Hi Everyone!
I just wanted to share my experience regarding my recent hair transplantation procedure. I am 47 years old and have had a receding forehead for years now, however, I honestly had not seriously thought about getting a hair transplantation done. My hair had been receding gradually and had started to become noticeable in my late thirties, but it didn’t really bother me or my family too much.
Over the years, several of my friends, who have had this procedure done, would tell me and encourage me to get this done as well. They would rant about how life changing; confidence building, etc getting your hair back was, but I was just not vain enough or lacked any confidence, etc. to be bothered to go through with this.
This was until a very close friend of mine introduced me to Dr Pradeep Sethi and Dr Arika Bansal, Founders and Chief Hair Transplant Surgeons at Eugenix Hair Sciences Centre, in Gurgaon, India. Our first meeting was in February 2020, just about when the Covid 19 pandemic was breaking. As far as first impressions go, I was very impressed with the setup and professionalism of Dr Pradeep Sethi, Dr Arika Bansal and their team.
Unlike most people who do a lot of research while considering this procedure, I had very little understanding of the procedure; didn’t know what to expect; how long the recovery would be; how many procedures I would need; would there be any pain and scarring; costs involved, etc. The Doctors and their team very patiently and clearly explained what was possible and not possible in respect to my hair, considering the donor and recipient area. They clearly defined my expectations if I were to have the transplantation. This was very encouraging. They also gave me a tour of the Centre and explained in quite a bit of detail the procedure and recovery post the transplantation.
This was all very interesting, and I liked the thought of it and had inclinations. The procedure didn’t seem tedious if you were getting your hair back. But somehow, I wasn’t mentally prepared, and it was not enough to push me over the fence to go in for the procedure at that time. One concern I remember was that it was recommended that I should shave my head, which was a bit hard to digest as I had work and travel commitments. The other concern at the time was that it seemed that this was not a one-time fix and I may have to go through this process again after a few years. Nonetheless, I didn’t go for the procedure then, subsequently the lockdowns happened and other things took priority, so I didn’t follow up and a year went by.
In March this year, the same friend who had done his transplantation at Eugenix, again pushed me to reconsider and set up another meeting for me with Dr Sethi and Dr Bansal. By this time, I had lost a lot more hair, to the point that now I was a bit conscious about getting in front of a camera. At our meeting Dr Sethi again took the time to explain to me what I could expect from this procedure. He explained that I needed about 5000-6000 grafts. He felt that I had a good donor area and he could transplant about 4000 grafts over two continuous days and that I could possibly come back after six months to a year for the balance.
This time round I was a bit more open to the procedure. Considering the daily increasing number of Covid cases in Delhi, I felt that a lockdown was inevitable, so that even if I had to shave my head this would be the best time to do so.
Luckily for me, a number of my friends and acquaintances have had their transplantation done by Dr Sethi and Dr Bansal in Mumbai and in Delhi. I had a word with them, they reassured me and told me not to think too much about this and just get it done as this was a no brainer. I had seen the transformation of their hairlines over the years, the results were good and clear, I knew what to expect and that gave me the confidence to trust Dr Sethi and Dr Bansal and go ahead with Eugenix.
Truly, if it had not been for the positive results of my friends, I would not have gone for this procedure. This reaffirmation actually saved me hours of online research, as I didn’t consider or compare any other centres or surgeons. It was an impulsive decision but as I share my experiences today a month later, I am so glad I did go ahead with Dr Sethi, Dr Bansal and their team as I have had no problems.
The transplantation was planned for the 15th and 16th of April 2021. I had to get some basic blood tests done prior to the procedure, which was organised by Eugenix itself. On the day when I reported to the Eugenix Centre in Gurgaon, I was taken to a comfortable lounge and was again explained the whole procedure.
Dr Bansal then explained to me the kind of hairline they would create and designed the same. Dr Sethi was very encouraging, he said that for him every hair transplantation is like creating a piece of art, where each head is a new canvas which is different from the other and that he strives to create a masterpiece every time. His passion and his knowledge really gave me the confidence to just let him do what he does best.
So, I went through the whole procedure over two days. Dr Sethi and his team transplanted 5308 grafts, of which 4728 were from the scalp and 580 were from my beard. During the planning and designing stage, Dr Sethi felt that if I had the patience, they could aim to cover my receding hairline and crown over the two days sessions. This would mean that I didn’t have to come back for another session after a few months. I left it to his best judgement and went ahead.
The procedure itself was painless. The procedure to extract and simultaneously implant is genius and apparently gives the best chance for the graft to survive. However, what really pains are the numerous local anesthesia injections in the donor and recipient area.
The first day of the procedure wasn’t bad at all, as I was fully in my senses, I saw it as spending a day in a spa. I was free to eat anything, take breaks when I wanted, watch TV, order food from an extensive menu. At the end of the session, I went back home with clear advice on how to sleep at night and protect the donor and recipient areas.
The next day was a bit tougher, mainly due to the monotony of the procedure, but I am glad that Dr Sethi and his team were in no hurry. At one point I felt that I had had enough and would have quit if it wasn’t for Dr Sethi and his team who encouraged me to complete the procedure as planned. Now I am so glad I did.
As is the case with everyone who goes through this procedure, the first week requires most care. Due to the partial lockdown in Delhi, I managed most of the post procedure care at home on my own under clear instructions from Dr Sethi and team. Post procedure care was really not a problem, except for the sleeping part, as I usually sleep on my side and stomach which is not recommended. The scabs started falling after the first shampoo a week after the procedure. It took a few days for all the scabs to fall and the soreness and numbness subsides gradually. The beard area from where 580 grafts were taken out healed much faster.
It's been a month now and my hairline seems very well defined. I have been advised that some of the newly planted grafts will fall after a few weeks, but will start growing again. Full results of the transplantation would only be apparent after 6 months. I really look forward to that.
Overall, my experience with Dr Sethi, Dr Bansal and the entire Eugenix team has been great. I would really like to thank them. They seem to have delivered much above my expectations. I am glad that I went with Eugenix, while the procedure is time consuming, it is surely worth it.
After 1 Month
