 3rd to 4th month, and the final result reveals itself between 12 and 18 months, with a hair survival rate of around 90% at 12 months (Lee et al., 2001).
What is left is knowing whether DHI is the right technique for your profile, and how many grafts to plan for. That is exactly what a personal assessment settles. Send your photos to our English-speaking coordinators: you will get your free quote within 24h, with no obligation, along with a clear treatment plan and the details of your stay in Istanbul.
Sources and references
- Sethi, P., & Bansal, A. (2013). Direct hair transplantation: A modified follicular unit extraction technique. Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, 6(2), 100-105. https://doi.org/10.4103/0974-2077.112672
- Lee, S. J., Lee, H. J., Hwang, S. J., Kim, D. W., Jun, J. B., Chung, S. L., & Kim, J. C. (2001). Evaluation of survival rate after follicular unit transplantation using the KNU implanter. Dermatologic Surgery, 27(8), 716-720. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11493294/
- Bansal, A., Sethi, P., Kumar, A., Sahoo, A. K., & Das, P. (2019). Use of implanters in premade recipient sites for hair transplantation. Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, 12(4), 250-254. https://doi.org/10.4103/JCAS.JCAS_33_19
