DHI Hair Transplant Technique, Everything You Need To Know!

Some people may prefer to get hair transplantation to compensate for baldness and excessive hair loss caused by health or genetic issues. Hair transplants have recently proven their effectiveness in replacing the lost hair.

Initially, hair transplant operations were complex and yielded unsatisfactory results, but thanks to the continuous advancement of aesthetic medicine, experts have developed modern techniques with a high degree of accuracy, such as the DHI technique, also known as the Choi pen, which is considered one of the most famous and successful hair transplant techniques without requiring surgery.

In this article, we will go over:

• Hair transplantation
• Advantages of DHI technology
• Disadvantages of the DHI technique
• DHI hair transplant steps

What is hair transplantation?

Medicinal intervention may frequently fail to solve hair loss problems or hair regrowth in cases of baldness, so many people, both men, and women, resort to hair transplantation as the best and most permanent solution in such cases.

Hair transplantation is typically performed by transferring hair follicles from a densely-haired area of the body to a hairless area.

Hair transplantation with DHI technique (Choi pen)

Choi pen technology (DHI) is an abbreviation for the term Direct hair implantation, which means direct hair transplantation. It is one of the most recent and effective hair transplantation techniques.

The DHI hair transplantation technique is a modification and development of the original FUE technique, in which the surgeon manually opens channels in the scalp and then implants hair follicles in the desired location. In contrast, Choi pens are used in the modern DHI technique, which is a specialized tool that can do both things at the same time easily and accurately, thus direct hair transplantation.

How does DHI hair transplantation – with Choi Pens work?

The hair transplantation technique with Choi pens is based on the extraction process, in which the surgeon extracts hair follicles using Choi pens from a part of the scalp, usually the back of the head, where hair follicles are denser, and then implants the follicles that he extracted in the bald areas. This process is repeated for each follicle, whether in the front of the head or on the sides.

This technique is considered an alternative to surgery because it does not use a scalpel but rather Choi pens, which are pen-shaped with a hollow needle on one end.

What are the advantages of DHI hair transplantation?

• Long life of the follicle: The speed with which the bulbs are separated and planted using Choi pens extends the bulb’s life because it is not exposed to atmospheric factors and germs.
• The non-use of the surgical scalpel in the transplant process: leads to the absence of bleeding during the formation of the receiving area. That makes it the best choice for diabetics and those suffering from blood thinners.
• DHI technique does not need a long recovery period: the necessary rest period does not exceed a week. And then you can return to your normal work and routine.
• The shaving head is not required: Shaving hair is one of the most important things that make many hesitate to perform the transplant, especially women who want to keep their hair and feel shy to appear in public without hair.
• Low cost compared to other techniques: High cost is one of the most important reasons that prevent people from performing hair transplantation, but DHI hair transplantation is relatively low if compared to the cost of other techniques.
• Flexibility: The possibility of hair transplantation in areas other than the scalp, such as the face, mustache, and eyebrows.
• Maintaining a 100% natural appearance: Everyone who wants to undergo a hair transplant is concerned about the appearance of an unnatural appearance.  Using the DHI technique, the transplanted hair will grow and appear completely natural.

What are the disadvantages of DHI hair transplantation?

It can’t be said that there are no side effects or disadvantages of DHI technology, everything in life has its pros and cons. The disadvantages of the DHI technique are as follows:

• The DHI technique for hair transplantation needs extreme accuracy: so it must be performed by an experienced and highly skilled doctor in order to ensure the success of the process and not to cause any complications for you.
• Some complications can occur, but rarely: such as inflammation and infection in the receiving area or the formation of a blood pool in the form of red dots in the areas of hair transplantation

What are the steps of DHI hair transplantation? 

First Step: Before the operation 

Before scheduling the operation, the doctor performs a number of tests and analyzes, such as:

• A complete blood test that includes the number of red and white cells, as well as the number of platelets
• Coagulation factors to ensure the patient’s health
• Examinations to ensure that the patient is free of chronic diseases that could prevent him from performing a hair transplant.

The doctor also gives the patient a number of instructions to do before the operation, such as stopping smoking for about two weeks before the operation, because smoking causes hypoxia in the blood and a lack of tissue nutrition. And stop using medications that cause blood thinners.

Second step: During the operation

First, the doctor sterilizes the donor and recipient areas; despite its simplicity, this step is critical to prevent germs from spreading and infections from occurring. The local anesthesia phase then begins, ensuring the patient’s comfort and preventing him from feeling pain.

Then the doctor plans the receiving area to be transplanted and determines the follicles that will be removed from the donor area.  Then, through the use of a very fine needle, the doctor opens places to receive the slices in the receiving area and then transfers the slice that includes a number of follicles from the donor area and implants it directly in the receiving area using a Choi pen.  The doctor repeats this process until the hair transplantation process is fully completed.

Step Three: Post-Operation

The recovery period after a DHI hair transplant procedure does not exceed a week.  Where it is possible to leave the center immediately after covering the scalp with gauze in order to protect the scalp.  In the first week, the transplanted area should be sprayed with cold saline water, while adhering to the medications prescribed by the doctor, such as antibiotics and anti-inflammatories.

If the scalp is taken care of as recommended by the doctor, results will begin to appear about a month after the operation. Hair growth will be observed naturally and the hair will begin to cover places that have been suffering from a lack of hair density or baldness.

Cases that are suitable for DHI hair transplantation

The DHI technique is appropriate for people who have baldness and alopecia, who have hair loss and are unable to perform hair transplantation surgically due to the high cost, or who want to return to their daily lives as soon as possible after the operation.

DHI technology is also an excellent option for people with diabetes, immunodeficiency, or an excess of blood thinners, as traditional methods with these conditions can result in serious complications.

DHI technology is also ideal for people who have lost their hair due to the weakness of the tissues in these affected areas and their inability to receive transplanted hair.

Cost of DHI hair transplantation

The cost of hair transplantation with Choi pens or the DHI technique varies according to:

• The size of the treatment area varies.
• The difference in the number of transplanted follicles
• The center, where descends from one crack to another based on the doctor’s fee

This technique can reduce cultivation costs by up to 5% when compared to other methods.

In conclusion, Turkey is one of the leading countries in hair transplantation. Where the centers compete to provide the latest technologies that give lasting and guaranteed results, with a natural appearance.

At EstePol Hair Center, we are keen to provide full care during a hair transplant. From the moment you communicate with us, our doctors and Dr. Amina Karabash, who won the award for the best hair transplant specialist in Turkey in 2016, will help you and provide important tips and guidance for the pre-and post-operative process to ensure the best results.