A page for the visitor who met the percutaneous technique in a consultation or an online comparison and needs to know where it stands before booking a flight. It compares the technique with Sapphire FUE and DHI on five criteria, states its ceiling of 1,400 to 2,000 grafts per session, sets out who it suits and who it does not, and prices the trip to Aleppo against the same trip to Istanbul. Performed at Sima, a licensed clinic in Aleppo, by the same specialists who operate in our Istanbul centre, with monthly follow-up included until the twelfth month.
When is percutaneous the technique for you?
Follicle by follicle, through a fine needle that passes through the skin without a blade. A technique chosen for particular cases, performed at Sima by Your Hair Center’s Istanbul team. This page helps you find out whether the percutaneous technique is the right one for you before you book.
1,400 – 2,000
grafts in a single session, the working ceiling for percutaneous
5 – 7
hours on average for a full session, supervised by a specialist from the Istanbul team
Three techniques. Which one suits your case
You are not here to learn the Latin behind the word, but to see where the percutaneous technique stands among the other options. The table shows the difference without decoration.
| Criterion | DHI / Choi pen | Percutaneous | Sapphire FUE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instrument used | Choi implanter pen | A cylindrical needle passing through the skin | A sapphire crystal blade opening the channels |
| Optimal graft count | 1,500 – 3,500 | 1,400 – 2,000 | 2,500 – 4,500 |
| Resulting density | High, with a tendency for follicles to cluster | High and precise at the angles | High, more evenly distributed |
| Natural hair angle | Natural | The finest control of the angle | Natural |
| Best-suited cases | Front hairline density, small to medium areas | Specific cases needing precise angles and a medium graft count | Advanced hair loss and wider areas |
The final decision is not read off a table
What the percutaneous technique is
The word comes from the Latin per cutaneous, through the skin. The core idea is that the follicle is placed directly through a fine cylindrical needle, without a channel being opened first by a separate blade. The technique is not a universal substitute for every case. It is a fine tool, used when the natural angles are critical, or when the specialist wants tighter control of the depth of placement and the tilt of each hair. Some Turkish medical sources call the instrument the direct needle, the name most common in Istanbul clinics. At Sima the percutaneous technique is part of the FUE family, performed by the same specialists who operate in our Istanbul centre. For the full picture of your transplant options, see hair transplant in Aleppo.
From the field
How a percutaneous session unfolds
Four stages, each one separated precisely by the specialist. The essential difference from classic FUE sits in the third stage, where the needle replaces the blade in opening the path.
Anaesthesia and preparation
The specialist begins by drawing the front hairline with you, followed by local anaesthetic for the donor and recipient areas. No general anaesthesia, and no pain during the session.
Extraction
Follicles are extracted from the donor area at the back with a fine micro punch. They are kept in a chilled solution to protect their vitality until placement.
Opening the channels with the needle
This is the signature of the technique. The cylindrical needle passes through the skin at a pre-set angle and depth, preparing the path and placing the follicle in one step, without a separate blade.
Placement and angle calibration
The specialist adjusts the angle of every hair to match the direction of your original hair. This step is what separates a natural result from one that reads as transplanted at a glance.
5 to 7 hours on average
Sima against the full Istanbul trip
This is not a price comparison but a comparison of the whole bill. Both of our centres are open to you, so the two stacks put the same trip side by side, procedure and travel included, and let you decide with the full figure in view.
The trip to Aleppo, with Sima
The trip to Istanbul
Your figure is confirmed in writing after the consultation, by graft count and donor area. Travel, hotel and airport pickup are arranged by Sima and billed separately at cost.
Your Hair Center's Istanbul team, with a documented record
The team comes from the Istanbul market that built the world’s reputation for hair transplants. They are engaged through Your Hair Center, our own centre in Istanbul, carry a documented record in FUE and percutaneous work, and rotate to Aleppo today. You can check the Istanbul centre at yourhaircenter.com before you decide.
FUE and percutaneous
A team with a documented record in FUE and percutaneous, trained in Istanbul’s leading clinics.
Front hairline and beard angles
A reference for front hairline angles and beard transplants with this technique, built on hundreds of accumulated cases.
Women's hair and eyebrows
A women’s team from Istanbul, a reference in women’s hair and eyebrow cases, with full privacy along the women’s path.
Who the percutaneous technique suits, and who it does not
It is an excellent technique within its limits and honest about them. Its working ceiling is 1,400 to 2,000 grafts per session, which means it is not the best choice for every case.
- Early to moderate loss at the front hairline or crown
- A need for high precision in the natural angle of the hair
- An expected graft count within the 1,400 to 2,000 range
- Sufficient density in the donor area at the back
- Good general health and a stable pattern of loss
- Realistic expectations, and a commitment to the 12-month follow-up
- The graft count you need exceeds the working ceiling of 2,000
- A limited donor area that cannot supply the grafts required
- Active shedding that has not yet settled and needs observing before a transplant
- A chronic medical condition or medication that conflicts with the procedure
- A need for wide densification where the angle is not the deciding criterion
- Expectations out of step with the technique's ceiling, or no way to keep the 12-month follow-up
Recovery, day by day, in Aleppo and then at home
You spend the first days in Aleppo, then fly home with the team still on your WhatsApp. Five milestones cover what to expect, with a short note beside them for those who pray.
Day 1. Rest and the first check-in
Instructions for sleeping with the head raised, moisturising medication, and a WhatsApp check-in to reassure you through the first twenty-four hours. No washing yet.
Week 1. The first supervised wash
The first medical wash takes place at the clinic under the team’s supervision. After that, daily washing at your hotel or at home follows the method shown to you, and most visitors fly home in this week.
Month 1. The shock-loss phase
The transplanted hairs shed temporarily, and this is entirely normal. The follicle under the skin is intact and preparing to release the new hair. There is no cause for concern.
Month 3. The first visible growth
New hairs begin to appear gradually, finer than the final hair. Over the following months they thicken and take on their full colour and texture.
Month 12. The final result
The final shape settles, the density completes, the angle sits true. The last follow-up photo goes into your file.
A note on prayer during recovery
The daily care checklist
Frequently asked about the percutaneous technique
Is percutaneous better than DHI or Sapphire?
Not better outright, but more suitable in particular cases. When the natural angles are critical and the graft count sits within 1,400 to 2,000, percutaneous comes into its own. For wider cases the specialist may propose Sapphire or DHI. The decision is made after the assessment, not from the internet.
How long does the session take, and how many grafts in one sitting?
A single session runs five to seven hours on average, and the working ceiling is 1,400 to 2,000 grafts. When the need goes beyond that ceiling, the specialist proposes a wider technique or divides the work across two sessions.
Does the technique leave scars?
The cylindrical needle passes through the skin at very small diameters, so it leaves no visible scars after full recovery. The visual trace in the recipient area generally disappears within the first two weeks.
Is a hair transplant permissible in Islam?
For readers who ask, the majority of Islamic scholars permit the procedure under conditions. It moves a person’s own follicles from one part of the scalp to another, so it is not the prohibited addition of foreign hair. The recognised rulings ask that a qualified physician performs it and that it treats a real harm or distress. Prayer and wudu during recovery are covered in the note above and on the aftercare guide.
When can I return to work?
Most clients are back at office work within two to three days, which for a visitor usually means the week you fly home. Heavy physical work and sport wait two full weeks, then resume gradually.
What are the risks and limits of the technique?
The surgical risks are very limited when a specialist team performs it, the most common being mild swelling that settles within days. The essential limits of the technique are its graft-count ceiling and its unsuitability for wide stages of baldness. The specialist tells you this plainly before booking you in.
How do I know whether I am a suitable candidate?
Send two photos from two angles over WhatsApp. The specialist assesses your case within an hour on working days and proposes the most suitable technique for you, frankly. No obligation, and no pressure to book.
Time the procedure with your trip
A percutaneous hair transplant folds into a stay of three to four nights in Aleppo. Direct flights run from Istanbul, Sharjah and Kuwait, and most passports receive a visa on arrival. Travel, hotel and airport pickup are arranged by Sima and billed separately at cost. Most Western governments advise against travel to Syria; their advice is linked on the travel guide, beside what operates on the ground, with dates. If you are Syrian and coming home, time the procedure with the visit; the team stays with you over WhatsApp after you fly back. For the logistics, read the Aleppo travel guide.
Let us see together whether percutaneous is right for your case
The consultation is free and commits you to nothing. Two photos from two angles, a written assessment within an hour on working days, and a frank recommendation from the specialist.
