WARNING, if considering Dr Hakan Doganay, read this first

[Sean]

Taking propecia is not a prerequisite for a hair restoration procedure. These are supplemental things. One doctor may push it, another doc who nails your restoration 100% may not even mention it. If you have very minimal loss, i dont know why some would. Again, no where on forums i heard this being a preqrequisite. If it is, i can assure you these doctors will make very little money by saying it is mandatory.

 

It is good to compile alist of docs who push this pill or rogaine on patients versus those that do not.

[DoganayPatient]

Before I begin: I will not be posting any photographs as "proof" of my procedure or anything I claim. As you will see, I'm being totally objective in my description of my experience.

 

I had a transplant with Dr. Doganay earlier this year. I am roughly the same age as OP. My hair loss was not as severe, and I am taking medications. Which brings us to the first issue here: OP, why on earth did you get a hair transplant without properly considering the very real risk of future loss? Did you think it would somehow magically stop? It baffles the mind that you are able to do this much excellent research on Dr. Doganay and yet did not take the requisite five minutes to realize that getting a hairline transplant in your twenties when you are not on Propecia is virtually guaranteeing a bad situation in the future. Not one reputable member here or anywhere else would recommend that. How you were even able to find Dr. Doganay without also finding that information around every corner is one of the strangest things I've seen on these forums.

 

But what happened happened. And all I can offer here is a comparison to my experience at this part of the procedure:

 

1. I was asked if I was taking any meds.

2. I was asked if the meds were working, whether my hair had stayed the same, and if so, for how long.

3. Muslum and Dr. Doganay examined my donor area and then Dr. Doganay drew a hairline for me. I didn't particularly like it, so he drew a couple more until we agreed on one. At no time did I feel forced into anything. In fact, the hairline he initially drew was too high and I thought my face would be better framed if it was lower.

 

The evaluation was quick, I will not deny that. Had I somehow been in your position of not knowing my actual loss or where it was heading, and had I been expecting Dr. Doganay to provide me with all of this information, I'd have been a bit offset. I do think doctors have a duty to fully inform their patients of the risks of surgery. None of this somehow exempts you or anyone reading this from being responsible for knowing that if you don't take fin, you're probably going to keep losing hair. I came into the situation knowing exactly what I wanted, and I let both Muslum and Dr. Doganay know this. I answered their standard questions in ways that, had I answered them differently, would have led to other questions from them.

 

As for the actual procedure, this was my experience:

 

1. Doganay was not present the entire time.

2. A female tech with "10 years of experience" implanted a percentage of the hairs in the recipient area under Dr. Doganay's instruction. She seemed like she knew what she was doing, but it definitely wasn't Doganay doing the entire implantation.

3. Pop radio music was played during the procedure and some of the other assistants seemed very young.

4. The facility was underwhelming.

 

 

Muslum was very kind and caring, and Dr. Doganay, who does not speak much English, seemed like a reputable man. I'd seen tons of results online and was convinced that for the price this was the right option. I also knew that my loss was not so extreme that a poor transplant would doom me. I'd have never gone under the knife at all if that was the case. At this stage, I have plenty of grafts left to repair any bad transplant, and enough native hair to not looked totally wrecked.

 

However, to say this thread isn't worrying me would be an absolute lie. My biggest concern here is that I have also dealt with some serious folliculitis. At first I was under the impression that it was normal, but a simple Google search of early hair transplant result pics will show anyone that there was something wrong in my case, just as there was something wrong in OP's. If folliculitis in the first few months after transplants is as rare as people here are saying it is, then we have to ask whether it's a coincidence that both of us are dealing with it from the same doc.

 

 

It's still too early for results in my case, but there does seem to be a trend among people going to Doganay, having these adverse reactions, and getting poor results. There are at least two other Doganay cases out there with this same folliculitis---->poor results issue in the past two years. I'll let OP find them because I can't keep track of all the sites and threads and users. But if that has a negative impact on my result I will absolutely be demanding a full refund. For what it's worth my donor area looks completely normal.

 

Again, I'm on no one's side here. I think OP is prematurely judging his results and is irrationally and unfairly trying to discredit other Doganay patients who are presenting their positive results, but I also commend OP for coming forward about certain very serious issues and problems with the way the clinic is run. On the other hand, I do not think Muslum or Dr. Doganay are malicious con-artists or are deliberately committing fraud, and I think Doganay has more than proven himself capable of excellent results at an excellent price. But at the same time, multiple people getting similar bacterial infections, techs implanting grafts with the implanter pen, pop music in the operating room? None of that is remotely acceptable and is absolutely refund-worthy.

 

At the end of the day, the result is my biggest concern. If I never come back to this thread, it's because I got a good result and went on with my life. But if I get an atrocious result and end up having to pay thousands of dollars for a repair job, you better believe you people will know all about it.

[monty3001]

Had to join to give my experience mainly as a thank you to Dr Dogannay, Muslum and the team at Antalya

 

I'm monty, some of you may know me from stopaga.com where I was formerly an administrator.

 

My experience with the team at Antalya was great. I haven't got time to go into massive detail but they were ultra friendly and welcoming and seemed highly professional.

 

I am 3 1/2 months into my FUE procedure of 2100 grafts to the hair line and so far things are looking pretty good. Too early to say for sure of course but I've had zero problems.

 

My donor was already thinning due to seborrhoeic dermatitis but after 2 months post surgery there was zero sign I'd had anything done at all. I've received emails asking for pics of post surgery by the clinic but I'm self employed and busy and frankly cannot be bothered with taking pics of myself. It all looks fine and I feel supported by the clinic.

 

Yes they play music when extracting grafts. So do brain surgeons. So what. I was happy to see that the team had good cohesion and a family feel about them.

 

No, Dr Dogannay did not do all the the implants, only the hair line. Pretty sure most of the top docs have techs do most of the work. Feriduni certainly gets his techs to do them and this was clarified by him from the outset when I met him.

 

Did they drop a graft or two? Probably, but I'm not one to throw my toys out of the pram for a 0.01 percentage.

 

Can't speak highly enough about the place and would most certainly go back knowing I'd be cared for by decent professional people.

 

Thanks Dr Dogannay and Muslum

 

Andres

[paleocapa89]

DoganayPatient

Thank you for sharing your story, I try to quickly answer some things that came up:

 

- From your explanation, it seems that you arrived to Dr Doganay well informed. Sadly, I didn't. I didn't even research this forum thoroughly before my procedure. I come across FUE HT-s first in the TV through celebs having hair transplants and other commercials. I was young and depressed cause of my hairloss and I saw a window of opportunity to do something about it so I acted fast. I was a fool. It didn't even occur to me that this is something that I need to thoroughly research I was under the impression that this is a medical procedure, conducted by a doctor, and I do not need to understand every little aspect of it. I though I will receive all the necessary information and evaluation from a doctor who knows it better. I think there are lot of people like me out there and that is why it is paramount that the doctor assesses and informs them thoroughly. But the thing is, it seem in this industry the doctors should not be considered "doctors" but rather used car salesmen. (my apologies to the exemptions)

 

- I was asked if I am on propecia, I expressed that I am not, and I don't take it due to sides. I also asked if I need to take propecia after the procedure, but I was told that I don't have to. I agree with you that, having a HT without propecia is a big mistake. But again, I though I could trust what I was told. Retrospectively it seems so obvious one needs to take propecia or he will be fu**ed. Hell, even with propecia people will lose their hair, that is why is so important to assess the donor capacity and the balding pattern and plan from backwards. I know that now, but I didn't know that before. I think many people have HT's to get a relief from worrying about their hairloss, but I see now that is a misconception. If these people were properly told that HT is not a solution for hairloss, and they will still have to take propecia, and they will probably worry even more about their hairloss, then these people would refuse the procedure and doctors would make much less money.

 

- I didn't want to discredit happy expatients. I am happy for them if they are satisfied with the results, however after I opened my thread a number of alleged expatient appeared from nowhere and aggressively attacked and tried to discredit me. I do believe that Dr Doganay is capable of good work and there are a number of happy patients out there but the pattern and the behavior of these new patients seemed suspicious.

 

- After the procedure I was pretty happy, but when I got folliculitis and for the very first time I could see my balding pattern and how progressed it is, that was the moment when I started to panic and did deep research on different forums. When I confronted Dr Doganay with my concerns all I got was bs, meaningless answers and evasion. And then I opened this thread.

 

- I didn't know that folliculitis was this common with Doganay patients. If this is the case there is something wrong with the hygiene of the procedure or the place. Both seems reasonable, the implanter pens go through several hands before they are stuck into your head then they go through several hands again and so on. Or having the procedure in a general hospital is the cause. Hospitals are the best places to get infections.

 

monty

Thanks for sharing your story as well, just some quick answers:

 

- Please do not compare young nurses listening to pop music to brain surgeons listening to classical music or whatever, I am not even sure whether brain surgeons in fact listen to music or it is just something from TV.

 

- About the techs implanting: Yes top docs sometimes use techs to help them PLACE the grafts after the surgeon made all the incision holes himself. It is paramount that the doctor do all the incisions since the quality of the work highly depends on it. The incisions must be made in the right place in the right depth and in the right angle. This is a procedure that requires anatomic knowledge, artistry and many years of experience. When techs use the implanter pens it means that they are not only placing the grafts in holes but MAKING THE INCISIONS themselves! Do you think that is acceptable? I do not.

Edited November 17, 2015 by paleocapa89

[LondonHTseeker]

But at the same time, multiple people getting similar bacterial infections, techs implanting grafts with the implanter pen, pop music in the operating room? None of that is remotely acceptable and is absolutely refund-worthy.

 

 

 

Dr Feller has pop music playing in the operating room and so do many other doctors, no doubt. There's nothing intrinsically unacceptable about it, let alone refund-worthy.

[paleocapa89]

I think the operating room should be a professional environment. Music can be played to calm or entertain the patient if he asks, but not to entertain the nurses.

[LondonHTseeker]

I think the operating room should be a professional environment. Music can be played to calm or entertain the patient if he asks, but not to entertain the nurses.

 

In my opinion, you'd have to be pretty petty to object to having them listen to music if it helps them concentrate. I listened to my own music through earphones because I dislike most chart music.

[TakingThePlunge]

When I had my hair transplant with Dr. Bhatti, the techs asked if it was OK with me if they listed to music. In my opinion, if that keeps them happy while working I see no problem with it.

[Sethticles]

When I had my hair transplant with Dr. Bhatti, the techs asked if it was OK with me if they listed to music. In my opinion, if that keeps them happy while working I see no problem with it.

 

the first time I went there they just played music and it was rather loud, I actually said something to Dr Bhatti the following day, but this time they asked and I said as long as its on low which they did not that mattered we had the earthquake - LOL

[monty3001]

When I had my hair transplant with Dr. Bhatti, the techs asked if it was OK with me if they listed to music. In my opinion, if that keeps them happy while working I see no problem with it.

 

Agreed! I've some experience of doing tedious repetitive jobs and most certainly whatever makes them comfortable and efficient is/ was fine by me. People aren't robots!

[monty3001]

When I had my hair transplant with Dr. Bhatti, the techs asked if it was OK with me if they listed to music. In my opinion, if that keeps them happy while working I see no problem with it.

 

Agreed! I've some experience of doing tedious repetitive jobs and most certainly whatever makes them comfortable and efficient is/ was fine by me. People aren't robots!

[mav23100gunther]

I think the operating room should be a professional environment. Music can be played to calm or entertain the patient if he asks, but not to entertain the nurses.

 

Don't the top clinics like H&W, SMG, Rahal allow patients to watch DVDs on the TV during the graft placement process? Why is that okay and yet music for nurses considered distracting? I would think watching a horror moving would be way more distracting. If music helps the nurses get into the zone, then I would rather they be kept happy as apposed to me

[paleocapa89]

Instead of discussing whether music should be played or not in an operating room (without the consent of the patient) please focus on DoganayPatient's original list of concerns.

 

1. Doganay was not present the entire time.

2. A female tech with "10 years of experience" implanted a percentage of the hairs in the recipient area under Dr. Doganay's instruction. She seemed like she knew what she was doing, but it definitely wasn't Doganay doing the entire implantation.

3. Pop radio music was played during the procedure and some of the other assistants seemed very young.

4. The facility was underwhelming.

... multiple people getting similar bacterial infections, techs implanting grafts with the implanter pen, pop music in the operating room? ...

 

 

He's concerns are clearly not stemming from the dislike of the music that was played but the unprofessional environment and the possibility of a hygiene issue that caused him (and other patients) severe folliculitis.

[monty3001]

Edited due to harshness.....

 

Just, as a small business owner, I hate the thought of an irrational personality damaging my hard earn't and honest business!

[mav23100gunther]

Edited due to harshness.....

 

Just, as a small business owner, I hate the thought of an irrational personality damaging my hard earn't and honest business!

 

 

Then maybe you shouldn't own a business. If your business is in fact hard earn't and honest then hopefully you can withstand the wrath of an irrational personality, but surgeons should be held accountable for their work, especially if the clinic chooses to use this forum to prop up its's business. You gotta accept the good with the bad. I suspect the chickens are coming home to roost in this case.

[LondonHTseeker]

Instead of discussing whether music should be played or not in an operating room (without the consent of the patient) please focus on DoganayPatient's original list of concerns.

 

Quote:

1. Doganay was not present the entire time.

2. A female tech with "10 years of experience" implanted a percentage of the hairs in the recipient area under Dr. Doganay's instruction. She seemed like she knew what she was doing, but it definitely wasn't Doganay doing the entire implantation.

3. Pop radio music was played during the procedure and some of the other assistants seemed very young.

4. The facility was underwhelming.

... multiple people getting similar bacterial infections, techs implanting grafts with the implanter pen, pop music in the operating room? ...

 

 

 

He's concerns are clearly not stemming from the dislike of the music that was played but the unprofessional environment and the possibility of a hygiene issue that caused him (and other patients) severe folliculitis.

 

1. Dr Feller wasn't present the entire time in any of my three operations with him. That's not a criticism of him, I'm sure that's the norm rather than the exception with HT surgeons.

 

2. Dr Feller didn't do any of the implantation in my three operations with him, it was done by his techs. Again, I expect this is the norm rather the exception.

 

3. So what.

 

4. Again, so what. At the price that doctor charges for surgery, you are going for an operation not a glitzy experience.

 

As for the infections, that's up for debate in terms of whether they are more common with that doctor or not.

[monty3001]

Then maybe you shouldn't own a business. If your business is in fact hard earn't and honest then hopefully you can withstand the wrath of an irrational personality, but surgeons should be held accountable for their work, especially if the clinic chooses to use this forum to prop up its's business. You gotta accept the good with the bad. I suspect the chickens are coming home to roost in this case.

 

Yeah sure pal I'll stop doing what I'm good at, what I enjoy doing, what I earn a decent living doing whilst not having to remotely screw anyone over in the process. As long as it suits you...

 

Despite my 9.8/10 online average review I still have concerns that one day some pedant will come along and rate me a 1/10 for some petty shit and write an irrational review and it will hurt my business, irrespective of the multitude of 10s and 9.5s. That's a fact, it no doubt will one day happen, and I've every right to be concerned over it.

 

As far as I can see, the only thing remotely legitimate this guy has to complain about is the fact that he is miniaturizing and perhaps should have waited a bit longer or tried a treatment that he doesn't get side effects from before getting an hair transplant. I'm in exactly the same situation, exactly the same. Can't use finasteride due to side effects, had a frontal 2100 HT with miniaturisation at the crown and vertex. I knew the risks, cos I'm not an idiot, and I've taken the risk and I'll take full responsibility too.

 

I saw nothing about the clinic that concerned me regarding sterility at all. Nothing. And I have 9 years experience within the healthcare industry too so I know what I'm talking about.

[paleocapa89]

LondonHTseeker

 

I read that Dr Feller is a reputable doctor, so I understand why you use him as a basis of comparison, however I am sure that I could find an another reputable doctor, who does the whole procedure himself. I think the phenomenon of doctors doing very little part of the procedure and whether it is good or bad can be debated on it's own.

 

However, I am pretty sure you can't find a reputable doctor who let the techs do the INCISIONS. It was discussed thoroughly how important it is that the doctor himself do all the incisions. Techs can then place the grafts in the holes. However, with the implanter pen, the techs are doing the incisions themselves and placing the grafts as well at the same time

 

monty3001

 

(if your attack is towards me) you clearly didn't read through the whole thread, if you did, you would now that I am not stating irrational things, but the opposite, I am stating facts. If facts hurt someone's business, then maybe it is time to do a self-assessment.

[mav23100gunther]

Yeah sure pal I'll stop doing what I'm good at, what I enjoy doing, what I earn a decent living doing whilst not having to remotely screw anyone over in the process. As long as it suits you...

 

Despite my 9.8/10 online average review I still have concerns that one day some pedant will come along and rate me a 1/10 for some petty shit and write an irrational review and it will hurt my business, irrespective of the multitude of 10s and 9.5s. That's a fact, it no doubt will one day happen, and I've every right to be concerned over it.

.

 

Like I said, thats life, it happens all the time to almost every business. You gotta take the good with the bad. If you don't want to be concerned about it, then shut down and find another day job. Don't know what else to tell you.

 

I agree with your points regarding Paleo, and that some of his points are irrational, but at the same time he brought some valid stuff to the surface about this clinic that is very concerning.

[monty3001]

Like I said, thats life, it happens all the time to almost every business. You gotta take the good with the bad. If you don't want to be concerned about it, then shut down and find another day job. Don't know what else to tell you.

 

I agree with your points regarding Paleo, and that some of his points are irrational, but at the same time he brought some valid stuff to the surface about this clinic that is very concerning.

 

Well OK, his "points" or more accurately his subjective evaluation of events are entirely in contrast to my subjective evaluations, to such degree that I registered here cos I find them hard to believe.

[paleocapa89]

Monty3001

 

Which points exactly did you find hard to believe ? Maybe I can help clarifying them.

[esrec]

Its not coincidence that the best doctors actually do perform the vast majority of the procedure themselves. This should be the standard. If you cannot grow your practice while maintaining an unwavering ethical standard you shouldn't be a doctor at all. Technicians play an invaluable role, but it should NEVER be the lead role. I have zero sympathy for anyone that would condone this seemingly growing trend.

 

This is of course separate from patients conducting their own due diligence. Of course, its also no coincidence that the best HT doctors will arm you to make an educated and well-informed decision, together.

[Stig]

Well OK, his "points" or more accurately his subjective evaluation of events are entirely in contrast to my subjective evaluations, to such degree that I registered here cos I find them hard to believe.

 

Dr Doganay, is that you?

[Stig]

Well OK, his "points" or more accurately his subjective evaluation of events are entirely in contrast to my subjective evaluations, to such degree that I registered here cos I find them hard to believe.

 

Or maybe you just happen to live in the same house as him or one of his reps.

[monty3001]

No I'm monty from Sign In - SAGA I used to be admin there for 2 years.

 

If you apply for membership and say you want to view montys thread on his hair transplant experience with Dr Dogannay mods will accept you. I'll even add to the thread there to confirm I am him.

 

You'll find a cogent, reasoned thread about my experience with pics which was wholly positive.

 

OK pal?