The Maletić Polyclinic Hair Center

The Hair Center at the Maletić Polyclinic

Why trust us

Experience, methods and international professional recognition

The Maletić Polyclinic Hair Center brings together decades of experience in hair transplantation, a range of diagnostic and therapeutic methods, and internationally recognized professional qualifications. The Center is led by Ana Maletić, MD, PhD, holder of the ABHRS Diplomate and FISHRS titles and the only physician from Croatia in full ISHRS membership. It is precisely this combination of international professional titles and memberships that places the Maletić Polyclinic Hair Center among only six clinics in the world with a comparable level of professional certification.

Experience that began before the first transplant

Hair transplant education at the Polyclinic began in 1996, two years before its founding, when Duško Maletić, MD, MSc, gained his first knowledge from American experts in the field of hair transplantation. The first hair transplant was performed in 1998, and procedures have continued without interruption since, with results and the clinic’s own working methods presented at international professional congresses.

All four methods and an individual choice of technique

At the Center we perform four hair transplant methods: FUE, DHI, Sapphire and STRIP — and when indicated, they can be combined in the same procedure. Having several techniques available allows the choice to follow your pattern of hair loss, the condition of the donor area and the long-term plan.

Diagnostics and therapy within one center

The Center offers genetic testing, TrichoLAB analysis, scalp biopsy, non-surgical therapies, regenerative procedures and transplantation. Bringing diagnostics and multiple treatment options together makes it easier to build a plan around your findings and goals.

Premises and the conditions procedures are performed in

The polyclinics in Zagreb and Daruvar together cover more than 1,000 square meters. They have a total of four operating rooms, equipped with ventilation and air-control systems. Controlled operating conditions are one of the factors in performing procedures safely, alongside proper handling and storage of follicular units.

At the Zagreb polyclinic, patients can complete the entire process, from diagnostics and therapy planning to the hair transplant itself, which is why most of these procedures are performed there. The Daruvar polyclinic, alongside the hair center, covers other branches of medicine as well and has a training hall where physicians from different countries follow selected procedures during education programs. In both centers, patients have single rooms with a private bathroom at their disposal.

Honesty first

No method is universal

There is no method that suits every cause and every stage of hair loss. A combination cannot be determined in advance, and a transplant is not the automatic choice for everyone who notices thinning.

Scalps differ from person to person, and so do the cause of hair loss, the stage the loss has reached, the density and quality of the donor area and the number of follicular units available. The treatment plan is made after an examination, a diagnostic assessment and a conversation about your goals.

After the examination, one of three situations most often emerges:

1 · Follicles are present, but weakened. The goal is to preserve the existing hair and support the function of the active follicles with appropriate therapies, alone or in combination.

2 · The follicles are weakened, and the findings point to a possible additional regenerative approach aimed at the local conditions in the tissue around the preserved follicles, alongside targeted therapy when indicated.

3 · In some areas there are no active follicles left, so neither injectable therapy nor a topical preparation can restore the lost hair. In that case, transplantation is the surgical option of moving your own follicles into the area of hair loss, provided the right conditions for it exist.

After the examination, the plan may include a single therapy, a combination of methods, follow-up, or a transplant — depending on the diagnosis, the stage of hair loss and the condition of the donor area. When a procedure is not currently indicated, the plan can focus on preserving the existing hair, treating the underlying cause, or follow-up with reassessment if the condition changes.

“If we judge that a patient does not actually need a certain procedure, we will say so openly.” — Ana Maletić, MD, PhD, interview for Gloria, April 2026

Honest advice

How to choose a hair center

The market for hair transplants is large today, and the various procedures and promises are often hard for patients to compare. Below are the criteria you can use to evaluate any clinic — including ours.

1 · Ask how many procedures the physician has performed

Years in practice alone do not say enough, because experience in this field is built on the number of procedures performed, the types of cases and continuous work with patients. The number and type of transplants a physician has personally performed are more concrete indicators of experience than the year they started working.

2 · A follicular unit is not a hair

One follicular unit contains, on average, two to three hairs. A number quoted in an offer means completely different things depending on whether it refers to follicular units or to individual hairs.

3 · Ask for a clearly documented count of extracted follicular units

After extraction, the follicular units are arranged on trays with a known number of positions, which makes the total count verifiable. At the same time, their quality and integrity during extraction are assessed, including any damage or transection of the follicular units.

4 · Check who performs the key parts of the procedure

A hair transplant is a surgical procedure, so it is important to know in advance who performs it, who carries the medical responsibility for it and who makes the key decisions during the procedure. The international society ISHRS explicitly advises patients to ask this before the procedure.

5 · Check the conditions the procedure is performed in

A hair transplant is a surgical procedure and requires conditions suited to one: an operating room, equipment for monitoring the patient’s condition, sterile conditions and optical instruments for precise work with follicular units.

6 · Check how the technique is chosen

FUE does not suit every patient. The technique is chosen according to your pattern of hair loss, the quality of the donor area and the long-term plan — not according to how well known it is. A physician experienced in different techniques can adapt the plan to your anatomy, your donor area and the goal of the procedure.

7 · Check whether the results are truly theirs

Look at the before-and-after photographs and ask whether the patients shown are really that physician’s patients. It matters to know who stands behind the results you are being shown.

8 · Check the physician’s memberships and professional qualifications

Attending a congress is not the same as membership. You can verify ISHRS membership in the official Find a Doctor directory, along with other information about a physician’s education, experience and results.

How to compare a price and what the offer includes

A large difference in price can reflect differences in conditions, the team’s experience, the scope of the service and how quality is controlled. Excellent centers exist all over the world, so the question is not which country the procedure is performed in, but who performs it, under what conditions, and what is included in the quoted price.

Price should not be the only criterion when choosing a hair transplant. With a surgical procedure, it matters who performs it, what the physician’s expertise is, how the follicular units are handled, and what the plan is for the future of your hair.

The ISHRS runs initiatives that warn about unlicensed procedures and the importance of choosing a qualified physician.

In the media

The media on the Hair Center

First step

The first step

The consultation is free of charge. During the examination we assess the cause and stage of your hair loss and talk through the options and limitations of treatment. Based on the findings, we propose a method, a protocol and an estimate of the total cost.

The prices of all methods are listed in the price list, and you can arrange an appointment in Zagreb or Daruvar through the contact page.

If you have noticed increased shedding, a widening part or reduced hair density, an examination can help establish the cause and the treatment options. After the examination, you receive your findings and an individual assessment of the next steps.