My Hair Transplant Day
Your surgery day, from the morning consultation to your first night at the hotel.
- 3 stops
- 9 tasks
- 4 patients a day, at most
Your surgery day, morning to night
Ticks are saved in this browser only. PDF journal
Designing My Hairline
On the morning of surgery you meet your doctor, agree your hairline, give a blood sample and sign your consent.
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Step 1
Consultation
Meet your doctor and talk through your goals, your photos and your graft plan.
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Step 2
Hairline drawn together
Your doctor draws the line on your forehead. You check it in the mirror and agree it before anything starts.
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Step 3
Blood test
A quick blood sample confirms you are ready for surgery today.
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Step 4
Consent
You read and sign your consent form. Ask anything that is not clear first.
What matters to me
Tick what matters most and send it before your consultation, so your doctor plans around it.
Send to my doctorQuestions to ask your surgeon on the day
1 Who designs my hairline, and who places the grafts?
How we answer
Your doctor draws your hairline with you at the mirror and leads the procedure.
2 How many grafts are planned, and how will I see the count?
How we answer
Your plan is confirmed in the morning. The count runs live on screen, and you leave with a printed record and a video.
3 Which areas are treated today, and what is kept for later?
How we answer
Your doctor shows which areas are covered now and how much donor hair stays in reserve for the future.
4 What will I feel, and can I take a break?
How we answer
Local anaesthesia numbs the scalp, IV sedation is available under the anaesthesia team's care, and breaks are planned through the day.
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My Transplant Day
Your surgery takes about 6 to 8 hours, depending on your graft plan. The team plans breaks, and your graft count is shown live on screen.
Stage 1 of 9 · Morning
Consultation
Meet your doctor and talk through your goals.
How it feels Calm. You have had a light breakfast and wear a button-up top.
Stage 2 of 9 · Morning
Hairline design
Your hairline is drawn and agreed together in the mirror.
How it feels You approve the line before anything starts.
Stage 3 of 9 · Morning
Blood test & consent
A blood sample and your signed consent form.
How it feels A quick pinch for the blood sample.
Stage 4 of 9 · Morning
Comfort set-up
Local anaesthesia, with IV sedation under the anaesthesia team's care.
How it feels A short sting, then the scalp goes numb.
Stage 5 of 9 · Midday
Extraction
Follicles are taken from the donor area. The live counter starts.
How it feels Pressure, tugging and vibration at the back of the head. Music or a film helps the time pass.
Stage 6 of 9 · Midday
Lunch break
A planned pause to eat, stretch and rest.
How it feels A welcome break. Walk around, eat, check your phone.
Stage 7 of 9 · Afternoon
Implantation
Grafts are placed with Robotic DHI.
How it feels Almost nothing; the scalp is fully numb. Ask for a break at any time.
Stage 8 of 9 · Evening
Final count
Your graft number on screen, on paper and on video.
How it feels Relief. You see the number you received.
Stage 9 of 9 · Evening
Back to the hotel
With your forehead band, neck pillow and aftercare kit.
How it feels Tired, with a feeling of tightness. That is normal.
Today is your surgery day: the slider follows the clock.
Morning
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08:00
Consultation
Meet your doctor and talk through your goals.
How it feels Calm. You have had a light breakfast and wear a button-up top.
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09:00
Hairline design
Your hairline is drawn and agreed together in the mirror.
How it feels You approve the line before anything starts.
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09:45
Blood test & consent
A blood sample and your signed consent form.
How it feels A quick pinch for the blood sample.
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10:15
Comfort set-up
Local anaesthesia, with IV sedation under the anaesthesia team's care.
How it feels A short sting, then the scalp goes numb.
Midday
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10:30
Extraction
Follicles are taken from the donor area. The live counter starts.
How it feels Pressure, tugging and vibration at the back of the head. Music or a film helps the time pass.
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13:00
Lunch break
A planned pause to eat, stretch and rest.
How it feels A welcome break. Walk around, eat, check your phone.
Afternoon
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13:45
Implantation
Grafts are placed with Robotic DHI.
How it feels Almost nothing; the scalp is fully numb. Ask for a break at any time.
Evening
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17:00
Final count
Your graft number on screen, on paper and on video.
How it feels Relief. You see the number you received.
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17:30
Back to the hotel
With your forehead band, neck pillow and aftercare kit.
How it feels Tired, with a feeling of tightness. That is normal.
Times are a typical day. Your team confirms your own schedule in the morning.
My graft record
Every graft is counted three ways, so you always know the number you received.
- On screen A live counter you can follow during surgery.
- On paper A printed record with your name, your doctor and the total.
- On video Your surgery is filmed, and the video is yours.
Copy it into your journal: graft record page in the PDF.
Does It Hurt?
Our patients rate a hair transplant 0.5 out of 10 on average once the scalp is numb. The numbing injections are the only sharp moment, at 3.6 out of 10, and they take 3 to 8 minutes in total.
How it feels, moment by moment
0 means nothing at all. 10 means the worst pain you can imagine. Scores from 212 of our patients.
First numbing injections
Average score3.6 / 10
Rated it 0–234% of patients
- What it feels like
- A sharp sting that fades in 10 to 20 seconds.
- What we do
- Needle-free option for the first stage, slow injections, sedation if you feel anxious.
Extraction
Average score0.6 / 10
Rated it 0–296% of patients
- What it feels like
- Pressure, tugging and vibration at the back of the head.
- What we do
- Breaks whenever you ask. Music or a film.
Implantation
Average score0.3 / 10
Rated it 0–298% of patients
- What it feels like
- Almost nothing; the scalp is fully numb.
- What we do
- Top-up numbing if you feel anything sharp.
First night
Average score1.8 / 10
Rated it 0–279% of patients
- What it feels like
- Soreness and tightness, mostly at the donor area.
- What we do
- Pain reliever as prescribed, 45° sleep, cold gel pack on the temples.
Day 3
Average score1.2 / 10
Rated it 0–288% of patients
- What it feels like
- Pressure at the forehead as swelling peaks; itching starts.
- What we do
- Band, gel pack and your aftercare kit.
Day 7
Average score0.3 / 10
Rated it 0–299% of patients
- What it feels like
- Mild tenderness at the donor area when pressed.
- What we do
- Usually nothing needed.
See all scores as a table
| Moment | Average score | Rated it 0–2 | What it feels like | What we do |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First numbing injections | 3.6 / 10 | 34% | A sharp sting that fades in 10 to 20 seconds. | Needle-free option for the first stage, slow injections, sedation if you feel anxious. |
| Extraction | 0.6 / 10 | 96% | Pressure, tugging and vibration at the back of the head. | Breaks whenever you ask. Music or a film. |
| Implantation | 0.3 / 10 | 98% | Almost nothing; the scalp is fully numb. | Top-up numbing if you feel anything sharp. |
| First night | 1.8 / 10 | 79% | Soreness and tightness, mostly at the donor area. | Pain reliever as prescribed, 45° sleep, cold gel pack on the temples. |
| Day 3 | 1.2 / 10 | 88% | Pressure at the forehead as swelling peaks; itching starts. | Band, gel pack and your aftercare kit. |
| Day 7 | 0.3 / 10 | 99% | Mild tenderness at the donor area when pressed. | Usually nothing needed. |
What our patients told us
- 0.9 / 10 on day 1 for Robotic DHI patients who chose needle-free numbing.
- 87% said surgery hurt less than they expected.
- Day 5 after which most patients needed no pain reliever.
- 0 patients stopped surgery because of pain.
Pain above 5 that your pain reliever does not ease is not normal. Message the clinic.
Patient-reported scores from 212 patients treated at Dr. Terziler Exclusive Clinic between January 2025 and September 2026. Procedure moments were rated the day after surgery; recovery days were rated on the day itself during WhatsApp follow-up. Clinic data, not a peer-reviewed study. Everyone feels pain differently; your doctor adjusts numbing and breaks to you.
How Robotic DHI Works
Robotic DHI is direct hair implantation with robotic control of angle and depth. Dr. Servet Terziler invented the Robotic DHI machine. Picasso Robotic DHI adds a hairline he draws by hand and a 0.70 mm implanter pen.
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Step 1
Extract
Follicles are taken one by one from the donor area at the back of the head.
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Step 2
Load the implanter
Each graft is loaded into a fine DHI implanter pen, so it spends as little time as possible outside the body.
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Step 3
Implant
The robot guides the planned angle and depth, so every graft follows the natural direction of your hair.
Boutique & Sterilization
We treat up to 4 patients a day, sterilise with UV and ozone, and record your graft count on screen, on paper and on video.
My First Night
Sleep semi-upright at 45° for the first 3 nights, cool your temples with the gel pack and do not touch the grafts.
10 minutes, every hour
On your temples, never on the grafts. Repeat every hour until bedtime.
Tonight's log Tick each hour you have done.
Do
- Sleep at 45° with two pillows and the neck pillow
- Cold gel pack on your temples, 10 minutes every hour
- Drink 3 litres of water a day for 5 days
- Take your medicines as prescribed
- Keep your seat belt on and let someone else drive
Don't
- Touch the grafts, or let anyone else touch them
- Bend forward or lift heavy things
- Look down at your phone. Hold it at eye level
- Alcohol, tobacco, salty, spicy or fried food for 5 days
What is normal tonight?
- A feeling of pressure in the head
- A little pinkish discharge
Tomorrow is your dressing day. Come to the clinic at your scheduled time and leave the donor bandage to us.
Dear Guest,
The service we provide is not limited to a single operation; it is a journey to open a brand-new chapter in your life. We are a team passionate about our work, paying attention to every detail with utmost care.
Our goal is not only a physical transformation, but to help you feel stronger, happier and more confident when you look in the mirror. Remember, you are not alone. We will stay in touch and be by your side every step of the way.
Thank you for trusting us with this new beginning.
With my warmest regards,
Dr. Servet Terziler Founder, Dr. Terziler Exclusive Clinic
P.S. Tonight, sleep at 45° and let the gel pack do its job. I will see you tomorrow.
During My Surgery journal
Your day step by step, a hairline sketch page, your graft record, a comfort scale and the cold-pack log. Print it and keep it with you.
Medically reviewed by
Dr. Servet TerzilerAACI-accredited surgeon, inventor of the Robotic DHI machine, founder and president of TÜSATDER, ISHRS workshop alumnus (34.55 AMA PRA Category 1 credits), and the surgeon internationally referred to as the "Picasso of Hair."
Last medically reviewed:
This page is written according to current clinical practice and reviewed by licensed hair transplant surgeon Dr. Servet Terziler. Patient-reported pain scores (n=212, January 2025 to September 2026) are used where cited.This guide is general information; the plan your doctor gives you always comes first.
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