Hair transplantFinland5 min read
Did Niko Saarinen have a hair transplant? Yes, and he said so himself
In February 2026 the Finnish TV and radio host Niko Saarinen said, in an episode of his own podcast, that he had had a hair transplant. He also described years of shame about his thinning hair before he decided to do something about it. Below is what he said, where it was published, and what the procedure he talked about involves for anyone considering it today.
By messaging us, you agree to our Privacy Policy
Medically reviewed by Ellina V. Goncharova, dermatovenereologist, trichologist, surgeon. Review date: .
The main points in 30 seconds
- In Feb. 2026, on “Nikotellen”, Niko Saarinen said he'd had a transplant in Stockholm in spring 2025.
- He noticed thinning hair in his thirties, felt shame for years: “so hard for men, rarely talked about.”
- He posted photos from the procedure on Instagram the same day, naming no clinic or technique.
- A hair transplant uses local anaesthesia, FUE or DHI, usually one day; result judged at 12–18 months.
- At City Medical Centre prices start at $2,200 for FUE, $2,500 for DHI, $2,700 combined.
Key facts about the procedure
- Stay in clinicSame day
- Final result12–18 months
- AnaesthesiaLocal
- Price
$2,700from $2,200
Profile
Niko Saarinen
- Country
- Finland
- Who
- TV host
- Year of operation
- 2025
- Quote source
- Seiska, 6 February 2026
I want to say this out loud, because I know this is such a difficult thing for so many men, and it’s talked about so little in public.
What did Niko Saarinen say about his hair transplant?
The Finnish TV and radio host confirmed it himself in February 2026, in an episode of his own podcast, Nikotellen. He said he had noticed his hair thinning in his thirties and had carried shame about it for years before deciding to act.
Hair Transplant London, Hair Transplant Dublin — price and consultation.
Price in your country — message us on WhatsApp
WhatsAppSeiska reported his words: “I want to say this out loud, because I know this is such a difficult thing for so many men, and it’s talked about so little in public.” He said the transplant was carried out in Stockholm in the spring of 2025, and posted photos from the procedure on his own Instagram the same day the podcast episode went live.
That is the whole of what we rely on here. Saarinen did not name the clinic, the exact technique used or the number of grafts, so this article does not guess at them. Where the text below explains methods and timelines, it describes hair transplantation in general, not his treatment.
Why his openness made an impression
Saarinen is a familiar face in Finland from years of television and radio work, including an early stint on Big Brother Suomi that first put him in the public eye. For a long time he hid his hair loss under hats, which people online had noticed and speculated about.
More on this topic: Hair Transplant, Hair Transplant for Women, FUE Hair Transplant, FUE & DHI Hair Transplant in Singapore, FUE & DHI Hair Transplant in Málaga.
Saying plainly that he had a transplant, and explaining how much shame he had carried over something so common, turned years of guesswork into an ordinary medical decision that other men could recognise in themselves.
Hair loss in men is usually genetic (androgenetic alopecia) and gets worse without treatment. A transplant does not reverse that process on its own; it moves hair that resists balding from the back of the head to the areas that have thinned.
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 carried out under local anaesthesia, usually in a single day. Individual hair follicles are removed from a donor area, typically the back of the head, and implanted where hair is missing. The two main techniques:
- FUE — grafts are extracted one by one through tiny punctures, then placed into channels the surgeon prepares beforehand. No linear scar, no stitches.
- DHI — grafts are implanted directly with a special pen (Choi implanter), without pre-made channels, giving fine control over the angle and direction of each hair.
How grafts are placed
- FUE
- Into channels prepared in advance
- DHI
- Directly with an implanter pen
Anaesthesia
- FUE
- Local
- DHI
- Local
Scarring
- FUE
- No linear scar
- DHI
- No linear scar
Typical use
- FUE
- Larger areas, higher graft counts
- DHI
- Hairline and dense packing of smaller areas
Price at City Medical Centre
- FUE
- $2,200
- DHI
- $2,500
A combined approach, FUE extraction with DHI implantation, is also used and priced at $2,700. Which option fits best depends on the extent of hair loss and how dense the donor area is, so the choice is made at a consultation, not from a celebrity story.
Who is a good candidate
A transplant works best when the donor area at the back of the head is dense enough to supply grafts and the pattern of hair loss is clear. Typical reasons people consider it:
- a receding hairline or thinning temples, the pattern Saarinen described feeling most self-conscious about;
- thinning at the crown or generally low density on top;
- hair loss after injury or burns.
There are also contraindications, including patchy (focal) alopecia, age under 18, trichotillomania, body dysmorphic disorder, severe heart disease, diabetes mellitus, epilepsy and intolerance to anaesthetics. The surgeon checks all of this before a date is booked.
What results look like over time
Saarinen described the first period after the surgery as hard, mainly because of how publicly his hair had already been scrutinised, but he said he does not regret the decision. For patients in general, the transplanted hairs usually shed in the first weeks, which is normal, and new growth starts a few months later.
The final result is judged at 12 to 18 months. The timeline further down shows the usual stages.
How hair transplant results usually develop
- Day of surgeryLocal anaesthesia; grafts are taken and implanted, then you go home.
- Days 1–10The scalp heals, crusts fall off; follow washing and sleeping instructions.
- Weeks 2–4Transplanted hairs shed — expected; 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 can be assessed.
A hair transplant at City Medical Centre
City Medical Centre performs FUE, DHI and combined hair transplants for international patients, including from Finland. The first consultation is free and can be done online: the doctor reviews photos of the scalp and donor area, estimates the number of grafts needed and gives a price, which is then fixed in the contract.
Current prices start at $2,200 for FUE and $2,500 for DHI, with follow-up appointments at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months and a lifetime guarantee on the transplanted hair. More details are on the hair transplant page.
To be clear: City Medical Centre has no connection with Niko Saarinen or his treatment. His story is simply a well-known example of a man who chose to talk 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
When did Niko Saarinen have his hair transplant?
He said in February 2026 that it was done in Stockholm in spring 2025; he gave no more specific date.
Which method did he use?
He did not name the technique or the clinic, so this article does not guess. Today the standard options are FUE, DHI or a combination, chosen depending on the pattern of hair loss.
Why did he decide to talk about it publicly?
He said he wanted male hair loss to be discussed more openly, since so many men feel shame about it and rarely say so.
Is a hair transplant permanent?
Transplanted follicles usually keep growing for life, because they come from a donor area that resists balding. Native hair nearby can still thin with age, which a surgeon accounts for when planning.
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. The final price is given after the free consultation.
Sources
What the article says about the celebrity is based only on these public statements.
- Seiska, 6 February 2026
- Nikotellen-podcast (Podme), 6 February 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
Considering the same operation? Get a free consultation
Message a coordinator on Telegram: we reply right in the chat, and you can send photos and questions there too.
- The first consultation is free, online consultations are available
- The doctor names the cost after the assessment, and it is fixed in the contract
- A personal coordinator guides you from the first message to recovery
Read also
Hair transplantDid Paulus Arajuuri have a hair transplant? Yes, and he wants men to stop feeling ashamed
Former Finland vice-captain Paulus Arajuuri spoke openly about his hair transplant. What he said, how the procedure works and how results develop over time.
Hair transplantSergey Hilman's hair transplant, described in his own words
Finnish reality star Sergey Hilman described in October 2022 having 2,000 grafts transplanted into his hairline, his third such procedure. What he said and how it works.
Hair transplantDid Tauski have a hair transplant? Yes, and he talked about it with humour
Finnish singer Tauski told Iltalehti in 2020 that he had a hair transplant on the crown. What he said, how the procedure works and how results develop.
Hair transplantFUE vs DHI: How the Two Hair Transplant Methods Differ and Which One Suits You
FUE vs DHI hair transplant compared: how each method works, which suits your hair loss, recovery, results and cost. Plain answers for patients planning surgery.