About the procedure

Balding is a normal occurrence of the natural process of aging. The hair gets thinner with age and the loss of it may become both an aesthetic and an emotional problem. In our clinic this problem can be solved with a hair transplantation procedure.

The reason for this condition is the high sensitivity of the cells which create the hair follicle to androgenic hormones (testosterone). The hair loss usually starts from the crown and/or the frontal scalp. Hair bulbs placed in these areas have receptors which are sensitive to testosterone and this makes the hair vulnerable. Well preserved bulbs remain in those areas of the scalp where such receptors are missing – the area above the ears and at the back of the head.

At our clinic we offer a surgical method against hair loss  in which a specialized last generation equipment is used – SmartGraft. We redistribute the hair follicles from areas that are not affected by the balding process in areas where the process has already started. SmartGraft provides the opportunity of an automated vacuum extraction of a maximum number of hair follicles under a local anesthetic. The results look natural with both men and women.

The procedure is based on the so-called FUE-technique (follicular unit extraction) during which the hairs are transplanted one by one from the donor area to the treated area. The transplantation of hair follicles without receptors for testosterone from the back of your head will ensure an area which is protected from baldness for life. The result looks natural and the newly transplanted hair continues to grow. It can also be dyed and cut.

Consultation before the procedure

The patient has to have a realistic idea about the procedure.  The skin and hair colour of the patient have to be taken into consideration before the treatment. A higher transplantation density is required in the case of thin and straight hair which contrasts the scalp. On the other hand, coarse wavy hair requires a lower density. The baldness in the family from both sides of the parents is also of importance. The hair transplantation surgery is recommended only if there is a good chance of achieving the desired effect.

Expectations after the surgery

Patients are free to go home right after the procedure. They receive precise instructions for further behavior and appointments with a specialist in order to track the results. The final result is visible after 7-9 months.

Procedure and results

SmartGraft is a licensed device which is specialised in hair transplantation. Our clinic has the pleasure to provide such an innovative equipment to its patients. The device enjoys a great success and has a positive feedback from patients in the USA where it is used by the most famous hair transplantation clinics.

  • Our team has undergone a special training course in the USA and is certified to work with patients using SmartGraft.  The procedure is based on a minimally invasive method which is a version of the so-called FUE (follicular unit extraction) technique – extraction of hair follicles one by one from the donor area in the back of the head and their transplantation to the bald area or to the area where the hair is thinning. The procedure is fully automated and in comparison with the so-called Strip Method during which a whole skin line is being removed from the back of the head here there is no visible scar in the donor area after the intervention.

  • The result is visible right after the procedure and the patients can see the transplanted hair follicles in the treated area.

  • Hair growth is a cyclic process and this is the reason for the shedding of  the transplanted hairs in the next 2-4 weeks. After that they will be substituted by entirely new and functioning hairs which will grow from the transplanted hair bulbs. With the growing of the new hair the result will get better and better after each week. The optimal effect can be seen 9-12 months after the procedure.

  • The survival of the newly transplanted hairs follicles is over 90%.

  • The technique is applied to all hair types (straight, wavy and curly) and colors. A natural-looking result is achieved with both men and women.

  • The procedure is performed under a local anesthetic and continues from 4 to 8-10 hours, depending on how big the treated area is and the number of hair follicles that are going to be transplanted.

  • It is not required to shave the area where the hair follicles are going to be transplanted.

Facts about SmartGraft

  1. Automated FUE – technique

  2. SmartGraft is an FDA licensed equipment for hair transplantation

  3. The procedure does not leave a linear scar in the back of the head

After the procedure

  • Patients can go home after the procedure and they can go back to their daily routine after 48 hours.

  • A special bandage (similar to a headband) is used in the next 2-3 days. A light swelling could appear  in the forehead and upper eyelid areas which disappears in the next 48-62 hours (this occurrence is normal and it is due to the gravitational flow of the solution used for the anesthesia).

  • The red spots and the crusts in the area of the newly transplanted hairs disappear in the next 7 days. Two days after the procedure patients receive instructions  how to wash their hair using special medical products until the crusts fall out.

  • Patients can start wearing a hat 48 hours after the procedure only if the side of the hat is at least 5cm from the ends of the treated area.

  • Patients should wait at least 2 weeks before they start doing heavy physical activity which may lead to excessive sweating in the area of the scalp.

What is the FUE - technique?

– FUE (Follicular-Unit Extraction) is a modern minimally invasive method for hair transplantation which allows taking (harvesting) individual follicles from the back of the head (donor area) without using a scalpel and without stitches i.e. without leaving a linear scar in the area.

What are the advantages of the FUE - technique compared to the so-called Strip-Method?

– The FUE – technique is associated with a faster and more comfortable recovery process both of the donor area and the transplanted follicles.

– The FUE – technique DOES NOT leave a scar in the back of your head because the method is minimally invasive. Unlike the Strip-Method,a scalpel is not used and surgical stitches are not needed.

 – Because the FUE – method is minimally invasive, patients can go back to their normal work environment only after a couple of days

– The fact that THERE IS NO visible scar in the donor area allows patients to cut their hair as short as they want without worrying about a scar.

What are the advantages of the FUE - technique with SmartGraft?

– SmartGraft is highly ergonomic, which allows the working ‘hand’ of the device to act as a natural extended hand of the surgeon. This results in the better quality of the process of harvesting (taking hair follicles from the donor area).

– The use of SmartGraft allows a short operative time and fewer procedures (if more sessions are needed in order to achieve the desired effect) in comparison to the manual method.

– SmartGraft is the first modern device which successfully works on all hair types (straight, wavy and curly) and hair colors (black, brown, blonde, red, white, etc.).

Can the FUE-technique with SmartGraft be used on both men and women?

– The answer is YES! This method offers an effective solution to the problem for both men and women!

Should I shave my head so that the procedure can be performed?

– The answer is NO! Shaving the area where the follicles are going to be transplanted is NOT required. Shaving is required only in a small part of the back of your head which is the donor area.

Does the transplanted hair grow normally after the procedure?

– Hair growth is a cyclic process and for that reason the transplanted hairs, or some of them, will fall out in the next 2-4 weeks. After that they will be substituted by entirely new and functioning hairs which will grow from the transplanted hair bulbs. The newly grown hairs will have the physiology of natural hairs. The patients’ hair is going to be their own natural hair – it will grow, it can be cut and dyed.

Can the transplanted hair fall out in time?

– The hair loss usually starts from the crown and/or frontal scalp where the hair bulbs have receptors which are sensitive to testosterone and this makes them vulnerable. The well preserved bulbs in the back of your head and above the ears don’t have such receptors which doesn’t make them sensitive to the effect of the testosterone and this is why they are the perfect transplantation donor.

– Hair growth is a cyclic process and because of this the transplanted hairs, or some of them, will start to shed in the next 2-4 weeks and after that they will be substituted by entirely new and functioning hairs which will grow from the transplanted hair bulbs.

– Statistical surveys show that over 90% of the newly transplanted follicles with SmartGraft will survive and grow like a new hair in the donor area.

Will there be hair loss in the back of the head since the hairs that are going to be transplanted will be taken from that area?

– There are between 100 000 – 150 000 hairs on the human head. Up to 15% of them can be taken from the donor area. It doesn’t matter that the area will be used as a donor – it cannot be affected by boldness and/or thinning because of the low percentage and the fact that the follicles will be taken at a distance from each other. A special hair densitometer is used, which makes accurate calculations using the so-called ‘SmartGraft system’.

Our Price

Prices are formed individually after an online consultation and depending on the patient’s personal needs. Once we know what you want, you will receive our offer within 24 hours. You also can check our PRICE LIST.

How do we work

Once you have made contact with us, we will organize a free video consultation with the surgeon we believe is best suited for your particular situation.

This consultation will be within 5 days of your request. Prior to the video consultation, we will ask you to fill out a questionnaire about your medical history and send photos of the problematic areas. 

If necessary during the video consultation your doctor will advise you to take additional photos of the problematic areas and suggestions for the angle from which to take photos.

This consultation will be combined with a detailed discussion about your wishes and the possibilities for achieving them.  We will discuss with you the expected results, possible risks and any other issues that you might be concerned about.

We advise you to make a list of all the questions you may want to ask concerning the procedure before the actual consultation. After the official request to us, and if you wish, we can arrange a meeting for you with our representative in London.

Within 24 hours of the video consultation, we will send you a costing describing the price of the procedure and the needed length of stay in Bulgaria. In the costing there will also be preferential prices offered for our partner hotels with which we work and for which we can guarantee the quality and comfort. 

You will then have 3-4 days of time to reflect, and give us your decision.

If you decide to proceed and agree with all terms and conditions , you will have 48 hours within which you must prepay 30% of the total amount of the procedure. This amount is paid directly to the clinic where your procedure will be performed and thereby you will have a reserved date and time for your procedure and a room in the hotel you have chosen. The remaining balance has to be paid by the day before the procedure itself after conducting the preliminary examination in the clinic.

If you decide or need to cancel the procedure, this must be done at least 30 days before the date of your flight in order to be able to trigger a process for returning your deposit.  

If you decide to cancel our services within the last 30 days before your flight, you must have a good reason for doing so (supported by evidence) in order to take your money back. If you cancel it within these 30 days and the reason is acceptable, your money will be returned, but you will be suspended 50 euro for an administrative fee. If you wish to change the date of the procedure, this can happen at least 30 days before.

If you wish, we can also arrange your travel from your home to the airport. We are partners with a transport company and you can use our preferential prices. This also applies to your return flight. To do this, you will need to send us the details of your flight one week in advance.

Upon arrival in Bulgaria, you will be greeted at the airport by one of our employees who will take you to your hotel.

On the day before the operation, you will have a preliminary examination, where some necessary tests will be performed (e.g. blood tests) and we will specify all the details related to the operation (treatment plan, proposal for some additional or adjacent procedures for a better outcome, recovery plan etc). Our employee will take you to the clinic and after that to the place where you are to be accommodated.

Before the surgery, you will need to sign an informed consent document (i.e. a document certifying that you have been informed by the doctor about all potential risks and complications and that you understand them) and agree to proceed with the procedure).

On the day of the operation our employee will bring you back to the clinic. Depending on the procedure, you may need to have one or several days of hospital stay. After the completion of the procedure and the hospital stay, our employee will take you back to your hotel.

During the entire stay, our employee will be at your service throughout. 

If you wish, and if the procedure allows, we can arrange your stay according to your requirements but this must be specified in advance.

On the day of departure, you will be accompanied by our employee back to the airport.

If you wish, we can arrange your stay according to your requirements. This must be specified in advance.

You will be provided with a detailed plan on the recovery process. 

Online consultations in the recovery period will be arranged with your surgeon, but if you have stayed in the hospital after your procedure, the doctor will give you post-operative examinations on the first and third days.

On the seventh and fourteenth days, preventive online consultations will be made to track how the recovery goes.  

Online consultation reviews are also done on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6thmonths.You will be able to contact us at any time!