Senior Member s2thoudriver Posted June 10, 2012 Senior Member Share Posted June 10, 2012 (edited) Hi folks, I had my FUE transplant 2 weeks ago in Istanbul and am very pleased with the results. So far i've had no swelling, no shock loss, no pain and the recovery has been very quick. I have captured a day by day timeline of the progress and also got pictures of the surgery (they kindly took pictures for me) and have put them into a blog i have set up. The blog/site is in the early stages as i have to fill in all the text, but please feel free to go and take a look and i am happy to answer/discuss any items you wish. The web address is in my profile. Hope it helps those who are wanting to go through the process. It's a daunting thing, but i have no regrets, so if i can help others then that's great Thanks Rob Edited October 3, 2012 by s2thoudriver 2800 FUE, Istanbul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member s2thoudriver Posted June 13, 2012 Author Senior Member Share Posted June 13, 2012 Hi folks, Whilst i continue documenting everything in detail on my web blog, here are a few pics for you so you can see the progress so far. It's now 2 weeks since the transplant and i have seen minimal hair loss, no shock loss, no swelling, no pain (only minor discomfort) and redness is rapidly fading. Post transplant treatment consists of daily body lotion on the recipient area for 30 mins, to keep the skin soft, 10 mins laser therapy with a 21 laser cold, low level handheld laser and i am now washing my hair normally, using Alpecin caffine shampoo. Medication now is just 1 painkiller a day and 1 'hair skin and nails' vitamin tablet to keep everything as strong as possible. Hope you find this information useful and the pictures helpful too. Any questions, please feel free to ask.. Many thanks Rob 2800 FUE, Istanbul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member s2thoudriver Posted June 13, 2012 Author Senior Member Share Posted June 13, 2012 My hair was shaved to a grade 0 at the back and sides (shorter than in this picture) and the hair was trimmed as much as needed on top. Due to the nature of my business, i didn't want to shave my head, so the team kindly agreed to leave it as long as they could get away with on the top. This picture clearly shows the target recipient areas: 2800 FUE, Istanbul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member s2thoudriver Posted June 13, 2012 Author Senior Member Share Posted June 13, 2012 Ok, so once shaved, washed and put in surgery clothes, i was straight in to have a sedative administered and local anesthetic injections. The new hairline was designed and the donor area marked. The extractions then took place over a few hours until approx 2,800 grafts were collected and comprising of a mixture of single hair follicles, 2's and 3's.These were then separated, ready for the implantation ( single hair follicles were used in the very front to give a more natural hairline) I then had a break for lunch, then it was back in for the long haul.... Hairline incisions were done by Dr Eser to ensure the direction and style were correct. Immediate post op pics to follow... 2800 FUE, Istanbul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member s2thoudriver Posted June 13, 2012 Author Senior Member Share Posted June 13, 2012 Lost of saline solution on my head to keep my existing hairs out of the way, but you can see where the new hairline has been created, the area covered and the dense packing that they have done in between my existing hairs to thicken it out when it all grows back. Nice job i think 2800 FUE, Istanbul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member s2thoudriver Posted June 13, 2012 Author Senior Member Share Posted June 13, 2012 I have put daily updates on my web blog (link in my signature) but here are a few pictures of the progress after 11 days. I'll take some more later for everyone (now day 15) and will continue to update this thread and my blog as time passes. Enjoy.... 2800 FUE, Istanbul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member MoeyK Posted June 17, 2012 Regular Member Share Posted June 17, 2012 Hey Buddy, Things seem to be going to plan! Congratulations and I wish you the best for the future. Btw are you on any videos for any HT surgeons website? I could have sworn I have seen you somewhere. If you don't mind me asking what was the approx cost of the surgery? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member s2thoudriver Posted June 18, 2012 Author Senior Member Share Posted June 18, 2012 Hi MoeyK Thanks for your post and I too have my fingers crossed that everything continues as well as it has so far. I will be featuring on a video as I was being filmed throughout the treatment, but they are not on line yet I don't think. I have a familiar face (everyone thinks they've seen me or know me!), so it's probably that. I paid just under GBP 4,500 for 2,800 ( maybe slightly more), all flights and travel, all airport pickups and hospital trips in a private car, 1 week in a 5* hotel, all medication, aftercare pack etc, which is very good value based on the quality of both the trip and the surgery. If you need any more details, just drop me an email and I'll gladly help out. Thanks Rob 2800 FUE, Istanbul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member s2thoudriver Posted June 22, 2012 Author Senior Member Share Posted June 22, 2012 I've been busy with work this week but will take some more pics of my hair tonight and get them on over the weekend. So far, all is good. I'd say 40% have fallen now in the transplanted area, redness is reduced in both donor and recipient sites and my hair has grown well at the back to cover the donor site almost completely. Now i'm in for the looooong wait! Question... If by now (3 1/2 weeks) i still have 60% left in the recipient area, is this a good sign or bad? Should i be wanting them to fall out so the new ones can start or is it better for them to just continue growing? Thanks in advance Rob 2800 FUE, Istanbul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member MoeyK Posted June 22, 2012 Regular Member Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi MoeyK Thanks for your post and I too have my fingers crossed that everything continues as well as it has so far. I will be featuring on a video as I was being filmed throughout the treatment, but they are not on line yet I don't think. I have a familiar face (everyone thinks they've seen me or know me!), so it's probably that. I paid just under GBP 4,500 for 2,800 ( maybe slightly more), all flights and travel, all airport pickups and hospital trips in a private car, 1 week in a 5* hotel, all medication, aftercare pack etc, which is very good value based on the quality of both the trip and the surgery. If you need any more details, just drop me an email and I'll gladly help out. Thanks Rob Hey Rob, I am almost 100% positive I have seen you in a video on a hair surgeons website ( a turkish surgeon ). Btw how did you actually find this particular surgeon? because I have tried to search online but cant seem to find any feedback at all. The only link that comes up is yours. For 2800FUE that is pretty reasonable! Considering some of the top surgeons would charge well in excess of 10000GBP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member s2thoudriver Posted June 22, 2012 Author Senior Member Share Posted June 22, 2012 The videos i'm told are not on-line yet so it shouldn't be me but i'll drop them an email and ask as i know they were filming me. One of the company owners lives in the UK and has salons near me, so that's how i was introduced. They were extremely helpful, put me in touch with the surgeon and gave me all the information and patient references i needed. They also accompanied me out there as i agreed to let them film me etc which helped my nerves! I can PM you all the details if you need them Thanks Rob 2800 FUE, Istanbul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member MoeyK Posted June 22, 2012 Regular Member Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hey Rob, I am 100% it is you. You know after the surgery, did they put like a white bandage around your head only the back part? like the area's where they done the FUE sides and back. It was kind of stuck on? I remember in the video in the post-op day 1, you and some other guy had a surgery were sharing a coffee or drink together outside? I am so sure it was you. Yeah I am 23 and honestly I want to fix my hairline, I feel its time v money. Id rather waste money then waste time!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member s2thoudriver Posted June 22, 2012 Author Senior Member Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi MoeyK They might well have put some videos up, but no-one has mentioned it to me via email. Send me an email with a link to them as I'd be interested to see them :-) Regarding the price, it's about average for out there but the quality is excellent and the travel/ trip was excellent too. I think in the UK you'd be looking at about ?7-?8k though, not ?10k One thing I would say is that at 23yrs old I'd say you were too young to have a transplant as you are most likely going to continue to loose some. Get a consultation from a good surgeon to assess your hair loss to date and potential future loss patterns. Thanks Rob 2800 FUE, Istanbul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member s2thoudriver Posted July 3, 2012 Author Senior Member Share Posted July 3, 2012 Well, the first month has already passed and i am seeing a lot of changes in my hair and scalp. Thankfully, everything is going according to plan, or even ahead of plan, so i am very pleased with progress so far. I am aware that i am now entering the ‘ugly duckling’ phase where i shall remain for the next month or two until the follicles awaken from their rest phase and start sprouting new hairs. In terms of shedding, again, i have been fortunate in that i still have lots of transplanted hairs remaining… and growing! Even with combing and rubbing, they do not want to dislodge and some are almost an inch long. I would say that i have approximately 30-40% of hairs remaining. So, the important part, the pictures. As with all my pictures, i have tried to catch everything in the worst light, so you have an honest view of the donor and recipient areas, both natural light and bright flash. Any comments/feedback are welcome. Thanks Rob 2800 FUE, Istanbul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member s2thoudriver Posted July 6, 2012 Author Senior Member Share Posted July 6, 2012 Hi all, I presume no feedback or comments means that everyone thinks things look normal and on track? I've since had my hair trimmed to even it all out and it looks even better, the donor area is now undetectable, so i am very happy. Suppose it's just a long waiting game now until the transplanted follicles wake up and start producing new hair! Rob 2800 FUE, Istanbul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member s2thoudriver Posted July 9, 2012 Author Senior Member Share Posted July 9, 2012 (edited) Hi All, Ok, week 5 and the shock loss seems to have completely stopped now and has got no worse since week 3. I have however, noticed an increase in very short/stubbly hairs in the recipient area where there were no hairs prior to my transplant (so can't be native hairs re-growing). Obviously, there are still hundreds under the skin hiding away in dormant stage for a month or 2, but i didn't expect growth this quickly??? Am i one of the lucky few to have some early growth? or is there another explanation for this? The other guy who was there at the same time as me has already got pimples on his head at the 5 week mark :eek: Tried to take a pic for you to see but it's on my iphone at work today. It's a pic of my left side frontal region. Any advice more than welcome. Thanks Rob Edited July 9, 2012 by s2thoudriver 2800 FUE, Istanbul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Spanker Posted July 9, 2012 Senior Member Share Posted July 9, 2012 looks like some good early growth. Your after pics looked good and I see no reason to be concerned. I am an online representative for Dr. Raymond Konior who is an elite member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians. View Dr. Konior's Website View Spanker's Website I am not a medical professional and my opinions should not be taken as medical advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member s2thoudriver Posted July 9, 2012 Author Senior Member Share Posted July 9, 2012 I'm not concerned, more intrigued really as i didn't expect any growth yet at all. and thanks for the note on the after pictures, i was impressed with the work, it all seemed very clean. There are some transplanted hairs in the recipient areas that never shed and are a good 2cm long now, maybe 100-200 of these, but i seem to have another few hundred of these stubbly ones too. Very happy if it is early growth, seems my post HT procedure is working like a treat. It'll be interesting to see if/how quickly these little fellas grow over the next few weeks. As always, i'll keep a careful eye on progress and keep you updated. Many thanks Rob 2800 FUE, Istanbul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member s2thoudriver Posted July 31, 2012 Author Senior Member Share Posted July 31, 2012 (edited) Hi all, Well, my calendar reminded me that it's my month 2 anniversary today! I'm well and truly in the 'ugly duckling' phase now, with transplanted hairs at different lengths and my native hair no longer really short, or long enough for any real style. Oh well, short term pain, long term gain! I'm really pleased with progress so far, the donor area is un-noticeable (even under a bright flash) and i am seeing some good early growth ahead of schedule Still slightly pink but it's almost died down in the recipient area. So, without further delay, here are a few pics. Apologies, it's hard to capture them well on an iphone! Any questions just ask and i appreciate any comments/feedback Rob Edited July 31, 2012 by s2thoudriver 2800 FUE, Istanbul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member s2thoudriver Posted August 6, 2012 Author Senior Member Share Posted August 6, 2012 (edited) enjoy... Edited August 6, 2012 by s2thoudriver 2800 FUE, Istanbul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member RCWest Posted August 6, 2012 Senior Member Share Posted August 6, 2012 I don't know how I missed this post! You have done an excellent job documenting with photos. This surgeons work looks as refined as any. You do look like you are having some extremely early growth! I'm glad more and more surgeons in the far East are being discovered. It's not as easy for someone in that area to find a good surgeon like it is in America. Finasteride 1.25 mg. daily Avodart 0.5 mg. daily Spironolactone 50 mg twice daily 5 mg. oral Minoxidil twice daily Biotin 1000 mcg daily Multi Vitamin daily Damn, with all the stuff you put in your hair are you like a negative NW1? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member s2thoudriver Posted August 6, 2012 Author Senior Member Share Posted August 6, 2012 Thank you for your kind words. I'm trying to capture as much info about the whole process as i possibly can to help everybody on here. My blog covers everything in minute detail, but this thread is ok too. I remembered when i started researching HTs that people often went quiet when they started to see results, so i am going to make sure that doesn't happen and we capture everything in full. Thanks also for the comment on the early growth. It certainly does seem that things are starting to grow nice and early (only on week 8-9). Still a long way to go but very promising at this stage. My only routine is to use Alpecin shampoo, 21 cold laser handheld therapy 4 times a week (debatable whether it works, but i'm inclined to think it is helping recovery and stimulation based on early growth results), no meds and no rogaine. I have to say, when i was out there in Istanbul, i was skeptical at the start... until i saw the facilities, the surgeons and the sheer commitment they put into making sure everything is 110%. They really are at the top of the game out there, i'd happily recommend them to anyone. Keep posted for more updates and keep your fingers crossed (as i am) for more early growth Cheers Rob 2800 FUE, Istanbul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Bobilero Posted August 6, 2012 Senior Member Share Posted August 6, 2012 Excellent Blog tracking your progress. That looks like some solid clean work you had. It looks like you have good some good early growth mate. Can visibly see more body in some of those recent shots. All signs are you are in for a great result. Still very early days too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member s2thoudriver Posted August 7, 2012 Author Senior Member Share Posted August 7, 2012 Thanks Bobilero, everything is looking good so far (well, better than good!), but i will be keeping my fingers and toes crossed for lots more growth. (few more popped through overnight too, happy boy!) I'll keep the updates coming as it's good to get feedback from you guys. I look at my hair every day (which you shouldn't do as it drives you nuts!), so i don't notice much change, so it's good to get the positive feedback on here. Thanks all Rob 2800 FUE, Istanbul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Sean Posted August 7, 2012 Senior Member Share Posted August 7, 2012 s2thoudriver, excellent blog you have. Everything seems to be going good for you and on track. Looking forward to your next update. I don't know if anyone asked you already, was it manual fue and was it done in one day? How much was the cost all inclusive of every fee (taxes, medication, surgery), per graft? Was travel inclusive or on your own? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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