What is Hair Filler?
Hair Filler is a non-surgical hair treatment: a series of microinjections into the scalp of a complex of hyaluronic acid and bio-stimulating peptides. It does not create new follicles. It improves the environment of the follicle that is still alive — hydrating the dermis, reinforcing the shaft and aiming to reduce shedding — so the hair you still have grows in stronger and thicker.
Said honestly: Hair Filler does not reverse baldness. Where the follicle has already died there is nothing to stimulate, which is why this treatment is not a substitute for a hair transplant or for the medical treatment of androgenetic alopecia. Its place is different: as support in early or moderate loss, to accompany medical therapy, and to improve the ground before or after a transplant. The evidence is promising but still limited, and results may vary.
Techniques used by Dr. Arístides Arellano
Before injecting anything, Dr. Arístides Arellano works from one principle: measure first, decide second. Hair Filler is indicated only when the diagnosis confirms there is a living follicle to support.
- Prior HairMetrix diagnosis — density, thickness and the proportion of miniaturised hair are measured to confirm that Hair Filler is the right tool and not a patch over a problem that needs something else. See hair diagnosis.
- Intradermal microinjection (mesotherapy technique) — the complex is placed superficially at multiple points across the thinning areas, with a very fine needle, to distribute the product where the follicle is.
- A course of sessions plus maintenance — it is not a single injection: it is worked as a spaced series of sessions followed by maintenance, because the effect builds and is sustained over time, not all at once.
How is it done?
A session takes 20 to 30 minutes and is done in the office. The scalp is cleaned, topical anaesthetic is applied if needed, and with a very fine needle microinjections are placed at marked points across the thinning areas. You may feel a mild prick; no operating theatre or sedation is required. Afterwards there may be small papules, redness or tenderness that settle within a few hours, and normal activity can resume the same day. The result is not immediate: it begins to show gradually around the second or third month, and depends on completing the course and the maintenance.
All surgery carries risk and requires a prior medical assessment. Results may vary according to each patient, their anatomy and their individual healing process.
Who is a good candidate?
- People with early or moderate loss and follicles still alive (miniaturised, not lost), confirmed by diagnosis.
- Those looking to accompany their medical treatment of androgenetic alopecia and give more strength and thickness to the hair they keep.
- Hair-transplant patients who want to improve the ground before surgery or care for the native hair around a graft.
- People with realistic expectations, willing to complete the course of sessions and maintenance. It is not for someone seeking to reverse established baldness — for that the path is a different one.
Recommended post-treatment care
Although Hair Filler is not surgery and involves no downtime, the scalp is worth looking after for the first few hours: avoid washing it, keep it out of direct sun and intense heat, and skip high-impact exercise that day. If you combine this treatment with a hair transplant, the aftercare matters more. See the full guide: Post-surgical recovery and care.
Before and after
Most patients want to see before-and-after photographs before deciding. Out of respect for each person’s privacy, Dr. Arístides Arellano shows real cases —always with documented consent— during your in-person consultation, where you can review results from patients with a starting point similar to yours. Results may vary from patient to patient.
Approximate price
The price of Hair Filler is defined at your consultation, for a concrete reason: it depends on the number of sessions your case needs, the size of the area treated and the degree of thinning. It is a course, not a single price, so we do not publish a fixed figure that might not match your situation. Approximate price — the definitive cost is set at your private consultation with Dr. Arístides Arellano. See the price list.
About Dr. Arístides Arellano
Dr. Arístides Arellano is a plastic surgeon holding a specialty licence: he practises under a Mexican medical licence (D.G.P. 1125959) and a specialty licence in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (0002008), both issued by the Directorate General of Professions (DGP), which reissued his certificate of professional standing in 2025. His career began before Mexico’s present-day specialty-board system existed: he belongs to the founding generation of plastic surgery in Puebla, the second generation of a surgical tradition started in 1971 by Dr. Francisco Arellano Ocampo. Trust is verified, not promised: both licences are public and anyone can look them up in the DGP’s National Registry of Professionals.
Related patient guide
If you are weighing supporting your hair with Hair Filler against taking the step to a transplant, understanding how many follicles your case needs helps you decide with numbers rather than anxiety. Link How many grafts do I need? A guide to hair transplants.
Trust is verified, not promised. All 210 scanned documents —degree, licences, diplomas, publications and certificates, from 1977 to 2025— are open in Dr. Arístides Arellano’s credential archive, alongside an explanation of the difference between a specialty licence and a board certification.
Recovery · step by step
- Same dayThe session takes 20–30 minutes. There may be papules, redness or tenderness on the scalp; normal activity can resume that day. Avoid washing the hair or direct sun exposure for the first few hours.
- First 24–48 hoursRedness and tenderness settle. Avoid intense exercise, heat (sauna, steam) and harsh products on the scalp.
- Following weeksThe course sessions are completed, spaced as indicated. The effect is not yet visible: work is being done on the follicle environment.
- Months 2–3More thickness and strength in the existing hair begin to show and, in many cases, less shedding. This is the moment to judge objectively, ideally comparing against the baseline diagnosis.
- MaintenanceThe effect is not permanent: maintenance sessions are scheduled to sustain it. Any underlying androgenetic alopecia continues to be controlled with the medical treatment prescribed in consultation.
Frequently asked questions
Does Hair Filler grow new hair where I am already bald?
No. Hair Filler supports and strengthens follicles that are still alive, but it does not create new follicles or reverse established baldness. Where the follicle has already died there is nothing to stimulate; in those cases the path is a hair transplant. That is why a diagnosis comes first, to know which follicle is left to support.
How is it different from hair PRP?
They are different treatments with a similar goal. PRP uses a concentrate of your own platelets drawn from your blood; Hair Filler uses a complex of hyaluronic acid and peptides. Both are injected into the scalp to support the existing follicle, and in some cases they are combined. Which one suits you, or whether to combine them, is decided at the consultation based on your diagnosis.
How many sessions do I need?
It is worked as a course, not a single injection. The number of sessions and their spacing depend on your case and are defined at the consultation; maintenance is then scheduled to sustain the result. Without maintenance, the effect fades over time.
Does it hurt? Do I need time off?
The microinjections are done with a very fine needle and, if needed, topical anaesthetic; usually only a mild prick is felt. No operating theatre or time off is required: you can return to your normal day, bearing in mind there may be redness or small papules for a few hours.
When will I see results?
The result is gradual, not immediate. Most people begin to notice more strength and thickness in the hair around the second or third month, provided the course is completed. The honest way to measure it is to compare against a baseline diagnosis, because it is hard to judge your own hair objectively by eye. Results may vary.
Can I do it before or after a hair transplant?
Yes, and it often makes sense. Before a transplant it can help improve the scalp environment, and afterwards it can care for the native hair surrounding the grafted area, which remains exposed to alopecia. The strategy is planned at the consultation together with medical treatment.
Does Hair Filler cure alopecia?
No. No treatment cures androgenetic alopecia; it is controlled, not cured. Hair Filler is a support that can improve the quality of existing hair and accompany medical treatment, but the underlying disease runs its course if it is not controlled. That is why it is used as part of a plan, not as a standalone solution.
Every case is different. Discuss yours in a personal consultation.
Book a consultation on WhatsAppEvery figure published on this site is approximate and is not a quote. Any procedure or treatment first requires a private assessment consultation with Dr. Arístides Arellano —$800 MXN, charged separately— and it is at that consultation that the definitive cost of your case is determined.
Educational content; it does not replace a medical consultation. Results may vary from person to person.