Kraki77

I have to apply the same oil on my donor area 5 days after surgery and continue to do the same for 10 straight days. I will let you know how it feels, it is intended primarily to reduce itchiness that occurs in your donor area when healing process starts. I'm patient of dr. De Freitas, just to let you know.

It was exactly 7000€. Two nights at hotel included. 7000€ for 2400 grafts.

Yeah, I wanted to add more details where it was possible because I wanted to have them before operation and I know that it will help other people that are considering de Freitas.

Greetings ladies and gentlemen, The day has come to publish my case after many years of researching on this forum and many others. Of course, without all of the inputs I would never be able to reach proper decision and for that I'm eternally grateful. Special thank you goes to the fellow de Freitas patients that offered invaluable insight about every single thing before and after procedure. This procedure was booked in April of 2022 but I've intentionally wanted this date at the end of this year because it suits me very well. As far as I can remember, they offered me first date in March of this year, waiting list is not very long. I've arrived in Valencia two days prior to visit the town as much as possible and to get familiar with the surroundings. Before I describe the procedure itself I would like to give you few basic informations. Location: CLINICA DE FREITAS - Valencia, Spain (C/ de Sorní, 34) Date of surgery: 14th of December 2023 Grafts: 2409 Hair/graft ratio: 2,29 Method: FUE with motorized punch 0,8mm and implanter pen Doctor involvement: Implanting 100% doctor. Extraction is done completely by one head nurse. ABOUT ME: Age: 30 Ethnicity: Croatian Hairloss: Started to lose hair when I was 21 years old but it never progressed quickly. I would say it's an intermediate diffusion pattern which is constant, at least for now. Upon inspection at the clinic I was told that I have good donor and "very thick" hair. Crown is still in relatively good shape, there are some minor signs of loss. Family balding history: Father - has also diffuse alopecia in NW6 pattern but he has never taken anything to counteract that. Brother (24) - had an incredibly aggresive hairloss that started when he was 19 and by 22 years of age he could be categorized as Norwood 6. Medication: Oral minoxidil - every day of the week (5mg) Oral finasteride - Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday Oral dutasteride - Monday and Friday Accommodation: Hotel Silken Puerta - 7 nights (almost 700€) - Avinguda del Cardenal Benlloch, 28 Day of the operation: It's still very warm here for this part of the year so I wanted to walk to the clinic to at least have some kind of light exercise before the procedure. It takes 15-17 minutes and it's really easy to remember, not too many crossroads. I had to arrive around 07:45 but just to be sure I was there 15 minutes prior. They still weren't open so I've decided to knock on the door. I was greeted by nurse that spoke only Spanish but she was very polite and showed me room with my name. Upon entering the room I had to sign the paper that allows doctor to carry out procedure and remove my clothing (leaving only pants and socks on). Instead of my clothing I was given sanitary pyjamas. After that, it was time for head washing which calms your nerves additionally if you have anxiety left by then. Toilet is adjacent to the room and you can use it anytime you want. I don't have to mention how good the clinic looks from the inside, that was already mentioned by many patients. Doctor arrived soon after that with English speaking nurse that was translating everything. He used the comb, looked my donor all around and told me that I don't have to worry about anything. Doctor took pictures from every angle imaginable and drew a line that he corrected later when I was completely shaven. He measured distance from glabella to be sure that we can satisfy rule of thirds which we both agreed upon. He told me that he'll later check my diffusion by magnifying glass which he did. My estimate is that the hairline was lowered for more than 1 cm and we wanted to reduce the size of my forehead to better frame the face since that was my biggest worry and reason why I opted for the procedure. As soon as the corners started to recede my looks started to suffer, unfortunately. Extraction is done completely by one nurse that speaks English very well, and she is very polite, as soon as you feel pain she will add more anesthetic. First extraction phase lasted for about hour and a half. I didn't feel needles to much because of the vibrator but I have generally felt less pain in my occipital area. After that it's only a waiting game because doctor is working on another patient. After approximately one hour it's time to do the implantation which is actually not that painful and motions are pretty repetitive so that calms you down even more combined with gaze that they put on your head. You only feel pain when it's all done and you have to get up for breakfast. That's when it hurts the most, but you'll receive more painkillers and it will subside. Second extraction zone was done around 17:00 by the same nurse and grafts were extracted from temporal areas. Again, this hurts a bit more but it's nothing unbearable. Harder is probably the lying itself because everything lasted for basically two hours. Doctor told me to take a rest before final and longer implantation phase. This one lasted from 19:30 until 21:30 and honestly I was on wobbly legs, my legs were shaking from all the medications that were inside of me. Again, pictures were taken, I was very pleased with I was seeing in the mirror, doctor told me that I don't have very hard skin, which was good to hear. Another nurse gave me post op instructions, neck pillow, receipts for medicaments, pills (gastric protector, antibiotic and antiinflammatory) along with some shampoos for donor area. The same nurse called a taxi and escorted me all the way to the street with the bag from the Clinic. What happened afterwards in the hotel is the cautionary tale for everybody else. I've had dinner and swallowed all the pills that were prescribed along with Paracetamol for pain. What ensued after that is a real nightmare. I was vomiting all over the bathroom on separate ocassions and my donor area started to bleed from all of the stress on my head. As you can imagine it was impossible to sleep during that time but at least I'm spraying saline solution all the time. That's it for now folks, if you have more questions, let me know, I will gladly answer when I can. Now it's time to attach some photos. God bless you

I'm doing the same next week, 4 days after procedure. There are many people who are even leaving on the very next day which is too much for me. But, after 4 days swelling should subside at least to some degree. Don't worry about that, be wary of surroundings and don't bump your head somewhere. That's my biggest concern, for example, because I'm very tall.

It's hard to really deliver unbiased answers to this question. Both of them are excellent and you'd be in good hands either way. I have chosen de Freitas because I think that he delivers unmatched artistry in the way he creates hairlines. But, that is entirely subjective. These are fine margins and both are world class surgeons, there's no debate about that whatsoever.

Can you post some more photos from the top? I'm pumped up myself because I have surgery with him on 14th and 15th of December. From what I can see from images that you've already posted it looks like another great result. How satisfied are you? And can you tell us your age?

HOMERUN and then some. This is absolutely insane, there's nothing else to say really. World class result that is hard to beat.

Every word rendered entirely redundant by this comparison. It simply defies description. It just shows how much the whole industry went forward if you know where to look. And to top it all off, you have a really favorable skin/hair contrast that adds that extra touch to the whole wow effect.

There comes a point where you just have to admire what you see and appreciate the skill that is necessary to create this naturalness. It can hardly be any better, especially at this point. Enjoy it, this has the potential to reinvigorate life on so many levels and it really shows how much of a difference a little bit of hair can make for some people. I could watch this hairline over and over again, haha. Thank you for the updates, it calms me down additionally before my own procedure.

Since that day is coming ever so closer I'd like to hear opinions and tips from other De Freitas patients that already went through the whole process. I'm planning to bring neck pillow, aloe vera shampoo and baby shampoo along with zipped hoodies and shoes without laces. Can somebody explain the whole process in more detail from the moment that you enter the clinic until you sit down on the operating table? It's definitely my goal to leave a full testimony here when the whole process starts. Thank you in advance.

I have seen many comments about that, especially when it comes to De Freitas. Even though I'm strongly biased with operation with him scheduled for December I don't see any big issue with that. Horizontal rows are sometimes present, but always behind initial line of finely refined singles which is perfectly fine. Will it look unnatural with buzzcut? That argument is absurd to me since I don't think I will look good with all the scars that are visible with such a short hair. If you're looking to get hair transplant in order to rock buzzcut than you're not familiar enough with FUE or you simply don't care about the scars. Feel free to discuss. I would like to hear from community members that are not fans of mentioned doctor and have opposite opinions.

Actually, there are few questions on my mind at this point: - Did you stay at the same hotel (Silken Valencia) and how much did you have to pay extra? - What about complete blood count and all the other tests, how many weeks before surgery do you receive the list from the clinic that contains every single thing that you have to check? - Can you elaborate further about hairline design process before the surgery? - Is there anything that could have been done differently during your stay there? It seems from your description like it was smooth sailing more or less. Clinic has told me that they can't remember the last time when they had patient from Croatia, haha. It will certainly make the experience more enjoyable since it adds another layer to the whole story. And I have to be extra careful in order to avoid bumping my head somewhere since I'm very tall (203 cm, 6' 8").

Wow. This already looks outstanding and it already gives you that fresher and younger look. Framing of the face here makes absolutely massive difference, it's hard to negate the obvious. Still a long way to go, but this has all the necessary ingredients for stellar outcome. And as much as it helps you, it also boosts my confidence before upcoming procedure with Dr Freitas at the end of this year. Just keep updating, we can never get tired of these de Freitas miracles.

Obviously, you are very young and that's the only obstacle on your way But, if current situation affects your confidence to a degree that you're not living your life to the fullest then go for it. My advice would be to strengthen what you already have to take care of donor management whilst you're young. Further down the line you can always lower your hairline if your MPB turns out to be milder. De Freitas is a great doctor, he will surely take cautious approach and tell you to eventually come back later for something more aggressive if circumstances allow. I don't think that you will have any regrets if you end up choosing him as a surgeon, however there are always risks with any operation. I can relate to your story in the way that many people are giving me advice to not proceed with the operation because I still have plenty of hair left. And you should accept that because there are always people that are having it much worse than you. However, if you're not fan of your image in the mirror and you have reasonable expectations than it's better to act and do something to feel better about yourself and this could certainly be a good step towards that goal. If you have any more questions, let me know, I also have surgery scheduled for the end of this year with de Freitas.

Well, that looks phenomenal, and to top it all off de Freitas offered almost 500 grafts more free of charge. You have to love that passion and search for perfection. Judging by your profile name you're probably coming from Germany or Austria. Can you describe process before operation in more detail, how long does it take to draw the correct hairline, did doctor take any measurements? There are no guarantees in the world of surgery but you've done your homework and now you'll reap the benefits, hopefully.

I would love to see an update on this one.

I would love to see an update, it seems to me that De Freitas rarely misses, that's one of the reasons why I've also chosen to go with him. And my surgery is scheduled exactly 1 year after yours which makes your case especially intriguing to me. I know that you don't care too much about this forum anymore but you can still make impact with your testimony for others that are waiting for the operation. Can you elaborate further about positive changes in your life? Do you think that something could have been done differently during the process or everything went smoothly? Interesting to hear that you've left Valencia as soon as possible, what was the feeling on the plane because of the pressure and your still swollen head? Would like to hear if doctor checked your donor area by microscope on the day of the surgery and if estimate of graft availability in your donor area was made. How much time did you spend on hairline design before the surgery, is it something that lasts 30 minutes or we are talking about brief discussions where doctor quickly chooses his ideal concept. Would like to hear this tiny important pieces of information, if the distance of the glabella from the hairline is taken into account, for example, was he speaking about frontalis muscle and rule of thirds. Thank you in advance.

About me: Age: 30 years old Ethnicity: Croatian Hairloss: Started gradually when I was about 20 years old but it didn't bother me at the beginning. At first it was visible as frontal recession and significant loss of temple points which was bearable and completely acceptable for my state of mind. However, since diffusion started to affect whole top it has become increasingly difficult to style my hair and I'm wasting to much time in front of the mirror. Crown is intact for now. Family history: Father (55) has still some remaining diffuse hair but NW6 pattern is clearly visible. Brother (23) went completely bald quite rapidly when he was 19 which was an absolute shock to me, to the point that I've considered myself lucky that I still have my hair. Donor area: Average at best, occipital area looks and feels perfectly fine but temporal areas look visibly thinner, especially the left side. Medicine: Avodart (Monday and Friday), Proscar 1.25 mg (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday), Oral minoxidil 5 mg (every day). Positives: Wavy and curly hair that can provide possibly better than average coverage and illusion of density. Fairly good hair to skin ratio that can help achieve aforementioned. First of all, before I open up about my story I'd really like to say one big thank you to all wonderful members of this community that have changed so many lives without even knowing. There was a time when I was almost that guy that ended up on the table of some hair mill in Turkey. Emotional toll was quite intense and obviously when you're younger you want to solve things quickly. Luckily, this site came to my knowledge as I was starting to research this thing below the surface. And suddenly I've realised that I'm making tremendous mistake in my mind. That was a time also when there was some debate whether it makes sense to go for a hair transplant if you're thinning diffusely. It was all too much for me sometimes and I've managed to distract myself with other things. Soon it dawned on me that I first have to accept myself entirely, find peace within me, work out to be in the best shape possible and do so many other things that I love. After being able to accomplish and maintain those goals the decision was made to pamper myself with hair transplant. It wasn't an easy road to take. Being born and raised in relatively conservative community there was a lot of disbelief when I would start to talk about this theme. My parents are still against it and just cannot accept my line of thinking. There's still that stigma like you're talking about something extraordinary or entirely new. Of course, I'm talking about Croatia, that probably isn't the case for most of the viewers of this site. I did my research and my choice fell on three great surgeons. Bruno Ferreira, Bruno Pinto, Rafael de Freitas. Bruno Ferreira was my personal favorite and when I saw how meticulous he is with his responses I almost booked date for procedure with him. However, when offer arrived it turned out that prices went higher, outside of my comfort zone. And price shouldn't be main criteria, I agree, but when you have surgeons with similar pedigree you can allow yourself to use price as an deciding factor. Bruno Pinto and his coordinator Emilio were also immensely helpful by offering some new views and advices. They've suggested to wait because I've got some kind of minor temporal diffusion which potentially means further substantial loss in the future. At that point in time finasteride was only substance that I was using so they suggested to start with oral minoxidil and dutasteride so that my case can be revaluated later. However, I wasn't willing to wait anymore. I understand that I'm still relatively young and that possibly more than two procedures will be a necessity in the future. Thing that bothers me the most about frontal recession is how it has really changed my appearance for worse. It really made my forehead appear bigger than it used to be to the point that many people started to comment about it. Elite surgeon can do wonders in that regard by framing the face accordingly in the most pleasing way, aesthetically. I'm not expecting wonders, even with all of this medicine that I'm taking further loss is still fairly obvious and ongoing. There's not much more that I can do against it and that fact alone gives me significant peace of mind. Without further ado, feel free to comment as I'd like to hear opinion from the community. This is just a beginning of the journey and plan is to catalogue entire process for other generations to see.

When did it all start? When did you notice your hairloss and was it rapid?

How old is your hair in these pictures? And has anybody told you exact percentage of miniaturization in donor? Would you say that your hair was this thin from adolescence or it started to occur later? Thank you for the taking the time to deliver pictures.

Can you share pictures of your hair? I'd be really interested about it because I also have some suspicious about my hair. I've seen cases where you'd never say visually that someone has DUPA and it's something that bothers me. De Freitas accepted to operate but I'm mentally prepared for potentially disastrous news on the day of intervention, if that happens.

Please post when you can. I also have surgery next year for exactly the same amount of grafts. Your experience will help tremendously. It's always reassuring to see one more case that's developing in accordance with expectations.

That's not true at all. Sometimes they do maximum 3 patients per day but it's usually 2. I would go with De Freitas because Bisanga tends to be more conservative in his approach. Both are absolutely world class.

I have the surgery booked for the exactly same dates next year. I'm surprised to hear that doctor is not speaking English. However, you have no reason to stress about anything. You've already done your homework by researching enough to ensure the best possible outcome. It's now time for doctor to deliver. Can you tell us what kind of weather we can expect during this time of year in Valencia and which hotel did they choose for you?