4025 grafts Fue by Dr. Hakan Doganay July 2013

[levi12]

My story

I am 42 years old , I started losing my hair at the age of 27. In December 2009 I had my first hair transplant at Prohairclinic in Belgium 2800 grafts FUE. With the result I was not really satisfied. Meanwhile hair loss seem like it has progressed. After much searching, in july 2013 I decided to make my second surgery 4025 grafts FUE with Dr. Hakan Doganay in Turkey, which is member IAHRS and recommended by different international hair restoration forums. Now I'm 8 months after the second surgery and still is not visible any significant improvement compared to the situation before.

hereby photos: before, 2 weeks post-op and 8 months post-op

Edited February 25, 2014 by levi12

[splitting hairs]

Hi, having looked at your photos, there isn't much difference in your before and after photos. Have you contacted Dr Hakan? what did he say?

[Blake Bloxham]

Levi,

 

Sorry to hear that you are less than satisfied. Like splitting said, I'd be curious to hear Dr. Doganay's opinion.

[FUE2014]

are you on meds?

[levi12]

Yes, I contacted Dr. Doganay and he said that is too early to say that my surgery is unsuccessful and that I have to wait up to one year.

I think that at 8 months after HT we can not say that it is too early. In this time generally can be seen if a HT is succeeded or not. But I have no other choice than to wait.

@ FUE2014 I take Keratene alphactive retard DHT reducer 2 pills daily and biotin.

[Xkos48]

Yes, I contacted Dr. Doganay and he said that is too early to say that my surgery is unsuccessful and that I have to wait up to one year.

I think that at 8 months after HT we can not say that it is too early. In this time generally can be seen if a HT is succeeded or not. But I have no other choice than to wait.

@ FUE2014 I take Keratene alphactive retard DHT reducer 2 pills daily and biotin.

 

I see zero success so far,maybe it'll come in from 8 to 12 months,do you feel any small prickly hairs where there was no hair?

[levi12]

I see zero success so far,maybe it'll come in from 8 to 12 months,do you feel any small prickly hairs where there was no hair?

Currently I see no sign of regrowth. Is anyone in this forum who has had significant regrowth after 8 months ?

[Spanker]

I feel like your frontal half does look thicker, but I would expect more out of 4000 grafts. I have seen a few guys make significant improvement after 8 months, who were really late bloomers, but it is unusual.

[levi12]

I feel like your frontal half does look thicker, but I would expect more out of 4000 grafts. I have seen a few guys make significant improvement after 8 months, who were really late bloomers, but it is unusual.

my frontal half look thicker from my first HT . maybe I'm a late bloomers ???

[johnny2000]

my frontal half look thicker from my first HT . maybe I'm a late bloomers ???

 

What could if nothing more Will happen? Even if you get a refund, they Can never refund 4000 graft, and its not like we just Can pull another 4000 grafts up from the ground.

man its a tough game we all are in.

 

 

 

I really hope for you that it Will grow like crazy the next couple of weeks

Edited February 28, 2014 by Future_HT_Doc
language.

[Blake Bloxham]

Levi,

 

Technically, Dr. Doganay is correct: it takes a full 12 months for the results of a hair transplant to completely mature, and 8 months represents approximately 60% maturation. However, normally the 8 month appearance is a fairly good indicator of the final result. Did Dr. Doganay say he would meet with you again at the 12 month mark to assess and discuss the results?

[levi12]

I agree,Technically Dr. Doganay is correct but for now we don't see the 60% and even if in the months remained will improve do not believe that I will have an acceptable result . Or like johnny2000 say, will grow like crazy the next couple of weeks. But I think that Dr. Doganay is a honest person and after one year will not be seen any progress will give a refund. Another surgery is not possible because my donor is exhausted. Dr. Doganay don't say he would meet with me again at the 12 month mark he said only I have to wait up to a year. In any case I will keep you updated.

[johnny2000]

I agree,Technically Dr. Doganay is correct but for now we don't see the 60% and even if in the months remained will improve do not believe that I will have an acceptable result . Or like johnny2000 say, will grow like crazy the next couple of weeks. But I think that Dr. Doganay is a honest person and after one year will not be seen any progress will give a refund. Another surgery is not possible because my donor is exhausted. Dr. Doganay don't say he would meet with me again at the 12 month mark he said only I have to wait up to a year. In any case I will keep you updated.

 

i need to ask a personal question, if its ok.

Lets say the result Will not get better from now,

Then all hope for a good result is gone and all hope for a futere hairtransplant is gone.

May i ask have you feel when you Think about that.

Like even if you were a millionere, there is nothing to do.

I would just like to know what you feel about that when you Think of it. Offcourse if you dont want to answer thats totally fine.

 

The Reason i want to know is because i myself am booked with dr. Hakan in a couple of weeks, and allthough This is my first hairtransplant for aprox. 2K graft i would like to know if its worth to do it all and go Down that Road when, obviesly there is a chance it might end up not so good, and then there is no return and nothing you Can do.

[levi12]

johnny2000,

if I'm thinking that all hope for a future hairtransplant is gone of course it is terrible but I know I have no other choice. Then I will admit that i have lost the battle with nature, because that is what we do in fact. You're at the first HT, 2000 grafts you have a second chance in case of failure. I do not know what to say , Dr. Doganay has many beautiful results but not in my case. You must do what you feel. You can also have a superb result like many other patients of this doctor. This risk you take when you decide to do a hair transplant. If you choose another doctor I think that this risk remains.

whatever your choice i wish you success

[Mickey85]

If nothing were to change from now until month 12, I would deem this an unsuccessful result, unequivocally, without doubt. I know that does nothing to assuage your sentiments currently and I do apologize. I really hope things bloom for you in the next few months. It is pleasing to hear that Dr Hakan agreed to a refund if the procedure does not blossom, however, the amount of grafts you have had, the options become fewer.. That is the game we play with hair transplantation. Sadly, we go in expecting a good result and even predicate an entire sequential plan according to successful procedures, not accommodating for the chance or possibility of a failed or several failed procedures. I too had a failed procedure via strip and have been in limbo about what the subsequent step is... Contact me anytime if you want to talk about anything.

[jbrant]

Levi,

 

You went to a great surgeon and are likely getting a bad result. I really feel for you. HT is not 100% and your case is a testiment to this. For some people the procedure just does not seem to work well! Spending major $$, suffering through the hair loss to begin with, then the emotional roller coster to end up with less money, emotionally drained, and scarred.... IT JUST SUCKS.

 

There is good news, though. You STILL have options. They aren't great options, but options none the less.

 

1) Consider FUE with whatever donor grafts you have left. Any surgeon worth his salt will review your past procedures, and lack of yield and will plan for a surgery in which you get (at a minimum) very limited success, but will do the best to frame the face and give you something that will make your past work look as natural as possible.

 

2) SMP: This is a newer, emerging treatment, and can look good given that you have had procedures that have left DHT resistant hairs in your mid scalp and hairline. Make sure if you choose this to research heavily and make sure 100% that the SMP fades completely with time so that you're not 'married to it' if it does not suit you or you don't want the look indefinitely.

 

3) A rug. Hate so say it, but some guys wear them, and not just old dudes with bad toupees. A guy at my work is in his early 30s, into self image and takes really good care of himself (works out). He has a system which rivals that worn by Enrique Iglesias. It requires dedication in upkeep, but looks fantastic.

 

Good luck, and like others I hope you just 'bloom late'!!!!

 

Let us know what unfolds!

[splitting hairs]

Hi Levi, sorry to hear about your story.

 

The fact that you have been to two different clinics and had poor growth from both suggests that for some unknown reason you may not be a good grower.

 

Did Dr Hakan perform motorised FUE or manual? How many days did he perform it over? 4000 grafts is a lot so I would expect it to be over 2 days.

 

Look on the bright side, if you had FUT you would have been left with a scar aswell.

 

Like the others have said, you should consider SMP

 

good luck

[jbrant]

Oh and Levi,

 

Not to tow the party line too much, but PLEASE consider getting on Finesteride, Minoxidil and consider shampooing a couple times a week with Nizoral 1 or 2%.

 

jbrant

[levi12]

jbrant,

thanks for the advice, I will do some research about SMP.

I used earlier finasteride but stopped because of side effects.

currently i use minoxidil 5%, Keratene Alphactive and Biotin.

[levi12]

splitting hairs,

With the result from the first HT I was not really satisfied but I have seen a relative improvement and regrowth in areas where I had no hair at all. To the second can not see any improvement. Dr Hakan perform motorised FUE and of course the surgery was done over 2 days.

hereby pictures of my first HT to get a better idea

Edited March 2, 2014 by levi12
pic with low quality

[splitting hairs]

tbh it looks like you had a nice improvement with your first procedure.

 

another thing to bear in mind is that 2nd time round prople grow slower, so it takes longer to see the final result.

[levi12]

Mickey85,

Dr. Doganay, has admitted that the result so far is not as it should be , and he confirmed that he will make a partial refund and that he will follow my case closely to 12 months , this is the good side.The bad side is that I do not have enough donor for a future hair transplant. My next step is to wait, who knows, maybe in the next 10 years will be found a new solution against baldness such as hair cell multiplication.

[Xkos48]

Mickey85,

Dr. Doganay, has admitted that the result so far is not as it should be , and he confirmed that he will make a partial refund and that he will follow my case closely to 12 months , this is the good side.The bad side is that I do not have enough donor for a future hair transplant. My next step is to wait, who knows, maybe in the next 10 years will be found a new solution against baldness such as hair cell multiplication.

 

i also read somewhere that a 2nd ht can take longer to grow and mature(up to 2 years) (link removed by moderator)

Edited April 1, 2014 by David - TakingThePlunge

[Arrie]

If thats the Dr. Shapiro that i think it is, I wouldn't take anything credible from that site ...

[levi12]

i also read somewhere that a 2nd ht can take longer to grow and mature(up to 2 years)My second hair transplant took longer to grow in.

That is not really true and that's never prove. I know enough cases that had a second HT and the regrowth time was approximately the same as the first. Of course that Dr. Shapiro's Hair Institute has found a method to Promote and to sell the product called AFR™which in my opinion is nothing else that the product which is known as Growthfactors.