Hair transplantItaly5 min read
Francesco Facchinetti and his hair transplant: what he said
On 1 October 2026, on the Rai 1 show La Volta Buona hosted by Caterina Balivo, TV host and singer Francesco Facchinetti talked about his struggle with hair loss, including a hair transplant he had abroad. Here is exactly what he said, where it was reported, and what the operation involves for anyone considering it today.
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Medically reviewed by Ellina V. Goncharova, dermatovenereologist, trichologist, surgeon. Review date: .
The main points in 30 seconds
- Facchinetti: his Greece transplant was extremely painful (Leggo, 1 Oct 2026).
- He said the transplanted hair fell out after four to five years.
- He now uses a non-surgical hair patch instead of another transplant.
- FUE at CMC starts at $2,200, DHI at $2,500, with a lifetime guarantee.
Key facts about the procedure
- Stay in clinicSame day
- Final result12–18 months
- AnaesthesiaLocal
- Price
$2,700from $2,200
I went to Greece because I thought it was the right thing. I felt atrocious pain, they take one hair at a time, 6,000 times.
What did Francesco Facchinetti say about his hair transplant?
Talking with Caterina Balivo on La Volta Buona, reported by Leggo on 1 October 2026, Facchinetti described trying several remedies for hair loss before attempting a transplant: “Sono andato in Grecia, perché credevo fosse la cosa giusta. Ho provato un male atroce, ti prendono un capello per volta per 6 mila volte.” (“I went to Greece because I thought it was the right thing to do.
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WhatsAppI felt atrocious pain, they take one hair at a time, 6,000 times.”) He added that the result did not last: “Dopo quattro/cinque anni ti cadono.” (“After four or five years they fall out.”) He now uses a non-surgical hair patch instead.
That is the whole of what we rely on here. Facchinetti did not name the clinic, the exact year or the specific technique used, so this article does not guess at them. Where the text below explains methods, candidacy and timelines, it describes hair transplantation in general, not his own treatment.
Why his account is worth taking seriously
Most celebrity hair-transplant stories end with a satisfied “yes, and it worked.” Facchinetti’s is more useful precisely because it does not: he describes real pain during the procedure and, in his account, a result that did not hold.
More on this topic: Hair Transplant, DHI Hair Transplant, Beard Transplant, FUE & DHI Hair Transplant in Singapore, FUE & DHI Hair Transplant in Málaga.
Whatever happened in his specific case, it is a fair reminder that a transplant is surgery with variable outcomes, not a guaranteed fix bought once and forgotten — and that the clinic, the technique and the surgeon’s assessment of the donor area all affect how long a result lasts.
It is also why a reputable clinic examines the donor area and the pattern of hair loss carefully before booking a date, rather than promising a result without seeing the patient.
Hair transplant abroad: choose a city and clinic
Prices, the clinic and a free online consultation for each city:
How a hair transplant works today
A modern hair transplant is an outpatient procedure under local anaesthesia — the “6,000 hairs one at a time” Facchinetti described is simply how follicular units are harvested and placed, one by one, from a donor area that is genetically resistant to hair loss. The two main techniques:
How grafts are placed
- FUE
- Into channels prepared in advance
- DHI
- Directly with an implanter pen
Best suited to
- FUE
- Larger areas, more grafts
- DHI
- Hairline and dense packing of smaller areas
Donor-area assessment
- FUE
- Checked before booking, either way
- DHI
- Checked before booking, either way
Price at City Medical Centre
- FUE
- $2,200
- DHI
- $2,500
A combined approach (FUE extraction with DHI implantation) costs $2,700. Which option — and how many grafts — fits depends on the extent of hair loss and the donor area, assessed at a consultation rather than guessed from a public figure’s experience.
Why results can vary, and who is a good candidate
A result that fades, as Facchinetti described, is usually tied to a thinning donor area, ongoing genetic hair loss in the surrounding native hair, or grafts not surviving the procedure — which is why an honest assessment before the operation matters more than the marketing around it.
Good candidates have a donor area at the back of the head dense enough to supply grafts and a hair-loss pattern the surgeon can plan around. There are also contraindications, including patchy (focal) alopecia — a transplant does not treat it and is not recommended for it — age under 18, trichotillomania, body dysmorphic disorder, severe heart disease, diabetes mellitus, epilepsy and intolerance to anaesthetics. The surgeon checks all of this before any date is booked.
What results look like over time
Transplanted hairs typically shed in the first weeks after surgery — that is expected, the follicles stay in place — and new growth begins after a few months. Density becomes visible by months 6–9, and the final result, including how well it has held, is judged at 12–18 months. The timeline below shows the usual stages.
How hair transplant results usually develop
- Day of surgeryLocal anaesthesia; grafts are taken and implanted one by one; you go home the same day.
- Days 1–10The scalp heals and small crusts fall off.
- Weeks 2–4Transplanted hairs shed. This is expected: the follicles remain under the skin.
- Months 3–4New hair begins to grow, often fine at first.
- Months 6–9Density becomes clearly visible.
- Months 12–18The final result, including how well it has held, can be assessed.
A hair transplant at City Medical Centre
City Medical Centre performs FUE, DHI and combined hair transplants for international patients. The first consultation is free and can be held online: the doctor assesses photos of the donor area and the hair-loss pattern, estimates the number of grafts needed and names the price, fixed afterwards in the contract. Current prices start at $2,200 for FUE, $2,500 for DHI and $2,700 for the combined method.
The price includes follow-up appointments at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, and the clinic gives a lifetime guarantee of hair growth. More details are on the hair transplant page.
To be clear: City Medical Centre has no connection with Francesco Facchinetti or his treatment. His story is simply a well-known example of someone who spoke openly about the procedure.
Hair transplant prices in this article are the current offer, valid until 30 November 2026. Regular prices: FUE $2,700, DHI $2,900, combined method $2,900. The price that applies to you is confirmed at the consultation.
Frequently asked questions
Did Francesco Facchinetti have a hair transplant?
Yes. He said so himself on the Rai 1 show La Volta Buona on 1 October 2026, reported by Leggo.
Where did Francesco Facchinetti have his hair transplant?
He said he travelled to Greece. He did not name a clinic.
Why did Francesco Facchinetti's result not last?
He said the transplanted hair fell out after four or five years. He did not give a medical reason; in general, how long a result holds depends on the donor area and on ongoing genetic hair loss in the surrounding native hair.
What does Francesco Facchinetti use now instead?
He said he now uses a non-surgical hair patch rather than attempting another transplant.
How much does a hair transplant cost at City Medical Centre?
Prices start at $2,200 for FUE, $2,500 for DHI and $2,700 for the combined method, with a lifetime guarantee of hair growth.
Sources
What the article says about the celebrity is based only on these public statements.
- Leggo, 1 October 2026
Medical background and further reading
General information about the procedure from health authorities and medical societies. It is not advice for any individual patient.
- PubMed / NCBI — Follicular Unit Extraction for Hair Transplantation: An Update (Actas Dermosifiliogr, 2017)
- PubMed / NCBI — Donor site healing in follicular unit extraction hair transplantation (Cell Mol Biol, 2025)
- International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery — Hair loss treatments and solutions
How we prepare and review medical content · Medical disclaimer
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