I had decided to have a transplant and met with the staff at the Transmed Clinic in Istanbul's Etiler neighborhood. It is a convenient area, and on the day of surgery a chauffeur is arranged for home/hotel pick up and drop off. I met with Mr. Taner concerning procedures available and was soon escorted up stairs to see Dr. Ilker Apaydin. We discussed some of my concerns, his hair line approach and looked at some before and after photos. I booked an appointment two weeks later to have 2800 grafts. He recommended a FUE.

I returned to Mr. Taner where pricing became the issue. I had completed an estimated cost on a medical consultation site with Transmed a few days before and it was dramatically lower than what I was quoted at the clinic. The clinic explained that I had selected the price for 500 grafts instead of 2800. I would like to see this feature updated to be more realistic. Mr. Taner worked with me some and I agreed on the less expensive FUT. Although the thought of a scar was not what I wanted, I have generally got good hair coverage at the back and sides of my head. I read that technology is changing, but I cannot help but keep noticing many doctors and sites, even wikipedia, note that FUT grafts do not suffer as much potential trauma and therefore tend to take hold better. I will know in a year. Leading up to my appointment for the FUT I did receive phone calls, emails and information in a timely manner.

Clinic Reactions. It was professional, had a fluent multi lingual staff, they listened to me and explained the options and what they entail. I was able to view before and after photos and zero in on patients who had similar balding to mine.

I am hoping for a thicker hair line back. My profile photo was taken before one last haircut, appox. one week before my surgery.