FUE & Sapphire Hair Transplant in Bangalore

Medically reviewed by Dr Sreekar Harinatha, MCh (Plastic Surgery)

FUE (follicular unit extraction) hair transplant moves hair follicles one by one from the back and sides of your scalp to thinning or bald areas. There is no strip and no linear scar. At Contura Clinic, Bangalore, Dr Sreekar Harinatha performs Sapphire FUE, which uses sapphire blades to make finer, precisely angled slits. It is a day-care procedure under local anaesthesia, and final results show in 10–12 months.

Hair transplant at a glance

Technique	Sapphire FUE: titanium micro-punches for extraction, sapphire blades for the slits
Anaesthesia	Local anaesthesia
Procedure time	About 6–8 hours (up to 10 for large sessions)
Hospital stay	Day care
Donor area	Back and sides of the scalp. Beard or body hair if needed
Shaving	Donor area clipped to 1–2 mm
Bandage	None needed
First wash	1–2 days after surgery
Crusts gone	About 1 week
Final result	10–12 months
Cost	₹35 per graft plus 18% GST

What is Sapphire FUE?

In Sapphire FUE, the grafts are taken with titanium micro-punches, 0.6–1 mm wide, using a micromotor. The surgeon then makes tiny slits in the thinning area with sapphire blades and places each graft. Sapphire blades are smooth and V-shaped. They give:

finer slits and less damage to surrounding tissue
less swelling and faster healing
precise control of hair angle and direction, for a natural hairline
room for denser placement
an option for people with metal allergies

FUE or FUT: which is right for me?

	FUE (Sapphire)	FUT (strip)
How grafts are taken	One by one with a tiny punch	A thin strip of scalp is removed and divided
Scar	Tiny dot scars, hidden even with short hair	A fine line at the back of the head
Healing	Faster. No stitches	Stitches removed at 10–14 days
Grafts in one session	Fewer. Big cases may need more sessions	More
Cost	Higher for the same number of grafts	Lower
Hair type	Less suited to very curly or fine hair	Suits most hair types

Who is a good candidate for a hair transplant?

Men with male pattern baldness (Norwood stages) and women with pattern thinning (Ludwig stages)
Enough healthy donor hair at the back and sides
Hair fall that has stabilised. This is usually between 25 and 35, although the procedure is done from 18 to 60
Good general health

People with some chronic illnesses, uncontrolled diabetes or those taking blood thinners may not be suitable. Dr Sreekar confirms your suitability at the consultation and after pre-procedure tests.

Hair transplant recovery and growth timeline

Time after surgery	What to expect
Day 1–2	Go home the same day. Gentle shampoo after 1–2 days. About 1 in 10 people have mild swelling for a few days
Week 1	Small crusts fall off and redness fades. The scalp stays slightly pink for a few weeks
Weeks 3–12	The transplanted hairs shed. This is normal: the roots stay in place and rest
Month 3	New hair starts to grow
Month 6	About half of the new hair is visible
Month 9	About 75% of the new hair is visible
Months 10–12	Final result

After healing, you can cut, colour and style your transplanted hair normally.

Is a hair transplant permanent?

Yes. Transplanted hair comes from areas that resist balding, so it keeps growing for life and needs no special care. Your untreated native hair can still thin with age. Medical treatment such as PRP and GFC can help protect it.

How much does a hair transplant cost in Bangalore?

The cost depends on the number of grafts you need, the technique (Sapphire FUE or FUT) and the number of sessions. You receive a quote after Dr Sreekar assesses your scalp. Price is ₹35 per graft plus 18% GST. EMI options are available.

Sapphire FUE Hair Transplantation Before and after

Frequently asked questions

Is a hair transplant painful?

Not usually. It is done under local anaesthesia, so after the numbing injections you should not feel pain. Mild soreness for a few days afterwards is controlled with medicine.

When will I see results after a hair transplant?

New hair starts to grow at about 3 months. About half is visible by 6 months and 75% by 9 months. Final results take 10–12 months.

Why is my transplanted hair falling out?

Shedding between weeks 3 and 12 is normal. The hair shafts fall out, but the roots stay in the scalp and start growing new hair at about 3 months.

Does FUE leave a scar?

FUE leaves tiny dot scars in the donor area, which are hard to see, even with short hair. It does not leave the linear scar that FUT (strip) surgery leaves.

Can women have a hair transplant?

Yes. Carefully selected women get very good results. Women need a more detailed check of the cause of hair loss before surgery.

Do laser treatments help with hair transplants?

There is no proven advantage to "laser hair transplants". Lasers play only a small supporting role in hair restoration.

About the doctor

Dr Sreekar Harinatha, MBBS, MS, MCh (Plastic Surgery, CMC Vellore), DNB (Plastic Surgery). Karnataka Medical Council Reg. No. 68989. Plastic and cosmetic surgeon at Contura Clinic, Kalyan Nagar. Best Paper Award at the IMCAS conference, Taipei, 2016, for his gynecomastia technique. Author of The Male Breast and over 40 papers in indexed journals. Member of IAAPS, IMA and the European College of Aesthetic Medicine and Surgery.

Dr Sreekar Harinatha used the latest Sapphire FUE Hair Transplantation technique which is the latest method of advanced Hair Transplantation. This technique consistently yields predictable and excellent results.

This page is for general information and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Results vary from person to person. Every procedure carries risks, which your surgeon will explain at your consultation.