Donjamo

@Dalgaard yes Cinik did the channels and the rest was done by two techs, I have no complaints regarding the service I was provided. The procedure is very popular in Turkey and I must have seen approx 80-100 guys in istanbul with the same thing done. @fespafer good luck, you’ll be in good hands and I am sure all will be a success. Just my recommendation but if you can take the needless injections, it is far less painful than the normal needles! Look forward to seeing your progress

@clerksband not recommended to shave head for first six months in case you damage hair in recipient area, only scissor cut

Month two done and the shedding seems to have calmed down, no more hairs seem to be appearing in my hand when showering and during the last month I’ve had a haircut to tidy up the back and sides whilst just taking the ends of the top. Interesting experience getting that first cut as I was extremely nervous as it would seem the barber was after telling him about the transplant! Apart from the shedding and haircut it has been a very quiet month, I am still feeling some numbness at the top of my head and also around the donar area, I am experiencing some itching in both the donar and recipient areas but I tend to use fractioned coconut oil on both and that seems to help, also seem to have a few pimples in both areas which doesn’t help with the itching Update photos have been sent to Dr Cinik and they seem to be happy with the progress so far, Let’s see what the next four weeks brings!

@MrOneSeries yes very early days, got to keep reminding myself that this isn’t the end result. Went to get my first hair cut yesterday just to tidy things up, that was nerve racking! Yes, I’m taking biotin, multivitamins and saw palmetto which Cinik prescribes Have you gone to Istanbul yet to get your procedure done and if so how did it go?

One month photos

Well that’s the first month over with, the healing process is going well and Cinik seems to be happy so far with how things are going, I had a few lumps at the front of my head after week 3 which was strange but assured this was normal and wouldn’t last which it didn’t. I’m now experienceing the dreaded shedding, along with a little shock lose around the crown, I started noticing this around the two week mark and although it was expected it is still a little disappointing to see hairs in your hand when you are showering, however I have to keep reminding myself that this is only the beginning and not the end result! Sleeping is now back to normal although I do still experience a little pain around the donar area even into week four when the back of my head is on the pillow, I also have numbness at the top of my head in the centre which I’m sure will disappear over the coming weeks/months. No regrets so far, delighted that I can now start going back to the gym as getting a HT is no good for the waistline, however great to be able to start to do normal things again. I guess now for the next couple of months I’m in the stationary stage where little will happen and it’s all about being patient. Interestingly apart from family who I told about my procedure no one has noticed I’ve had it done, (or if they have they have not asked!) not sure if that is a good thing or bad but because I always had my head shaved I suppose it’s not that noticble, however once the hair begins to grow I’m sure the questions will start. Anyone reading this considering a HT please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions, always happy to help if I can.

@Caverick looks fantastic, your results will be amazing! 👌

All resolved thank you, lasted around a week and was solution that was injected into skull to separate. Not common but happens with some I was told, however all good and we are healing nicely Thank you for asking

@Caverick Congratulations, are you happy with how it all went? Get the pictures up! 👍 - Did you get much sleep last night? Yes the night before my HT I met a guy from Belgium and he said the same thing, never felt pain like it and thought his head was lifting off his shoulders 😬 well done though, once the final results are through you’ll be delighted and will have forgotten all about the pain! Similar to childbirth I’m sure 🤣

Week 2 done and it feels so good to be able to sleep lying down rather than at a 45 deg angle 🤣 All the scabs are off and I’m washing my hair normally, I feel the recipient area is healing well and after sending pictures to Cinik he agrees, the donar area can be tender and itchy at times but I have been using fractured coconut oil to assist with the healing (donar area only) and this seems to help. It is a very strange sensation placing my hand on my head and now feeling hair but I’m not letting myself get carried away as I know I’ll go through the shedding stage, a bit of panic set in the first couple of times washing my head and you see a hair in your hand but again I’m prepared for this after all the research I had done prior to the procedure It’s now just a waiting game to see how things turn out over the coming months

@goli good luck to you also, it’s a waiting game now 🤣

@Caverick thank you You’ll be fine as long as you get sleep, that’s the hard part 👍

@badlyneedatranplant to be fair I never condsidered the fact that he charged per session and not by graft, I was more interested in going to someone that had great reviews, was within my budget and who I felt comfortable with, all these other establishments that told me I could get 5000/6000 grafts in a day, they never disclosed price and even I knew that gaining 6000 grafts from my donar area was not going to be possible in one session. My treatment was organised and booked through Qunomedical, and Cinik did the channels. Whether any doctor charges by the session or graft I would say for anyone considering a HT if your purely focused on cost then you should probably not get it done, results and my well-being are far more important to me than cost Can I ask @badlyneedatranplant have you had your HT or merely considering?

Well that’s the first week down and it’s been emotional 🤣 In fairness it has pasted quicker than excepted however it’s been hard at times, the lack of sleep hasn’t really bothered me too much as I’ve been at home, however if I had gone back to work I know that I would have been struggling. Day 2 was the first hair wash which was nerve racking to say the least, it was a two man job as I was very conscious that I did not want to pour water over my head to fast as it could dislodge some of the grafts and it’s been a two man job ever since and will remain so until after the 7th wash. My advice is get someone to help wash hair! The plus side of this last week has been seeing the progress, I was surprised at how fast the donar area recovers, yes it is still tender however I’ve been using fractured coconut oil on the donar area and that has helped to ensure the area remains mosturised, I’m also experiencing a lot of scabbing on the donar area which are now starting to come off after each wash, the itch has been hard to suffer at times and such a temptation to scratch at but I’ve been taking an antihistamine when it was getting quite hard to cope with and that seems to help. On the downside Im so impatient that I’m looking at myself in the mirror every hour, that I know will pass but I’m very keen to watch the progress, also after day 3 I began to experience some seeping around my forehead, it wasn’t pleasant but I soon realised that this was the solution they injected into my head and was slowly starting to disperse! So one week down and everything seems to be going well, the donar and recipient areas seem to be healing well and after the 7th hair wash which is on Thursday I can start to gently massage the donar area to remove the scabs.

Another week off bud, you need it! 👍

@MrOneSeries Thanks, doing well, donar area getting back to normal! Yeah flew with Turkish but from Gatwick as live in Inverness. Good luck with your procedure, your in good hands with Cinik 👍

@Ojawed Cinik and his staff were very professional from the start and could not do enough to help/assist, also since I’ve been back in Scotland the aftercare has been great with regular WhatsApp messages from his staff ensuring I am ok and if I need anything to shout. Cleanliness was never in doubt! What made me go with Cinik was I considered a number of other clinics and when I contacted them they all told me they could do 5000/6000 grafts in one op, however from the offset Cinik said, 3000 maximum in first op and that I would need two procedures, the others to me felt more interested in making money whereas Cinik felt right that he had my best interests at heart!

@Ojawed I’m four days post procedure with Dr Cinik, had 3200 grafts, I would recommend him and his staff Read my topic and feel free to ask any questions

Quick question, I’m day 3 post transplant and after day 2 I started to experience a little seeping from the top of my head of a clear like greasy fluid, now I believe it is the solution that was injected into my head to separate the skull from flesh to insert grafts but I’m just wondering if this is normal and has others experienced it and how long it lasted? The solution has to go somewhere so it’s not of a concern just wonder how long it lasts?

@Caverick pictures taken today after the first wash last night, I’m finding the head a little greasy today, but I think this is the solution they inject into your skull to separate the flesh from the skull to insert grafts coming out through pores I’ve honestly nothing negative to say about my experience so far but it’s early days and I can’t wait for the results. All the best for your procedure, just shout if I can help you in anyway and let me know how you get on 👍

Hey @caverick thanks for your comments, had my first hair wash last night and I probably found that more nerve racking than the actual procedure, was a two man job and very cautious not to disturb any grafts, but all went well and I felt like a new man afterwards lol, better night sleep around 3 hours but man the head was itchy through the night, it’s a struggle not to claw at it! Yes I was awake for the whole procedure, and yes they also give you what they call a “relax” pill before they start, to be honest though it never made me drowsy, if anything it just relaxes you as the nerves beforehand where bad! The flight home was very good, I was very nervous at people looking at me all bandaged up but honestly there were dozens of people the same as myself in the airport, as I mentioned previously it’s a massive business in istanbul and no one bats an eyelid, so the only thing you need to worry about the flight home is to make sure you don’t bang your head on the overhead luggage holders. Seriously your in safe hands with Dr Cinik and his staff, but I hear you, flying to a foreign land for such a procedure is not something to be taken lightly! What stage is your baldness at and how many grafts are you getting done?

My trip to Istanbul is done and dusted and I’m the proud owner of 3200 grafts, now I’m not done and I knew I would need to do two sessions but I must admit I’m excited now for what the future holds. So here’s a step by step run through of how my trip went and I hope it will help anyone considering a similar procedure. Lets start with the negatives - it’s a massive business in Istanbul,, I must have seen approx 80 men in my hotel and walking the streets of Istanbul with HT just done, now nothing negative about that but it did feel a little like a production line. Arrived in Istanbul on Monday 5th November and was taken to the hotel in a people carrier, the young guy driving was a little fast to say the least but that’s how they drive, enroute to hotel (Double Tree Hilton) I recieved a WhatsApp from Dr Cinik office saying I’d be picked up at 2pm the next day, that was a little disppointing as I had it in my head that I would be first thing but what could you do, it did however give me time to walk the streets of Istanbul and see some sites. I would recommend telling the clinic if you want an early appointment or later when booking 2pm I was taken the Kolan International Hospital along with a french gent, both of us to say the least were very nervous however we managed a few laughs along the way. When we arrived you are first taken to see Dr Cinik who does the pre-op, then after this is done you are taken upstairs for blood tests and payment. First step, head shaved, nothing more to say on that, then for the aesthetic My advice, PAY EXTRA FOR NEEDLESS INJECTIONS, it cost me €200 but it was well worth it, the thought of needles going into my skull was not appealing to give an aesthetic, and when I asked Dr about it he said it was 60% more comfortable than needles and it was, they do however after your head is numb have to inject a solution into the skull but you don’t feel that, I however throughout the total procedure counted approx 80 injections. The needless injections, initially I received 20 to freezer the donar area, and a further 40 in the remainder of my head, 15 with solution and a further 5’ish with top up aesthetic. After head is frozen the grafts are taken out, this took approx two hours which seemed to pass quickly, after this was done I was given a toilet break for five minutes and then Dr Cinik came into do the channels, once done the technicians begin implanting, all in all from start to finish the procedure took 8 hours, then it was back to the hotel for some room service. First night I slept for fours hours, however I spoke to five other guys the next morning and then never slept a wink! Second night not so good, got approx 2 hours sleep but this was caused by the headband rubbing into the donar area, some minor blood on the pillow next morning but nothing to worry about. Top tip - Invest in a good travel pillow, the one you are given from hospital is rubbish, also for your op wear something comfortable on your bottom half, I had tracksuit trousers on but my French friend was wearing jeans and I couldn’t think of anything worse to wear for that amount of time on a table, the top half you have a gown on. Next morning you are taken back to the hospital to see doctor and are then given instructions on how to wash your hair, and use the medication, I then got dropped at the airport to travel back to Scotland which wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, so for me the easy bit is now done, the hard part is to stop looking in the mirror and have the patience to wait for the results, I willl however say so far so good. Overal I found the whole experience very good, the staff of Dr Cinik are amazing, very considerate and you don’t have to think about anything, when you are told you will be picked up you are, when you are told your going to be finished you are and so far the after treatment (I’ve WhatsApp’d five times since returning) has been very good. First hair wash tonight, I can feel my skull getting tight so that can only be a good thing and the healing process beginning, looking forward to seeing how things look after the first wash.

At the tender age of 44 and after many a year of feeling down at the fact I was loosing my hair I’ve finely decided it’s time to get a hair transplant. Around two months ago in the space of half a day I received two smart remarks about my lack of hair, one from a friend and the other a co-worker and thought that’s it enough is enough, but interestingly on the same day I seen an advertisement for Qunomedical who specialise in a number of different procedures with various Doctors worldwide. I would like to point out at this stage this is not an advertisement for either Qunomedical or Dr Cinik and I have not received any payment from either. I decided to contact Qunomedical via email and an hour later I got a call from Megan, now normally I would shy away from talking about my hair loss but to be honest Megan has the most calming Irish accent I have ever heard and the conversation between us just felt natural and flowed. Megan asked me to email her over photos of how I look (below) and said she’d be back in touch, three days later she got in touch to tell me that she had spoken to Dr Cinik and they could do approx 2500 grafts which would cover approx 60%. If I’m honest when I heard I could only get 2500 grafts I was a little disappointed and did consider forgetting about it. Megan then came back the next day and said that they had requested a second opinion from Dr Cinik and after reviewing my photos again he said that they could probably manage 3500 covering 80% but the likelihood is that I’d need two transplants, one year apart. I would say that the photos below are the photos I sent, I had just shaved the head and to be fair I do actually have some hair on the top of my head but the lighting/angles certainly have done me no favours, also over the last few years I’ve always felt that I should shave my head a number 2, in hindsight I kind of wish I never now as I’ve left my hair for the last month to grow prior to getting the HT and no longer do I feel or look so harsh like I did with a shaved head, clearly that look works for some but for me no! Wish I had realised that 3 years ago, never mind!!! So after many a question to Megan and the detail that she was providing me I think all in all this reassured my that going with Qunomedical would be the right thing to do as they have direct contact with the hospitals, they are fully audited and they know what questions to ask, so based on the above and after receiving a fully detailed quote, the flights were booked! ? The time has now finally arrived after booking my flights at the end of August, tomorrow is the 5th November and I will fly to Istanbul for my procedure, am I nervous, not really when it comes to the actual event, I’m more concerned about how I will look afterwards, and not flying home looking like the elephant man. I am fortunate enough that I can work from home for the first couple of weeks so by the end of that period I’m hopeful all will have calmed down. Over the last few months I’ve watched a number of videos on YouTube and read a number of posts on sites like this with people sharing their experiences of having FUE hair transplants, now I’m no actor so YouTube videos will not be happening, however I will keep this thread up to date so that people can see my progress and ask me any questions they may have if considering getting the same procedure done! As they say, I will see you on the other side!

Luke, your results look amazing and so comforting to read as I am heading out to Turkey to have my procedure done with Dr Cinik on Tuesday 6th Nov! Got to be honest the nervous are starting to kick in and I wish I could fast forward the next 12 months, but hey no pain no gain as they say! ?