ersko72

Ready!

Great to see you back on the forum. I remember we exchanged a few notes all that time ago...and in that time since then I've had my HT with Erdogan. I'm almost 4 weeks post op- halfway through shedding and still quite red.

I wrote a review and I'll update it monthly with pic. Free free to check it out.

Ersko

Thanks everyone for the comments.

@Raman - yes, it seems I had almost the same grafts for half the area. Probably two reasons:

- at 40 microns I'd need 1.5 for every one of your 60 micron grafts to achieve a similar density.

- you had grafts placed add density well beyond your hairline. I'm guessing grafts were spaced further apart where you had existing hair to mix with. While fine, my hair oddly hits full density immediately behind the hairline..so grafts were only placed 1cm or so behind to give me a buffer on future loss.

@Vpac - price wasn't a big consideration in choosing Erdogan. I was happy to go anywhere, Turkey or otherwise. Regardless that Erdogan is quite removed from much of the procedure, Asmed had the best examples of FUE dense packed NW2s.

I'm was just slipping into my trance as the incisions were made, so my recollection is hazy - but I'm guessing incisions took over an hour. Erdogan is a nice guy - quirky but friendly!

Great review Mav23100gunther. I've noticed you as a regular poster during my own research process and I hope you have a wonderful final result.

Hi Everyone,

On 8 December 2015 I had 3400 FUE at Asmed Clinic in Istanbul, Turkey. Here’s my review.

About me

I’m from Australia and 43 years old.

My temples and hairline began to recede in my twenties. I was self-conscious, and downright frightened of how it would progress.

By the age of 26 (back in 1998) I had my first prescription for Propecia (Finasteride). I’ve had zero side effects and have stuck with Finasteride for the past 17 years. My hair loss slowed remarkably, but did not completely halt.

My donor hair is fine (40 microns, it turns out), however is reasonably dense all over.

My research

I was looking for a doctor with proven results in densely packed hairline restoration. Had I been approaching my first HT earlier in life, a conservative approach might have factored more into my decision. But I’m in my forties, have 17 years of prevention under my belt, and I’ve managed to hold it at NW2. I wanted a FUE doc who had the best chance of constructing a believable restored hairline.

I scoured this forum before moving to a shortlist for online consultations. Before locking in Asmed, I private messages 10 past patients. I mostly reached out to forum members who has posted their original results then gone quiet, and to my surprise I heard back from all but one. Of the 9 that responded, eight were pleased with their final results, and one was openly disappointed. Despite the single negative response I remained comfortable, paid a deposit, planned a holiday around the procedure and booked flights.

My consultation

Nothing out of the ordinary. Photos, blood work, met Erdogan, he measured caliber of hairline and density, discussed expectations, drew a great hairline that was easily agreed, final number of grafts locked in, and head shaved (gulp!).

Having my hair caliber confirmed as 40 microns was a bummer, but hardly a surprise.

I made the final decision to proceed with the surgery the following day, and paid Euros cash. Note: Asmed requires cash payment to avoid paying a 20% tax. This means that to proceed at the 2.5 Euros per graft quoted you need to acquire a massive amount of foreign currency before you leave home, and then travel with it. This is a major hassle/worry, and I was relieved to finally hand it over.

Surgery day

Again, nothing out of the ordinary.

Erdogan’s first assistant Dilek was assigned to my surgery. I’d seen her name numerous times on the forums, and was comforted knowing she had many years of experience. There was also another tech involved, however Dilek spent the most time worklng on me. I estimate she performed 80% of the extractions, and over half of the implantations.

There were 3 surgeries happening at Asmed the same day as me, and 4 the following day. Anyone considering Asmed should go in with the understanding Erdogan’s involvement will be limited to the hairline design and incisions. I knew this going in, and was fine with it, however it could be a surprise to others.

One thing I do distinctly recall was the impact of the medications. The anesthesiologist offered me a Xanax in the morning to calm my nerves, then a Tramadol at lunch for the pain. Well, what a combination. After lunch I was drifting in and out of vivid dream scenarios and calmly waking up in the middle of my HT. That happened on repeat for hours. I spoke to other patients and none of them had the same trance-like experience – so it must have just been the medication’s impact on me. I was in surgery until almost 8pm and was too swept away in the various dreams to be bored…so I was more than okay with it.

I had the optional PRP, and I really hope it does something hurry along his dreadful redness.

My stats

• Total grafts – 3404 (3200 was originally planned, and was only charged for this)

- 420 singles

- 1790 doubles

- 1134 triples

- 60 quadruples

• Average hair per graft – 2.24 (7643 hairs)

• Caliber: 40 microns

• Donor capacity: 8500

My tips

Try to connect with other patients.

Do your best to find out if any other forum members will be at the same doctor/clinic the same week as you. Before leaving, I connected with another Australian who had surgery booked the day before mine, and he had connected with another forum member booked for surgery the same day as me. By the end of it there were a few us catching up at the Radisson, and we’re now connected on Facebook swapping recovery stories. Hair transplants are a major life experience, and connecting with real people who have chosen the same path, going through the exact same thing, at the same time, has been an unexpected surprise and comfort.

Don’t rush back home

I went over with partner by my side, and we travelled for 2 weeks following the op. It was great to be able to walk around overseas not caring what strangers thought of my bald, massacred, head. I’m back home now, and to keep the procedure quiet I’m having have to carefully manage any social appearances…I wish we had stayed away longer.

Results

It’s way too early to tell. I’ll take pics every month to track my own progress, and will be happy to share them. Fingers crossed, I’ll have good news to report in around 6 months. Either way, I'll return the favour and report back honestly with success or regrets.

Ersko72

Hi HT. Donor looks thick and extractions invisible. Assuming my shock loss is minor, I'll also be keeping my back and sides buzzed at grade 2.

You were lucky to keep 10% of transplanted hairs - those ones are the early guaranteed survivors!

For me personally I'd refer to it as 4 months, 2 days. You could also call it 18 weeks, but that's too much thinking for me. Others might see it the other way.

Keep up posted HT-FUE. I'll post my own Asmed review in the next few days.

Hey HT-FUE - it's great to see you have your first sprouts already...I'm 11 days post-op and find that very encouraging. Your hair is still quite short looks perfectly fine left uncut. Maybe just a buzz over the back and sides if it needs a tidy up.

Hey Hairsearch - I think any growth at 4 months is a good sign ,and your seems significant. I has my HT as Asmed 10 days ago and will be keeping a keen eye in your progress.

Hey Raman,

It all went well. I'm Day 3 and still in Istanbul doing the tourist thing with the other half. I'll halfway writing my review and will pop it online in the next day or two. I'm loving the outline of my new hairline and I'm really hoping for a solid final result.

Great meeting you over the last 2 days Umut, and you look great. Had you not told me you were an Asmed employee who was also a prior patient I would never had guessed I was speaking to a HT. To come back from nW6 to where you are today you should be incredibly happy. Congrats, and I hope to be lucky enough to post my own success in 12 months time. Ersko (the short Australian guy with 3300 grafts on Tues 8 Dec)

If he was to take up the challenge and offer you the end to end service (no techs),and achieve an amazing result it still wouldn't address the concerns floating around recently. Yours would be a single success outside of his normal service, nothing more. Everyone that follows would have techs doing at least some work...so a successful could me more misleading to the forum that helpful.

Great news that you have a few early sprouts already HT-FUE!

Sure am. It's pretty good. You've already left to back to Aus?

Hey Raman! Your hairline has quite a bit in common with mine, and we're in the same age group. . I arrived in Istanbul last night, consultaton Monday, 3200 grafts scheduled Tues. I chose Erdogan for the same criteria you mentioned - dense frontal hairline. Your thread is comforting to read as I head into an identical process.

I'll be keep track of the thread, best of luck with us both getting a somewhat dense new hairline.

That's great growth for just 4 months. You're on track for a great finished product. Congrats.

That's fine, where is the FX exchange?? i still haven't transferred my money yet, I am trying to find the best place, but I really need to do it today or tomorrow. I land in istanbul on friday and leave the following thursday so I am more than happy to catch up with you whenever. I was starting to feel that way after the paris bombings aswell and then all the stuff with russia, but i am at the point of no return too! i guess just being mindful of our surroundings is the key. If you have fb, send me through your details and i will to chat to you there

Lpl, I'm no more organised then you in getting the Euros together...yet to pick a place though I will ring ahead to check they have as many Euros as I need

Just sent you my FB details.

Hey ersko, that's the day after my procedure. Have you converted you aud to euros yet? If so how are you doing it? No doubt I will run into you over there, are you staying the five nights at the Radisson blue? I wouldn't mind going and exploring some of Istanbul aswell. Are you at all concerned with the current situation with Isis etc? Apparently there was a suicide bomber in Istanbul :eek:

Hey Dm6- I missed your comment and only just spotted it when the thread was updated. No, I haven't converted my cash yet - planning to go to the FX exchange on Thurs so I'm only minding the cash for 2 days before my 6am Saturday morning flight. Have you managed to convert yours?

Ever since the Paris bombings and Russian flight was shot down the instabilty has been on the back of my mind - however I'm at the point of no return so no point worrying now.

Yes, I'm staying in the Radisson Blue, for a full week in the end. I wanted a few days as a tourist prior to the op- then a few days to feel nice and close for cleans and questions in the first few days following. I fly out 5 days after my op for a quick holiday in Dubai (2 nights) and Malaysia (7 nights) and land back in Sydney just prior to x-mas.How many nights are you in Radisson for?

If you'd like to catch-up next Sunday so we can calm each other's hysterical pre-op nerves, I'm very open to doing so. Let me know

Great write up and best of luck with your results Johnny. I'm flying out from Sydney to Asmed next Saturday for my procedure Tues 8 December, so will be not too far behind you.

Thanks Raman. By chance I opened a CityBank account online last night so will should have time for the debit card to arrive and be identified before I travel next Saturday.

Are you withdrawing your cash from the account while in Instanbul? Due to ATM limits I'm planning to get FX from the bank and carry the majority with me on the flight, and just $2000 ATM withdrawal. But the thought of carrying the rest on the plane makes me nervous.

Yep, Tues 8 December.

Yeah - I'll be happy to pay for the PRP even on the maybe chance it will help with the redness.

Wow HT-FUE- you've been so lucky with the redness, looks to be nearly gone. The waiting game is now on for the next few months - I hope you have an amazing result, and I'll be just 6 weeks behind you!

Hey Born2Shine,

Everything I've read says that month 3 and 4 are the toughest mentally. I'm only 2 weeks away from a very similar procedure and am terrified of the extended wait for the red to fade and the growth to sprout. Try and stop looking so closely, and keep us posted as your eventual growth comes in.

Out of curiosity, did you have much luck disguising your procedure by about the 4 week mark?