This hair transplant FAQ collects the 20 questions Philadelphia patients ask us most often during consultations at our Old City clinic. Some are about candidacy and planning, some are about the day itself, and many are about recovery, results and cost. The answers below reflect how our team approaches each topic, with every treatment plan reviewed and overseen by Dr. Val Prokurat, MD. They are general answers, not a substitute for an examination, but they should help you arrive at your assessment with a clear picture and better questions.
We have grouped the questions by theme so you can jump to what matters most to you:
- Candidacy and planning: who is a good candidate and how plans are built.
- Techniques: FUE, FUT and the alternatives you may read about.
- Procedure day: what happens, how long it takes and how it feels.
- Recovery and results: downtime, shedding and when you see growth.
- Cost, booking and long-term care: pricing, financing and keeping your result.
Candidacy and Planning
1. Am I a good candidate for a hair transplant?
Good candidates usually have a recognizable pattern of hair loss, a healthy donor area at the back and sides of the head, and realistic expectations. Age, how quickly your loss is progressing, hair caliber and density all play a role. Some people are better served by medication or PRP first, and some by waiting until their pattern is clearer. Our detailed guide on candidacy by age and hair loss stage covers the common scenarios, but an in-person examination is the only way to know for sure.
2. How young is too young?
There is no fixed cutoff, but we are cautious with patients in their early 20s, especially when loss is fast and active. Transplanting a low hairline before the pattern is established can leave you with a result that looks out of place as native hair continues to thin. In many young patients, we recommend stabilizing with medical treatment, monitoring for a period, and planning conservatively. That approach usually protects both your appearance and your donor supply.
3. How many grafts will I need?
It depends on the size of the area, the density you want, your hair characteristics and your donor supply. Restoring a receding hairline might need far fewer grafts than covering the front, top and crown. Our guide to graft numbers by hair loss stage gives typical ranges. At your assessment, we explain how we arrived at your estimate.
4. Can women have hair transplants?
Yes. Women with certain patterns of thinning, a high hairline, traction alopecia or localized loss can be good candidates. Diffuse thinning across the whole scalp, including the donor area, can make transplantation less suitable, so diagnosis matters. Our female hair transplants include complimentary PRP.
Techniques and Options
5. What is the difference between FUE and FUT?
FUE removes individual follicular units from the donor area, leaving tiny dot scars that are easy to hide. FUT removes a thin strip of scalp, which is dissected into grafts, leaving a fine linear scar usually hidden by hair. FUE suits patients who want to wear their hair short; FUT can yield many grafts in one session. Our Philadelphia clinic offers both. See our FUE and FUT pages for a fuller comparison.
6. Do you offer DHI, robotic FUE or Sapphire FUE?
We offer DHI, as well as manual FUE using motorized handheld tools, with each graft extracted under direct visual control, and FUT. We do not offer robotic FUE, Sapphire FUE or PRF. In our experience, the quality of the plan and the experience of the team matter more than the branded instrument. If you are weighing those options elsewhere, ask what the instrument changes for your specific case.
7. Can you transplant hair to my beard or eyebrows?
Yes. Beard and eyebrow transplants use the same principles, with grafts selected and angled to match facial hair. Eyebrows in particular need fine single-hair grafts placed at very shallow angles. We assess facial hair cases at the same free assessment.
8. What is the Nova Medical FUE Protocol?
It is the set of standards our clinics follow for FUE: physician-reviewed plans, careful spacing of recipient sites and chilled storage of grafts while they are outside the body. The aim is consistency at every step. Ask us to walk you through it at your assessment.
Procedure Day
9. How long does the procedure take?
Most sessions take most of a day, depending on graft count and technique. Larger sessions take longer. You will have breaks, including time for lunch. A typical day includes a final review of your plan and hairline, numbing, extraction, a break, recipient site creation, placement and a walk-through of aftercare before you leave.
10. Does it hurt?
The procedure is done under local anesthesia. Most patients notice the numbing injections at the start, then feel pressure rather than pain. Many watch shows or listen to music. Afterward, tightness and soreness are common for a few days and are managed with the instructions and medication the clinic provides.
11. Who is involved in my procedure?
Dr. Val Prokurat, MD reviews and oversees your treatment plan, including hairline design and graft budgeting. A permanent in-house team of experienced technicians carries out extraction and placement. They work together every procedure day at our clinic and are not traveling contractors.
12. What should I do to prepare?
You will receive written instructions before your procedure. In general, we ask patients to share a full list of medications and supplements, avoid alcohol and smoking in the days before, get a good night's sleep and wear a button-up shirt so nothing pulls over your head afterward. Some medications may need to be paused; never stop a prescription without talking to your physician.
Recovery and Results
13. How much time off work will I need?
Many patients with office jobs return within a few days to a week. Redness and scabbing are visible for roughly the first week to 10 days, so some people prefer to take longer. Physical work and strenuous exercise usually need more time. Our recovery page sets out the typical stages.
14. Why is my new hair falling out?
Shedding of transplanted hairs between weeks 2 and 6 is a normal part of the process. The follicles remain under the skin, rest, and then begin producing new hair. It can be unsettling, but it is expected.
15. When will I see results?
New growth usually starts around months 3 to 4. By months 6 to 8 most patients see a clear change, and the final result takes about 12 to 18 months as hairs thicken and mature. Our month-by-month timeline describes each stage.
16. Will the result look natural?
That is the goal of every plan. A natural result depends on an age-appropriate hairline with gentle irregularity, single-hair grafts at the front edge and correct angles and direction. You can see what mature results look like in our before and after gallery.
Cost, Booking and Long-Term Care
17. How much does a hair transplant cost?
At our Philadelphia clinic, FUE is priced per graft from $3.99 to $7.99. Most procedures total between $4,000 and $15,000. There are no session fees. You receive a written quote after your free in-person assessment. See our cost page for details.
18. Do you offer financing?
Yes. We offer 0% interest financing for the first 12 months. We can explain how it works during your assessment so you can plan before committing.
19. Is the result permanent?
Hair moved from the stable donor zone tends to keep growing for life, but native hair around it can continue to thin. Many patients use medication or PRP to protect native hair, which keeps the overall result balanced. Talk to your physician about whether finasteride or minoxidil suits you.
20. How do I book an assessment?
Call us at (267) 996-9966 or use our contact form. You can start with an online or phone consultation, then visit us in person for a free assessment, where we examine your scalp and donor area and give you a written plan and quote.
A Quick Reference Table
If you only remember a few numbers from this FAQ, make it these:
| Topic | Typical range |
| Shedding of transplanted hair | Weeks 2 to 6 |
| New growth begins | Around months 3 to 4 |
| Final result | About 12 to 18 months |
| Visible redness and scabbing | Roughly 7 to 10 days |
| Lifetime FUE donor supply | Around 5,000 to 7,000 grafts, depending on density |
| FUE price per graft | $3.99 to $7.99 |
| Most procedure totals | $4,000 to $15,000 |
| Financing | 0% interest for the first 12 months |
How to Use These Answers at Your Consultation
An FAQ gives you the general picture. Your consultation is where it becomes specific. Here is how we suggest turning these answers into a productive conversation, whether with us or with any other clinic you are considering.
Start with your goal, not the technique. Tell the clinician what bothers you most: a receding temple, a thin crown, a hairline you want to soften, or general density. The plan should be built around that, and the technique chosen to suit it.
Ask for the reasoning behind every number. When you hear a graft estimate or a price, ask how it was calculated. A clear answer will refer to the size of the area, your density, hair caliber and what is being saved for the future. Vague answers are worth noting.
Ask what happens in five and ten years. Your hair loss will likely continue in some form. A good plan explains how today's session will look as native hair changes, and what maintenance might help.
Ask what you are not a good candidate for. It may sound odd, but this question often reveals the most. A clinic that can clearly tell you what it would not recommend for you is usually thinking carefully about your case.
Write down the answers. After a long day of questions, details are easy to forget. Notes make it easier to compare clinics and to remember aftercare guidance later.
In our experience, patients who arrive prepared leave with far more confidence, whatever they decide. Some book a procedure; others start with medication or PRP and return later. Either outcome is fine with us, as long as the decision is well informed.
Visiting Our Old City Clinic
Our clinic is at 325 Chestnut St in Old City, a short walk from Independence Hall. Patients come to us from across Philadelphia as well as South Jersey, the Main Line, Delaware County, Montgomery and Bucks counties and Wilmington, DE. For your assessment, it helps to bring:
- A list of medications and supplements, including anything you use for hair loss.
- Older photos that show how your hair has changed over time.
- Notes on any family history of hair loss.
- Your own list of questions, including anything this FAQ did not answer.
We will examine your scalp and donor area, discuss what is realistic, and give you a written plan and quote. There is no pressure to decide on the day.
Key point: The best answers are the ones specific to your hair. Use this FAQ to prepare, then let an in-person assessment tell you what applies to you.
Still Have Questions?
Twenty questions cover a lot of ground, but every patient brings something new. If you are comparing clinics, our guide on choosing a clinic and the red flags to watch for is a good next read. When you are ready, book a free assessment with our Philadelphia team and ask us anything.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Val Prokurat, MD. Dr. Prokurat is a surgeon with advanced training in minimally invasive techniques who reviews and oversees every treatment plan at Nova Medical Hair Transplant Philadelphia, 325 Chestnut St in Old City. This article is for general education and is not a substitute for an in-person medical assessment. Individual results vary. Read more about Dr. Prokurat.
Ask Us Anything
Bring your questions to a free in-person assessment in Old City and leave with answers specific to your hair, plus a written plan and quote.
Further reading: for independent background, see American Academy of Dermatology: hair transplants, American Academy of Dermatology: hair loss and International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS).