A hairline transplant moves your own hair follicles from the donor areas at the back and sides of the scalp to the front, to rebuild a receding hairline or lower a high forehead. At Cosmedica in Istanbul, Dr. Levent Acar designs every hairline himself and places single-hair grafts at the very front edge, so the result looks natural rather than “done”. Many hairline cases need roughly 1,500 to 4,000 hair grafts, and our fixed packages cover up to 4,000 grafts from €2,550 (about £2,130 / $2,950, as of November 2026).
Procedures planned by Dr. Levent Acar, MD, Founder & Lead Hair Transplant Surgeon at Cosmedica · Updated November 12, 2026
Quick answer: hairline transplant at a glance
The ideal candidate for hair transplant surgery, men and women alike, has stable hair loss and enough existing hair in the donor areas. You don’t need a full head of hair, but the donor hairs at the back and sides of the scalp must be enough to cover the thinning area. Not all candidates for hair transplant qualify straight away: active alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition where bald patches come and go, is usually treated with medication first. If you are under 25 or your hair loss is still moving fast, Dr. Acar may advise medication first. Not sure where you stand? Check your stage on the Norwood scale.
Not every higher hairline is hair loss. A mature hairline usually moves up slightly and evenly in your late teens or twenties, then stays stable. A receding hairline keeps moving back, often in an M shape at the temples. The usual cause is androgenetic alopecia: the hair follicles at the front react to the hormone DHT, hair growth weakens and the hair gets thinner (see also the NHS overview of hair loss).
Read more in receding hairline: causes, stages and treatment and mature hairline vs. receding hairline.
A natural result comes from the design, not the number of grafts: single-hair grafts at the front, a slightly irregular edge and the right angle for every graft.
Tip: Bring older photos to your consultation. They help Dr. Acar see where your original hairline was.
The procedure takes one day, usually 6 to 8 hours. Plan 3 days in Istanbul.
Three types of hair transplant are used for hair restoration today. Cosmedica performs hair transplants for the hairline with FUE and DHI, because neither leaves a linear scar.
| FUE (follicular unit excision) | DHI | FUT (follicular unit transplantation, strip method) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extraction | Single grafts with micro punches | Single grafts with micro punches | A thin strip of skin is cut from the back of the head |
| Implantation | Into small incisions made with sapphire blades | Directly with an implanter pen | Into incisions, after the strip is split into grafts under a microscope |
| Scar | Tiny dots, not visible in short hair | Tiny dots, not visible in short hair | Linear scar across the back of the head |
| For the hairline | Yes | Yes, precise control of angle and depth | Possible, but the scar limits short haircuts |
More on FUE hair transplants and DHI: FUE hair transplant · DHI hair transplant. Independent overviews from the ISHRS: FUE · FUT.
Hairline lowering can be done with a hair transplant or with surgical forehead reduction. A transplant suits most patients because it leaves no visible scar and can also fill the temples.
| Hairline transplant (FUE/DHI) | Surgical forehead reduction | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Grafts placed in front of the current hairline | A strip of forehead skin is removed, scalp pulled forward |
| Scar | No linear scar | Fine scar along the hairline |
| Lowering | Gradual, shaped freely (temples included) | Up to about 2 cm in one step, straight line |
| Result visible | 12 months | Immediately (after swelling) |
| Suits | Receding or high hairline, M-shaped temples | High forehead with stable, dense hair and a loose scalp |
A hairline transplant works for women with a receding or high hairline, or thinning at the temples. Female pattern hair loss usually thins the top of the head while the hairline stays (see the American Academy of Dermatology and our Ludwig scale guide), so Dr. Acar first checks that the donor area is stable. Many women choose a transplant to lower a high forehead. More: hair transplant for women.
Hair transplant costs are often quoted per hair graft. At Cosmedica, a hairline transplant has a fixed package price instead. All packages cover up to 4,000 grafts. Prices as of November 2026. You pay in EUR; GBP and USD are approximate:
| Package | EUR | USD (approx.) | GBP (approx.) | Grafts included | Megasession (up to 6,000 grafts) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FUE Sapphire | €2,550 | $2,950 | £2,130 | up to 4,000 | +€900 / +$1,040 / +£750 |
| Micro Sapphire DHI | €3,290 | $3,800 | £2,750 | up to 4,000 | +€700 / +$800 / +£585 |
| VIP Micro Sapphire DHI | €8,000 | $9,250 | £6,680 | up to 4,000 | +€2,000 / +$2,300 / +£1,670 |
All packages include hairline design by Dr. Acar, 5-star hotel, VIP transfers, a personal companion and interpreter, and the next-day check. For comparison: the same procedure in the UK usually costs £6,000 to £12,000, in the USA $10,000 to $22,000. Full breakdown: hair transplant cost in Turkey and what’s included in the package.
As a rough guide (your exact number is set after the hair analysis): temples and a light recession, about 1,500 to 2,500 grafts. Full hairline (Norwood 3): 2,000 to 3,000. Hairline plus crown (Norwood 4): 3,000 to 4,000, as in the case below. See 3,000 grafts and 4,000 grafts, or use the graft calculator. More on how many hair grafts you need and density.
Comparing offers? Read how to choose a clinic in Turkey and the risks of a hair transplant, and check the ISHRS list of black-market red flags.
Adam M., 34, from the UK, came to Cosmedica with a receding front hairline and early thinning at the crown (Norwood 4). Dr. Acar rebuilt the hairline and filled the crown with 3,900 grafts in a single Micro Sapphire DHI session.
| Detail | Adam M. |
|---|---|
| Patient | Adam M., 34, UK |
| Starting point | Receding hairline, thinning crown (Norwood 4) |
| Method | Micro Sapphire DHI (special implanter pen) |
| Grafts | 3,900 (hairline + crown) |
| Sessions | 1 session, about 7 hours, check the next day |
| Date | 2 December 2025, Cosmedica, Istanbul |
| Package price | Micro Sapphire DHI, €3,290 (up to 4,000 grafts) |
| Month | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1 | Normal shedding of the transplanted hair, first growth in hairline and crown |
| 3 | Visible growth along the front, the receded corners begin to fill |
| 6 | Hair noticeably thicker, still settling |
| 11 | Thick hair, natural hairline, no visible gaps, no styling products needed |
Results vary from patient to patient. See more before and after results.
Yes. A receding hairline is the most common reason for a hair transplant in Turkey. As long as your donor area is strong and your hair loss has slowed, the hairline can be rebuilt in one session. At Cosmedica, Dr. Acar checks this in a free online hair analysis before you travel.
At Cosmedica, a hairline transplant costs €2,550 (about £2,130 / $2,950, FUE Sapphire) or €3,290 (about £2,750 / $3,800, Micro Sapphire DHI) for up to 4,000 grafts, including hotel, transfers and interpreter (as of November 2026). In the UK, the same procedure usually costs £6,000 to £12,000.
Many hairlines need roughly 1,500 to 3,000 grafts. If the crown is also thinning, it is often 3,000 to 4,000. The exact number is set by Dr. Acar after the hair analysis.
Yes. Grafts placed in front of your current hairline lower it and can also fill the temples. How far it can be lowered depends on your donor area and your age. The new line should still suit your face as you get older.
Yes. Women with a high forehead or a receding hairline are good candidates. Many women choose a transplant for hairline lowering because it leaves no scar, unlike surgical forehead reduction.
Yes, if it is planned well. Dr. Acar places single-hair grafts at the front, sets each graft at a natural angle and keeps the edge slightly irregular. Before and after results of our patients are on the Before & After page.
New hair starts growing around month 3. Most patients see clear density at 6 months and the final result at 12 months.
