Autologous micrograft hair therapy is the mechanical disaggregation and filtering, in a closed system, of very small tissue samples taken from your own scalp behind the ear, followed by injection of the resulting cell suspension into the thinning areas. It is completed in a single session. Being a single session does not make this the best option; I consider it in early-to-moderate stages, in areas where the follicle is still alive.
I am a specialist in anaesthesiology and reanimation; blood sampling, sterile technique and injection safety are core areas of my training. I perform hair treatments within this framework, carrying out every step of preparation and application myself. The types of hair loss and the steps of treatment are on the hair loss treatment page.
How is it done?
Under local anaesthesia, a few small tissue samples are taken from the scalp behind the ear. This area is chosen because the follicles at the nape and behind the ear are resistant to the hormonal effect (DHT) that drives hereditary hair loss; it is the same reason grafts are taken from there in hair transplantation. The samples are mechanically disaggregated and filtered inside a closed, single-use kit; no cell culture is performed, and the tissue does not leave the clinic. The resulting suspension is injected into the thinning areas with fine needles in the same session. Tissue harvesting, preparation and injection together take 30–45 minutes. The harvest points are behind the ear, in an area covered by hair.
A single session is performed. I assess whether maintenance is needed at consultation about 1 year later; I do not plan a second session up front.
How is it thought to work?
The harvested tissue contains the progenitor (precursor) cells around the hair follicle together with fragments of extracellular matrix. When this mixture is delivered into a thinning area, the aim is to support the surrounding follicles and to thicken the miniaturised hairs. It does not create new follicles. The skin application of the method and the mechanism in more detail are on the autologous micrograft therapy page.
Its relationship with drug treatment
In hereditary hair loss, the treatments with the highest level of evidence are topical and oral drug treatments. I plan injection methods alongside these treatments, not instead of them; we assess the suitability and follow-up of drug treatment together at consultation.
When do I perform it?
- Early-to-moderate hereditary hair loss: where the hair has thinned but the follicle is alive. This is the method’s main field.
- When single-session completion is preferred: for people who cannot keep a regular schedule of visits.
- Female pattern diffuse thinning: once the diagnostic step is complete.
In areas where the follicle has been lost completely and the skin is smooth, micrografts will not produce hair; in that situation a hair transplant is considered. I do not perform hair transplants at the clinic; I refer when needed.
When is the result seen?
The result is assessed no earlier than the third month; thickening and density are reported within months and vary from person to person. I do not give a month-by-month timetable; no visible change is expected within the first three months, and that is normal.
How it differs from the other methods
With hair treatments the decision also depends on time: when a regular schedule of visits can be arranged, injections given as a series come to the fore; when single-session completion is preferred, tissue-derived treatments or human-derived exosomes do. The final choice is made at consultation.
Micrografts are tissue-derived and given once; PRP is blood-derived and given as a series. Among the injection methods I use for hair loss, PRP is the one whose randomised trials have been assessed in meta-analyses; the certainty of that evidence is low. Micrografts are not “the alternative to PRP for people who lack the time for sessions” but a separate method, and being a single session does not make it more effective. The option given as a series is on the PRP for hair page.
Being honest about the level of evidence
In hair, a randomised, assessor-blinded, placebo-controlled, half-head study of 27 people reported an increase in hair count and density; the number of patients is small, and the same publication states that larger controlled studies are needed 1. In this study the micrografts were prepared by hand rather than with a kit, so it is not identical to the closed-kit method I use. A 2026 systematic review of regenerative methods found three studies under the heading of stem cells and micrografts, only one of which is a micrograft study; the review states that larger randomised trials are needed 2. Long-term data are limited. This is why I do not describe micrografts as a method that “gives perfect results” or as “the most advanced”, and why I give no percentages; I describe it as an option with developing evidence that I perform in early-to-moderate stages, in areas where the follicle is still alive.
The procedure and pain management
Because I am an anaesthesiologist, I treat pain management as a separate part of the procedure.
Topical anaesthetic cream is not used routinely on the scalp; for very sensitive people it is applied before the treatment. What you feel is a brief sting. Tissue harvesting is done under local anaesthesia; what you feel is a brief sting while the anaesthetic is given. Mild tenderness at the site may last a few days.
Aftercare
First 24 hours
- Do not wash your hair (you can wash it the next day)
- No hot showers, sauna, hammam or steam
- Avoid heavy exercise
- No alcohol
- Do not touch the injection points; do not squeeze or massage the bumps
First 48 hours
- Avoid direct and prolonged sun exposure; wear a hat outdoors
Expected findings Mild redness and tenderness at the injection points are expected and settle the same day. Small bruises may last 1–2 days.
Additional advice
- Wait 2–3 days before hair dye and similar chemical treatments
- If redness increases, or warmth or fever develops, contact the clinic
- The harvest site behind the ear is covered with a small dressing and usually needs no stitches; keep it dry for the first 24 hours; it heals on its own within 3–4 days
Safety and anatomy
Because allergic reactions can occur rarely, treatments are carried out under medical supervision.
The tissue and cells are your own; the kit is sterile and single-use, no cell culture is performed and no drug is added. The harvest site is covered with a small dressing; the risk of infection is low but not zero. Temporary redness, tenderness and small bruises may occur at the injection points; the expected durations are given in the aftercare section.
Regulatory status: The closed, single-use disaggregation kits are medical devices assessed under CE and TİTCK frameworks. Approval belongs to a product and to a specific indication, not to a technique or to a physician.
Who is not suitable
Treatment is not performed, or is postponed, in the following situations:
- Active infection or inflammation in the treatment area
- Autoimmune disease in an active phase
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Known hypersensitivity to the product components
- Uncontrolled chronic illness
- Untreated bleeding disorder or unregulated anticoagulant use
I do not perform these treatments during active cancer treatment. For a person with a history of cancer, I make the decision together with the treating specialist.
Treatment is postponed if there is an open wound or an active flare of seborrhoeic dermatitis on the scalp, and in the early period after a hair transplant; injections are not given in alopecia areata during an active phase.
Treatment is also not performed with a known hypersensitivity to the local anaesthetics used for harvesting; with a marked tendency to keloid formation at the harvest site, the decision is made at consultation.
For a person on immunosuppressive treatment, the decision is made at consultation.
Without being a medical contraindication, I also consider expectation and treatment to be mismatched in these situations:
- People expecting hair to grow in an area where the follicle has been lost completely and the skin is smooth — a hair transplant is considered in that situation
- People expecting a marked change in the first months
- People asking for treatment straight away for undiagnosed hair loss — the diagnostic step comes first
Suitability is determined by consultation in every case.
Pricing
Under the applicable regulations, price information cannot be published on our website. The cost of a treatment depends on the product used, the technique chosen and the extent of the treatment. You can call the clinic for detailed information.
Frequently asked questions
Is autologous micrograft hair therapy a stem cell treatment?
No; I do not use that term. The harvested tissue contains the progenitor (precursor) cells around the hair follicle and extracellular matrix; no cell culture is performed and the cells are not expanded. The method transfers the cells and signalling molecules in your own tissue to the thinning area.
Is one micrograft session enough for hair?
The procedure is completed in one session; the result is assessed no earlier than the third month. I decide whether maintenance is needed at consultation about 1 year later. Because hereditary hair loss is chronic, I do not expect a single session to halt the process forever.
Do micrografts work for alopecia areata?
Alopecia areata is a separate condition in which the immune system targets the follicles. Its diagnosis and main treatment belong to dermatology. I do not inject during an active phase; once the condition has settled, I consider it as support.
Planning your visit
My clinic is in Nişantaşı, Şişli, on the European side of Istanbul, approximately 45 minutes from Istanbul Airport.
For autologous micrograft hair therapy I suggest planning a stay of two to three days: arrival, consultation and treatment, and departure. Because this treatment is completed in a single session, it fits within one visit. Flying is generally appropriate 24 hours after an injectable treatment.
Consultations are conducted in English. Follow-up after you return home is arranged remotely, and I remain reachable for any questions during the period in which the result develops.
Dr. Ömer Fatih Şahin — Specialist in Anaesthesiology and Reanimation Diploma Registration No: 113606
Published: 22 February 2026 · Last updated: 2026-09-21 This content has been medically reviewed by Dr. Ömer Fatih Şahin.
References
- Gentile P, Scioli MG, Cervelli V, Orlandi A, Garcovich S. Autologous micrografts from scalp tissue: trichoscopic and long-term clinical evaluation in male and female androgenetic alopecia. Biomed Res Int. 2020;2020:7397162. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32071919/
- Behrangi E, Amiri S, Zeinali R, et al. A systematic review of clinical evidence on the efficacy and safety of conditioned media, platelet-rich fibrin, stromal vascular fraction, extracellular vesicles, and stem cells in androgenetic alopecia. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2026;17:194. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41987228/