DHI Hair Transplant (Direct Hair Implantation) Technique

DHI Hair Transplant (Direct Hair Implantation), also known as DHT (Direct Hair Transport) is a technique that is developed to minimize the transport duration between a collection of grafts and implantation. In this technique, the hair grafts are extracted smoothly and individually from the collection site with the help of micro punches and planted in the hairless area. There are many different aspects that determine the survival rate of the collected grafts. Researchers observed that these factors improved if the graft’s transit duration was reduced. Therefore, in 2013 a group of researchers modified the FUE technique that the individual grafts are implanted right after they are collected. Since then, some calls this “a new method” and others call it “a modification or subtype of the FUE method”.

Are you aware that more than 56 million people are dealing with hair loss worldwide? It’s a fact that you might have to deal either with baldness or a receding hairline at some point in your life. The reason is that you have not given much importance to the early signs of hair fall (losing more than 80-100 strands a day) for the last few years.

When your hair starts to thin or fall out, you start losing confidence, and your self-esteem begins to suffer. All you want to do is understand the root cause and find an appropriate solution in this situation. With the technological advancement in the hair care industry, there are many ways to curb hair loss and take a proactive approach to improve your condition. One of the most effective methods to solve thinning hair is hair transplantation- a surgical procedure wherein hair follicles are taken from the donor area and grafted on the recipient area (where the hairline is receding or thinning). It’s a permanent solution that helps patients to regain their lost hair without any side effects.

By 2023, the global market of hair transplants is expected to value at USD 23,881.9 million. The boost in the market is due to the use of advanced procedures like the DHI hair transplant. This procedure aims to enhance the quality of hair transplantation, provide a better look, and ensure a smoother and quick recovery.

Who Can Go for DHI Procedure?

  • DHI hair transplant works well for people facing androgenic alopecia (male or female pattern hair loss).
  • Only people above 25 can opt for the procedure.
  • People with thick hair will get good results as compared to people with thin hair.
  • People should have more than 40 follicles per square centimeter.
  • People with light hair often achieve the best DHI hair transplant results.

The DHI Method with Choi Implanter Pen

In the DHI method, the collected hair follicles are transplanted with a special device that is called Choi Implanter Pen. Therefore, sometimes people refer to the DHI method as the Choi pen method. Choi Implanter Pen is the original device that is developed by Kyungpook National University in Korea. At first, it was not very widely received by the hair transplantation community due to taking a significant amount of time. However, some surgeons prefer to use this pen due to their increased control over the angle of grafts that are going to be implemented. CHOI pen has a needle that is between 0.5-1.5mm in size. The size of the needle is chosen by the surgeon according to the hair features of the patient. After being collected the grafts are loaded into this pen. Both canal opening and implementation are carried out with this pen.

Stages of DHI Hair Transplantation

DHI Hair transplantation steps are very similar to FUE hair transplantation except for the site creation and graft implantation is performed simultaneously. DHI Hair Transplantation steps can be summed up as follows:

1. Consultation

In this stage patient is physically examined by a doctor. This doctor determines the final hair transplantation plan and hairline design. Some physical and oral examinations are held. In this stage, the doctor can tell you if the DHI method is suitable for the expected results. Blood is taken and sent to the laboratory for the necessary tests. These tests ensure that the patient does not have any medical conditions that prevent him from having surgery.

2. Anesthesia of DHI Hair Transplant

Before anesthesia normally preparation step involves hair-cutting but in the DHI method this is optional. The transplantation site is disinfected. This step takes about 30 minutes. Then, local anesthesia is administered either by needle or needleless (if the patient prefers needle-free Painless Anesthesia Comfort in the system, he will receive virtually no pain during the process.)

3. Extraction

In this step, a device called micromotor is used to collect hair grafts. Unlike the other hair transplantation techniques, there is not a step involving canal opening. These grafts are immediately suitable for transplantation. The collected grafts are examined under the microscope and are grouped according to how many follicles they have.

4. Implementation

The hairs are placed and planted to the receiving site by the use of a Choi Implanter Pen. This pen can both open the canal and transplants the hair.

5. Post-Operative Procedures

PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) procedure (which strengthens the hair follicles) and the wound dressings are applied.

6. Post-Operative Hair Wash

During 30 days after the surgery, the hair should be washed according to the appropriate conditions. After 10 days the crust will be gone and will accelerate the process.

Differences Between DHI and Sapphire FUE Techniques

The choose of hair transplantation technique depends on many factors such as the number of grafts needed, cost, recovery time, etc. Therefore, when comparing DHI vs Sapphire FUE, telling one method is superior to others will not be completely true. Moreover, many centers using the FUE technique, use different devices which effects the result. The most advanced type of FUE is sapphire blade FUE which uses sapphire blades to open canals.

These blades cause less scarring and a more natural look than steel blades using FUE methods. In DHI method instead of blades, CHOI implementer pen is used.The main difference between the two methods is; during the hair transplantation operation canal opening is not a separate stage in DHI and it is performed right after the extraction phase. However, if a person needs more than 4000 grafts of transplantation, the DHI method cannot be used in one operation. The main advantage of DHI is it has a faster recovery period and no scarring. In the Sapphire FUE method, if the donor area is suitable, the maximum number of grafts can be implemented.

Advantages and Disadvantages of DHI Technique

Like all the different hair transplantation technique DHI method has its own advantages and disadvantages. Some advantages of DHI;

  • Faster recovery period.
  • No scarring.
  • High-density follicle transplantation.
  • No shaving necessary.

Some disadvantages of DHI;

  • Maximum 4000 graft in a single session.
  • High cost.
  • A significant amount of time during operation.
  • Since the learning curve of the DHI technique requires more time, if the person making the DHI hair transplant does not have enough experience, Choi may damage the ends and other hair follicles.

DHI Hair Transplantation Recovery and Results

The recovery time is very short after the DHI method. Patients can continue their routine life after the operation. The results start to show after 6 months following the operation. Usually, the hair on top of the roots that are planted with the process starts to fall off after 2 weeks to 2,5 months, and after 3 months the newly transplanted hair starts to grow. All kinds of hairdressing services should be postponed for 6 months. Our patients have outstanding results. As EsteNove, we are happy to answer all your questions about hair transplant or DHI Turkey applications.