Crown (Vertex) Hair Transplant in Turkey

Quick answer: A crown hair transplant moves grafts from the back of your head to the crown, also called the vertex: the round area at the top and back of the scalp where hair grows in a spiral. The crown needs careful graft planning and takes longer to show its final result than the front. Whether and when to treat it is decided by a doctor at a free assessment.

The crown is often where a bald spot first appears when you look from above. At its centre is the whorl, the point the hair spirals out from. Grafts placed in the crown have to follow that spiral, or the hair will look as if it grows in the wrong direction.

Most crown plans aim to reduce the see-through look at the top of the head and blend the crown with the hair around it, rather than to recreate the density you had in your teens.

A crown transplant can be done on its own or together with the front of the scalp, using FUE or DHI techniques. The right plan depends on your pattern of hair loss and your donor supply.

• It shows the scalp easily: the crown is a round area seen from above and often lit from above, so the same number of grafts can look less dense than at the front.
• The whorl: grafts must follow a spiral growth pattern, which takes careful planning and placement.
• Loss often keeps spreading: crown thinning tends to widen over time. A plan that only fills today's bald spot can leave a gap later if the hair around it keeps thinning.
• Donor hair is limited: your donor area has a finite supply, and the front of the scalp usually takes priority because it frames your face.
• It matures more slowly: crown results can keep refining for 15–18 months.

None of this means the crown cannot be treated. It means the plan should be realistic about density and should keep donor hair in reserve.

There is no single graft number for the crown. It depends on the size of the area, how far your hair loss extends towards the front and how much your donor area can give over your lifetime. As a guide, these are typical plans from our cost and before-and-after pages:

Think of your donor area as a budget for life. If most of it goes to the crown now and your hairline recedes later, there may be little left for the front. That is why the doctor plans the crown together with your likely future hair loss, not only the bald spot you can see today.

When both the front and the crown are thinning, the hairline and mid-scalp are usually prioritised, so the result looks natural even before the crown fills in. Get a first estimate with our hair graft calculator before your assessment, where the doctor sets your own plan.

You may be a good candidate for a crown transplant if:

• your crown thinning has slowed or stabilised;
• the back and sides of your head have healthy donor hair;
• you have realistic expectations about density at the crown;
• you are in good general health, without an active scalp condition.

It can be better to wait if you are young and your crown is still opening up quickly, or if your thinning is spread across the top without a clear pattern. In these cases the doctor may suggest medication or monitoring first, because grafts placed into an area that keeps widening can leave gaps later.

Women's hair loss usually spreads along the parting rather than opening at the crown; see our women hair transplant page. If you are only starting to notice thinning, our guide to detecting and treating crown balding early explains the signs and non-surgical options.

Crown results come in more slowly than results at the front, so it helps to know what to expect:

• Days 1–2: a bandage stays on; after that a loose hat protects the grafts from sun and dust.
• First nights: crown grafts sit where your head touches the pillow, so your aftercare sheet explains how to sleep while they settle.
• Weeks 2–4: the transplanted hairs often shed. This is normal shock loss.
• Months 3–4: regrowth begins as the new hairs push through.
• Months 6–9: density builds.
• Month 12: the final result for most patients; crown work can keep refining to 15–18 months.

Treat photos at 4–6 months as progress shots, not as the final result. Crown photos are easiest to compare when they are taken from directly above, in the same light and with the hair dry and combed the same way.

To see real Istanbul Care cases that include the crown, look at our 3,500 grafts before and after and Norwood 5 before and after pages, or browse all hair transplant before and after cases.

Sometimes. A small or moderate crown can often be treated in one session. With advanced loss across the front and the crown, your donor area may not be able to give everything safely in one day, and advanced patterns often need a second session 12 to 18 months later.

A staged plan can be the safer choice. The first session restores the front and mid-scalp, and the crown is completed once you can see how the first result and your remaining hair have settled.

The doctor tells you at the assessment whether your plan is likely to need two stages, so you can decide with the full picture.

How many grafts does a crown hair transplant need?

It depends on the size of the area and your donor supply. On our cost page, a plan of about 3,500 grafts reaches back over the crown while still carrying the front. The doctor sets your own number after the assessment.

Why do crown results take longer?

The crown is a round area with a spiral growth pattern, and density there builds slowly. Most patients see the final result at about 12 months, and crown work can keep refining to 15–18 months.

Should I treat the crown or the hairline first?

If both are thinning, the hairline and mid-scalp usually come first because they frame your face. The crown can be added in the same session if your donor supply allows, or in a second session.

Can a crown transplant be done without shaving?

Unshaven plans are better suited to smaller areas. Whether your crown can be treated without shaving depends on its size and your hair, so the doctor will tell you at the assessment. See our unshaven hair transplant page for how no-shave plans work.

Can I have a crown transplant if my crown is still thinning?

Possibly, but the doctor may suggest medication or monitoring first, because grafts placed into an area that keeps widening can leave gaps later.

Will I need a second session?

For advanced loss across the front and crown, a second session 12 to 18 months later is often needed. A smaller crown area can often be treated in one session.

What can a crown hair transplant realistically achieve?

It can reduce the see-through look at the crown and blend it with the hair around it. How dense the result looks depends on your donor supply, hair type and the size of the area, and the doctor explains what is realistic for you before you decide.

How much does a crown hair transplant cost in Turkey?

Our 2026 all-inclusive packages are $1,990 (FUE), $2,290 (ICE DHI) and $2,490 (Gold ICE DHI). Your package and final price are confirmed in writing after the free assessment, before you travel.