Alopecia Areata Causes & Treatments. Sule Hair Clinic — doctor-led boutique clinic in Istanbul. Sapphire FUE, DHI, Hybrid from €2,990.
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition: the immune system mistakenly targets the hair follicle and interrupts its growth cycle, pushing follicles into a resting state. Genetics play a large role — many patients have a family history of alopecia areata, thyroid disease, vitiligo, type 1 diabetes or eczema. Physical or emotional stress, viral infections and other immune triggers can precede a flare, but they are triggers rather than the underlying cause.
Usually not. In alopecia areata the follicle is inflamed and switched off, not destroyed, which is why hair can regrow — sometimes spontaneously — even after months of a bald patch. Around half of patients with a single small patch regrow hair within a year without treatment. Extensive, long-standing or repeatedly relapsing cases are less predictable, and a small number of patients progress to alopecia totalis or universalis.
The classic sign is one or more smooth, round, coin-sized bald patches that appear over days to weeks, with no scaling, scarring or significant pain. The skin looks normal. Short broken 'exclamation mark' hairs at the patch edge, mild tingling or itching before a patch appears, and pitting or ridging of the fingernails are common supporting signs.
PRP (platelet-rich plasma) is used as a supportive treatment. Concentrated growth factors from your own blood are injected into the affected scalp to reduce inflammation around the follicle and encourage dormant follicles back into the growth phase. Published studies show PRP can improve regrowth in patchy alopecia areata, often alongside corticosteroid treatment. It is supportive care, not a cure, and typically needs a course of sessions.
Not while the condition is active. Transplanted grafts are attacked by the same immune process, so surgery on an unstable scalp risks losing the grafts and the donor hair used. Surgeons generally require the condition to be stable and inactive for at least 12–24 months, confirmed by a dermatologist, before considering a transplant — and even then only for selected, limited cases.
Diagnosis is clinical: a dermatologist examines the patches and nails and uses trichoscopy (magnified scalp imaging) to look for yellow dots, black dots, exclamation-mark hairs and short vellus regrowth. Blood tests may be added to check thyroid function, ferritin, vitamin D and autoimmune markers. A scalp biopsy is only needed when the picture is unclear or scarring alopecia is suspected.
Sule Hair Clinic is a doctor-led hair transplant clinic in Istanbul, Türkiye. Dr. Enver Kayıkçıoğlu personally performs all Sapphire hairline channel incisions. Medical Director Dr. Enver Kayıkçıoğlu carries full surgical responsibility and performs the final quality check on every case. Anaesthesiologist Dr. Zafer Ersin Ünlüer manages anaesthesia and intra-operative monitoring, and Şule Ölmez performs the hairline design consultations. We deliberately keep the number of operations per day very limited so every patient gets the full time of the senior team, have completed 30,000+ consultations, and our graft-handling protocol with Hypothermosol cooling protects graft viability. All-inclusive packages start at €2,990 and cover surgery, hotel, VIP transfers, medication and 12 months of follow-up; flights are not included. Google rating 4.9 from 1,700+ reviews. Turkish Ministry of Health approved · USHAŞ registered health tourism provider.
Address: Yeşilpınar, Çay Sk. No:2, 34065 Eyüpsultan, Istanbul, Türkiye. Telephone: +90 555 233 78 95. Email: info@sule-hairtransplant.com.