Dr Hakan Doganay - 3000 FUE 05 & 06 Dec 2013

[sillymusic]

Hi All

 

I’ve created the thread to detail my upcoming procedure with the AHD clinic, Antalya Turkey over two days later this week. I’d imagine that my situation is fairly recognisable by the reps on here who have had to endure my harassment over the last 12 months, so I’d just like to offer my sincere thanks to those who I’ve been in contact with. Also to the guys who I’ve been in contact with through this site, they know who they are :cool:

 

I had a less than hoped for 1000 FUE in Jan 2013 in which I’ve suffered (and still am) complications and lasting issues (doc isn’t not recommended here.) During the course of the year I’ve been in contact with many clinics and travelled to Manchester, London and all over Belgium discussing my circumstances with the docs recommended on here to establish a clear plan forward.

 

Although I’ve not had an in person consult with Dr Hakan Doganay (kindly offered to do this the day before the op when I arrive) I’ve been very impressed with the results I’ve seen and the answers the excellent customer service have provided me from the many questions I’ve needed to ask. These have been in regards to repair, and a large birthmark that I have on my frontal 3rd.

 

So here goes, another roll of the dice, hoping for a much much happier and less ‘hairrendous’ 2014.

 

I’ll update with a detailed account with pictures when I arrive in Turkey! :eek:

 

Thanks for reading.

Edited December 11, 2013 by sillymusic

[JohnnyDrama]

Best of luck! You should be in much safer hands this time around and in 12 months you should be showing off the fruits of your research! Keep us posted.

[Number47]

Hi All

 

 

I had a less than hoped for 1000 FUE in Jan 2013 in which I’ve suffered (and still am) complications and lasting issues (doc isn’t not recommended here.)

 

Please can you expand on the complications and lasting issues from your FUE procedure?

[sillymusic]

Best of luck! You should be in much safer hands this time around and in 12 months you should be showing off the fruits of your research! Keep us posted.

 

Nice one Johnny, I wouldn't be in this position now without the knowledge gained from this site and the forum replies made from posters such as yourself and the many others.

[Blake Bloxham]

Silly,

 

Good luck! Look forward to updates.

[Mask]

How did it go?

[sillymusic]

Silly,

 

Good luck! Look forward to updates.

 

Thanks Blake!

[sillymusic]

Please can you expand on the complications and lasting issues from your FUE procedure?

 

Please see the below pictures of my temples taken after shaving down before surgery with Dr Doganay, I’m still in discussions with the previous clinic regarding this and would be inappropriate to name those involved at this moment. I have my own conclusions coupled with the opinions of other top clinics, GP's and dermatologists.

 

I guess I'll leave it to you guys to make up your own minds based on what you can see. I can say it was a clinic based in Harley street, London.

 

I just want to put the last 12 months of pain behind me and look forward to a happier 2014, hairs hoping Queue Dr Doganay and the AHD team in Antalya, Turkey!

[sillymusic]

Arrived back to the UK on late / early Tuesday from a extremely positive experience with AHD clinic, and wanted a couple of days to absorb it all in so I could approach the write up rationally so sorry for the delay. As much research as you can do and knowing what to expect regarding the process there’s very little that can prepare you for the days post-surgery. Its emotionally intense and the anxiety that sets in worrying if you have made the right choices, you are following the post op instructions correctly, reflections in your personal life and the bridges that been burnt because how low your confidence had been leading up to it. I've come to realise that these bridges can be rebuilt and this is hopefully the start of a new life.

 

Breakdown

 

1's 775

2's 1800

3's 725

Beard 700

Total: 7250

 

Method: Choi Implanter

 

Arriving in Antalya and Consult

 

As much as you think you have prepared and checked you have done everything you need, double check! I had missed simple things like a travel adaptor, the connecting coach to get to London Stansted broke down and managed to get onto the flight with minutes to spare. My advice here would be to use as little external factors as possible that could go wrong!

 

Discovered later that you can get a direct flight to Antalya from Manchester for the Uk guys out there. Much to the amusement of a fellow patient on here. I had a connecting flight from Istanbul at 4am, worth noting here that there is a visa charge to pay of 15 euro when entering the country.

 

The clinics superb rep, Didem, met me at the airport at 8AM in the pouring rain. I knew that she was my contact as she was holding a sign with AHD Hair in her hand! She brought a spare umbrella with her for me, a nice touch and this pretty much set the tone for how I was treated throughout my stay. They really do think of everything, a very classy and professional clinic.

 

Proceeded to the clinic and was fed some breakfast, met a US patient who had his the day prior. I then met with Dr Ayhan for a review about the days ahead, a very friendly doc who puts you completely at ease. At this point id been travelling for 15 hours so was shown to my very nice clinic room, had a snooze ready for the consult with Dr Hakan in the afternoon. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all taken care of and delivered to your room. WiFi is also complimentary.

 

In the afternoon I met with Dr Hakan and we reviewed my situation, discussed meds, goals and what was possible. My donor is quite thin so we discussed the used of beard hair, which I hadn't considered prior. We agreed on a plan to extract the bad grafts from the previous surgery and depending how the operation goes the following day to camouflage in some beard into the temples.

 

Day 1

 

Extractions began at 09:00 and lasted for around 2.5 hours, admittedly the first couple of injections are temporally uncomfortable. We were going for 3000 but managed to get 3300 grafts. The doctor has an excellent bed side manner and kept saying excuse me excuse when applying the local anaesthetic which made me laugh at the time.

 

His English is ok but Didam and Dr Ayhan are always on hand if you have any questions needing translated, at no point did I feel I wasn't being understood. Lunch then buzz down completely. I’d never seen my birthmark like this before which was quite shocking, coupled with a clearer view of what I'd been left with from previous surgery it was all pretty upsetting. Hairline placement was next and I was sweating so much from laying down his pen wouldn't work! I was open to suggestions as i dont recall seeing a bad hairline from the doctor on this forum. I was happy with the first choice, but decided to take the second and go slightly conservative and utilise more grafts in the front for the hairline.

 

So I sat on the operating chair in a much more comfortable position facing a smart TV. They originally put too fast and furious on which I’m sure he did for my benefit as he thought I’d enjoy it , there was some trouble with the connection so the doc then put a classic western on, John Wayne special. The nurses were all talking in Turkish and occasionally the doctor would say shut up nurse in English, to which I replied thank you in Turkish which was a nice little moment.

 

Implantation finished at finished at 17:15, and the doc and nurse stayed behind for much longer ensuring the birthmark was accepting the grafts permanently. The skin tissue is very soft and he said it was a difficult surgery because of this, as there were occasions that grafts would pop out after one was placed. I was then given an injection in the backside and provided with anti-inflammatory medication to aid swelling along with pain killers.

 

We enjoyed some Turkish cuisine which was ordered in and then gingerly aided back to my room to rest. The injection in the backside did make me walk like John Wayne coincidently for a short while after.

 

Day 2

 

I spent the day resting mainly in my room as advised not too go out into the sunshine for the first few days. I did find myself wondering around the clinic practising my Turkish on every poor unsuspecting soul. They must have thought I was mental. I may have dislodged a graft from taking my bandana on and off, no blood but could see the tissue surrounding the root. At this point I had to remind myself what I had just done and to give the hair transplant the respect it deserves.

 

Day 3

 

Picked up at 09:00 and was time for the bandages to be taken off and get washed. In my opinion i found this much more painful than the injections. I was tensing so much from the pain I starting bleeding from my temple! Thankfully no grafts were lost. I had three of the nurses blowing and spraying cold water on my donor to calm it down! As per the post op instructions the grafts should be nice and secure by day 2/3, this is much sooner than I was expecting and perhaps its relating to the Choi implanter technique used, perhaps Mickey or another fue fighter could chime in here At this point you are shown how to wash correctly and given all the lotions and supplements you need post op.

 

I then sat down with the doctors for review, was advised that the surgery was successful and everything looked OK which was a great relief. We decided to go for some beard grafts to provide further density into the temples and birthmark. The beard extractions started at around 15:30 which were not too painful, bearing in mind it was Saturday tea time the enthusiasm and diligence of the team never diminished. A plastic surgeon came in to see me who seemed quite esteemed, everyone was trying to get me to speak Turkish to him but at this point to be honest I was completely drained I couldn't even remember my own language. I told him where I was from and he kept chanting Glasgow Rangers, I didn’t have the heart or energy to correct him with the right country.

 

During implantation you really do feel in safe hands with the doctor, you trust him and his experience. Such a surreal time being in the hands of someone top of their field doing something they clearly have a passion for. He's like an artist and all that was missing was some opera or somewhere over the rainbow or something playing in the background. Plus he’s a top bloke.

 

I was then taken to a very nice hotel to rest for a couple of days and again all food and expenses taken care of by the clinic, seaside view, I must admit there are worse views to wake up to after 2 HT's in 3 days! I also met with another UK patient who had his on op on the Friday, so we ventured out for some Turkish cuisine in the evening. The Sunday we took advantage of the buffet style food and we shot some pool.

 

Day 5

 

Picked up from the hotel and taken back to the clinic for a final check by the doctor and to answer any questions I that had before being taken to the airport. I'd advise to write these questions down as my mind went completely blank.. A few email exchanges after and was satisfied with the quick responses.

 

I can't speak highly enough of the whole team, first class treatment from start to finish. I was sad to leave Antalya in the end, it’s lovely place to be. I realise that my situation is unique and the operation was difficult, and I honestly don’t know what really to expect. I can't find a similar situation out there to me.

 

I hope with 4000 grafts (7250 total hairs) it will make a significant difference cosmetically and give me that confidence and happiness that alas was taken away.

 

Thanks for reading!

Edited December 11, 2013 by sillymusic

[sillymusic]

Taken 2 weeks prior to HT - Brushed back, donor and with the use if Toppik.

[sillymusic]

Shaving Down and Hairline Placement

[sillymusic]

Post Day 1 3300 FUE taken with and without flash.

[sillymusic]

Post Day 3 700 BHT, pictures of the choi instruments and the beard grafts ready to be placed into my head!

[sillymusic]

Day 4 recovering and looking into the mirror faaaarrrrr too much :rolleyes:

[sillymusic]

Miscellaneous,

 

Clinic room, supplies, donor healing plus a cheeky snap with the great man himself, one for the family album!

 

Sagol AHD!

 

Welcome any feedback please

Edited December 11, 2013 by sillymusic

[Mask]

This was great presentation and write up. Cheering for good results

[sillymusic]

This was great presentation and write up. Cheering for good results

 

nice one Mask!

[TakingThePlunge]

Congratulations! His work is phenomenal. Please keep us posted.

[Quiff01]

Looks good but could could you please add how many times you blinked through the procedure? Also what temperature the room was? Thanks I booked a week off work to read this so the more information the better

 

Regards

 

Fuefighter

[sillymusic]

Looks good but could could you please add how many times you blinked through the procedure? Also what temperature the room was? Thanks I booked a week off work to read this so the more information the better

 

Regards

 

Fuefighter

 

Haha well I didn't want to pack the thread with too much timber

 

One week in and the beard has healed well, cant shave till the 20th day though. Shame its not Movember anymore.

 

Recipient and donor scabbing over as expected looking forward to when they're off completely, hope my native hair returns some thickness over the coming months

Edited December 13, 2013 by sillymusic

[sillymusic]

2 Week Update

[zagh]

looking good!

[Lloyd]

Please update us, looks promising

[Quiff01]

This is very slack from you sillymusic

[johnny2000]

This is very slack from you sillymusic

 

Muddy we need an update on your process please