Partial Shave DHI hair transplant
If you'd like a hair transplant in Bangkok without shaving your whole head, Partial Shave DHI is a great choice. We trim small patches at the donor area on the back and leave the rest of your hair long. Once it falls back into place, it covers the trimmed spots, so most people won't notice unless you tell them.
The surgery itself is the same DHI Micrograft, a variant of FUE, that we use for every hair transplant. Only the way we prepare the donor area changes.
- Up to 2,000 grafts
- 4 to 8 hours, a little longer than Shaven
- Fly home from day 3
- Same price as Shaven
Is Partial Shave right for you?
It suits you if:
- You need up to about 2,000 grafts, for example at the hairline, the temples, or a smaller area of the crown
- The hair at the back and sides is long enough to cover the trimmed patches, ideally at least 4 to 5 centimetres (cm)
- Your donor area is dense enough for us to take grafts without a full shave
- You want to go back to work or meet people without a visible change at the back of your head
It isn't for you if:
- You need more than 2,000 grafts. We'd recommend a Shaven DHI Micrograft which will allow for more grafts in one session.
- Your hair is very short, or the donor area is thin. The trimmed patches would show.
- Your hair loss is still progressing fast. Medication or other treatment may need to come first.
We check all of this at your consultation. If Partial Shave isn't possible for you, we'll tell you why and suggest what is.
Shaven, Partial Shave or Long Hair DHI?
All three are DHI Micrograft: grafts are extracted one at a time (FUE), then placed into pre-made incisions with the Lion Implanter. The difference is how we manage the donor area at the back, and that decides how many grafts we can take.
| Shaven DHI Micrograft | Partial Shave DHI | Long Hair DHI | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donor area | Fully shaved | Small patches trimmed, the rest left long | Not shaved or trimmed |
| Grafts per case | Over 2,000, up to 3,500 | Up to 2,000 | Usually up to 2,000 |
| Usually used for | Larger areas, such as hairline plus mid-scalp or crown | Hairline, temples or a smaller area | Smaller cases where nothing can look different |
| Surgery time | 4 to 8 hours (typically about 5 hours for 2,000 grafts) | Slightly longer for the same number of grafts | Longest for the same number of grafts |
| Aftercare | Simplest, because the short donor area is easy to keep clean | Needs more care around the long hair | Needs the most care |
| Price | Package price by graft count | Package price by graft count | Package price by graft count |
| Recipient Area being treated | Not always shaved, especially for smaller hairline cases. Decided with your doctor at your pre-op consultation. | Same | Same |
If you're not sure which fits, send us photos of your hairline, crown and the back of your head. A doctor will tell you which options are realistic for you.
On the day
The day before surgery is your scheduled pre-op consultation. Your doctor does a full assessment, confirms your graft count, decides with you whether the recipient area needs shaving or trimming, and gives you your medications and instructions.
On the day itself:
Hairline and area design.
Your doctor draws the plan on your scalp with you and agrees the final graft count and price before anything starts.
Trimming the donor patches.
We trim small, narrow patches at the back to about 1 mm. The rest of your hair stays long.
Local anaesthetic.
Light sedation, gentle vibration and a massage are standard, to ease the pain of anaesthetic injections.
Extraction.
Your doctor removes each graft individually with a small FUE punch, working around the long hair.
Micrografting.
Each graft is counted and trimmed under a microscope and kept at 2 to 4°C in a holding solution.
Pre-made incisions.
Your doctor makes the small incisions that set the angle, direction and depth of every hair follicle.
Implantation.
Our skilled team places each graft with the Lion Implanter, with your doctor overseeing. The first grafts out are the first ones back in.
Finishing.
We rinse the area with saline and dress the donor area.
Partial Shave takes slightly longer than Shaven for the same number of grafts, because we're working around long hair. You'll have breaks, including lunch.
Recovery and results
| When | What to expect |
|---|---|
| First few days | Some tightness or soreness. We wash your hair at the clinic for up to 6 days. Most people can fly home from day 3. |
| Days 3 to 7 | Swelling peaks, then settles. It can reach the forehead or around the eyes before it goes down. Some redness across the treated area, mild aches or headaches, and a tender or sensitive scalp are all normal. |
| Days 7 to 14 | The small scabs begin to arise and fall off. The top of the scalp may feel numb and will usually improve over the following weeks. |
| Weeks 3 to 4 | The transplanted hairs shed. This is normal, and the roots stay in place. |
| Months 3 to 4 | New growth starts with thin, wispy hairs in the recipient area. |
| Month 6 | The hair is noticeably thicker with around 40 to 60% of the final result |
| Around 12 months | You see the final result. |
We stay with you throughout your first year, with check-ins at 2 weeks and at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, in person or by video call.
If your result doesn't meet our standard at 10 to 12 months, we offer a revision free of charge, as long as you've followed your aftercare and kept in touch.
Patient results
Our own patients, treated and photographed at our clinic with their consent. Every result depends on the patient's own hair and donor area.
Price
Partial Shave DHI is priced the same as Shaven, so you can choose the technique that suits your hair, not your budget.
Send us photos and we'll give you an estimate. Your doctor measures again at your pre-op consultation and confirms the final price with you before we start. If you'd prefer a lower price, we can treat a smaller area or plan a lower density.
Every package includes:
- A free online consultation with a doctor
- Your medications for six months
- A take-home aftercare kit: shampoo, moisturiser, saline spray and dressings
- Hair washing at the clinic for up to 6 days after surgery
- Yellow laser sessions to help swelling settle
- LLLT sessions at the clinic for up to a year
- Follow-up reviews for a year, in person or by video call
- A free revision if your result doesn't meet our standard at 10 to 12 months, as long as you've followed your aftercare and kept in touch
For your estimate, book a free online consultation.
How a Partial Shave DHI hair transplant works
What is DHI Micrograft?
DHI Micrograft is a variant of FUE (follicular unit extraction). Each graft, a small group of one to four hairs, is extracted individually with a 0.7 to 0.85 mm punch from the back of the head, where hair naturally resists the hormone behind pattern hair loss. The grafts are then placed into the thinning or bald area.
We don't cut and implant in one step. Your doctor makes the incisions first, which sets the angle, direction and depth of every hair before any graft goes in. Then each graft is placed with the Lion Implanter, a pen-like tool from South Korea. That way the graft is handled less, and the placement follows the plan exactly.
What is micrografting?
Under a microscope, we trim away the tissue around each graft that it doesn't need to survive.
Leaner grafts fit through smaller incisions, so we can place them closer together without crowding them. That gives more density in each square centimetre and a smoother scalp as it heals.
How does trimming the donor area work?
Instead of shaving the whole back of the head, we trim narrow patches to about 1 to 2 mm, only where we're going to extract. The hair above them stays long and falls back over them after surgery.
The trimmed patches grow back over the following weeks. Ask us if you'd like an example of how it will look.
Because we're working between long hairs, each extraction takes more care. That's why Partial Shave takes slightly longer than Shaven.
Does the area being treated need to be shaved?
Not always. For smaller cases, especially at the hairline, we can often work between your existing hairs without shaving the front.
For other cases, shaving the area makes the incisions more accurate. Your doctor will talk it through with you at your pre-op consultation.
How dense will it be?
We usually plan 40 to 50 grafts per cm² at the hairline, and 30 to 40 for the mid-scalp, the crown and areas that still have thinning hair.
We plan fewer if your existing hair is still in good condition. All of it is adjusted to what your donor area can safely supply.
Before your surgery
We'll send you the full pre-op guide when you book. The main points:
- Let the hair at the back and sides grow to at least 4 to 5 cm, so it covers the trimmed patches.
- Tell us about every medication, supplement and allergy. Don't stop any prescribed medication without checking with us first.
- Avoid alcohol and fermented foods for a week before.
- Stop or cut down smoking for 2 weeks before. Nicotine narrows blood vessels and reduces blood supply to the grafts.
- Don't colour or perm your hair for a month before.
- Sleep well the night before, and drink plenty of water. Avoid coffee, tea and fizzy drinks on the day.
- Wear a button-up shirt, so nothing has to go over your head afterwards.
Blood test. We need a recent blood test for HIV, hepatitis B and C, and syphilis before surgery. You can bring results from your own provider or have it done at the clinic.
After your surgery
We'll give you the full aftercare guide on the day. The main points:
- Take your medication as prescribed.
- Wear the headband for at least 4 days to keep swelling off your face.
- Sleep on your back with your head raised.
- Don't touch, scratch or rub the treated area for 2 weeks.
- Don't bend your head below your waist for a week.
- No alcohol, smoking or sex for at least a week.
- No exercise or heavy sweating for 2 weeks. Walking is fine.
- No swimming pools, saunas or steam rooms for a month.
- Keep out of strong sun for 2 to 4 weeks, and only wear loose headwear we've approved.
- No haircuts, colouring or chemical treatments for a month.
- Be gentle around the long hair at the back when you wash, following our instructions.
Normal healing
Some side effects are part of normal healing and settle on their own:
- Swelling around the forehead or eyes, settling in 3 to 7 days
- Tightness, soreness or numbness at the back and front. Tightness and soreness usually ease within 1 to 2 weeks. Numbness can take a few weeks to a few months to settle fully
- Redness, itching and small scabs, which fall off over 7 to 14 days. Don't pick them.
- Shedding of transplanted hairs at 3 to 4 weeks. Nearby existing hair can also shed for a while (shock loss). It grows back.
Contact us straight away if you have severe pain, swelling that keeps getting worse, or unusual discharge.
Why Bangkok Hair Clinic for Partial Shave DHI
From your first photos to your 12-month review, the same team looks after your case, ensuring a seamless experience from start to finish.
Your doctor does the surgical work.
Our doctors harvest the grafts and make the incisions themselves, and oversee every graft as it's placed.
No extra charge for keeping your hair.
If Partial Shave suits you, it's priced the same as a full shave.
Graft care built into the process.
Microscope trimming, storage at 2 to 4°C in a holding solution, and first-out, first-in placement.
An honest answer on suitability.
If your hair length or donor area won't allow Partial Shave, we'll tell you before you book, not on the day.
Partial Shave DHI questions
Usually not. We trim only narrow patches at the back, and your longer hair falls over them once the surgery is done. They grow back over the following weeks. If your hair is very short, they're more likely to show, which is why we ask for at least 4 to 5 cm.
Ideally at least 4 to 5 cm at the back and sides. If it's shorter, we may suggest growing it for a few weeks before surgery.
No. It's priced the same. Long Hair DHI is the only variant that's more costly, because working with long grafts is slower.
Because we only take grafts from the trimmed patches, and each extraction takes longer around long hair. Past about 2,000 grafts, a full shave is the safer way to get the number you need.
Shaven DHI Micrograft lets us take up to 3,500 in one case. Some patients choose a staged plan instead. Your doctor will go through both.
Not always. Smaller hairline cases often don't need it. Your doctor will decide with you at your pre-op consultation.
Yes. Many women choose Partial Shave because it keeps their hairstyle. We treat female hair loss with medication, GFC, laser treatments or a hair transplant. Female hair loss is more complex than male pattern hair loss, so speak to a doctor about which options suit you.
Yes. No hair transplant is scar-free. We extract with punches of 0.7 to 0.85 mm, so each scar is a small dot under a millimetre, spread across the back of the head. Surrounding hair usually covers them.
We expect at least 90 to 95% of grafts to survive. To protect each one, it's trimmed under a microscope, kept at 2 to 4°C in a holding solution, handled as little as possible, and placed in the order it came out. Survival also depends on your scalp and on how closely you follow your aftercare.
As with any surgery, complications are possible, though uncommon. They include infection, folliculitis (inflamed follicles that look like small spots), lower graft survival than expected, overharvesting of the donor area, more visible scarring, and numbness that lasts longer than usual. We reduce these with sterile technique, careful donor planning and a year of follow-up. Your doctor goes through them with you before surgery.
The anaesthetic injections sting at first. Light sedation, gentle vibration and a massage are standard to help. After that, most people feel pressure rather than pain. Expect some soreness and tightness for a few days.
Gentle styling is usually fine after 2 to 3 weeks, once the small wounds have healed. Check with us at your follow-up before using heat tools or heavy products.
Yes, if your donor area can supply it. Your doctor will check how much donor hair you have left and how your hair loss has progressed. If you have had a previous transplant, let us know!
Ask if Partial Shave suits you
Send us photos of your hairline, crown and the back of your head. A doctor will look at them and tell you whether Partial Shave is realistic for you, roughly how many grafts you'd need, and give you a price estimate.
Online consultations are free.