3200 Grafts FUE - HDC Clinic Cyprus - April 2017 - Dr. Kyriakos Maras - Photos Video

[hairplanter28]

Hi Everyone!

 

I want to thank you all for being such a great resource in my hair transplant journey. I used this site extensively to learn about hair transplants and I would like to share with you all my hair transplant experience thus far so people can benefit.

 

My profile:

 

Age: 27

Clinic: HDC Clinic in Cyprus

Surgeon: Dr. Kyriakos Maras

Date of Surgery: April 1, 2017

Type:

FUE

# of Grafts: 3200

 

I started my hair loss in my late teens, receding heavily at my temples. I wish I had done something much earlier to combat my hair loss as I have lost a lot of my hair in the front and top since then. I started shaving my head to a 2 the last few years after growing tired of a combover.

 

 

How I found my clinic:

 

I did a lot of research online and compiled a list of top clinics in North America and Europe. Then I contacted each clinic for an online consultation where I sent them pictures and videos of my hair. I found the best way to organize info I receive and to compare and narrow down the clinics to what suited me best was to create an excel spread sheet. I recorded many things which included the number of grafts they recommend, the expected hairline design, and price. After narrowing down a few clinics, I looked extensively at patient reviews on hair transplant forums to make sure people are getting great results. I found that Erdogan at ASMED produced wonderful results at a reasonable price, but had a long waitlist and wanted me to be on finasteride for at least 6 months. Several others like Bisanga and Feriduni also produced great results but was a little more expensive. HDC is a clinic that one of my friends had gone to about 6 months earlier than I did. He got good results from them and so did a lot of other people online. Their price was also a little lower than Bisanga and Feriduni. So after contacting them for a consultation, they made me feel comfortable with their level of service and I went ahead and set up a surgery.

 

 

The transplant experience:

 

The clinic made me feel very comfortable that I was in good hands the whole time. Dr. Maras and the techs that worked there were very experienced, professional, and courteous. I was picked up from the airport by a driver sent by the clinic and they provided free accommodations for up to 7 days.

 

At HDC, Dr. Maras does the punching and excision and the techs do the extraction and placing of grafts. The techs have all been working there for a long time, so I felt very comfortable. The surgery itself took over the course of 2 days, about 4/5 hours each day. Like most people on here say, the most uncomfortable part was having to lie down in an uncomfortable position. There was no pain at all aside from the anesthesia injections.

 

The clinic offers free accommodation for up to 7 days, which I took advantage of. Post surgery I went into the clinic everyday and got my hair washed by them and they made sure everything was going well. By the time I left Cyprus, the scabbing had already been washed off my head.

 

 

 

 

Here is a picture with Dr. Maras 4 days post op. Swelling has gone down considerably by then.

 

 

Vlog of my hair transplant journey:

 

I feel the best way to share my experience with you all is through visuals rather than words, so I decided to make videos documenting my whole experience in a vlog format. I have just finished and uploaded my first two vlogs on youtube.

 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrXSnH6jHAsX1EIgXECbIhQ/videos

 

Vlog #1 shows my arrival to Cyprus and getting picked up at the airport. I also give a tour of the apartment that I lived in for a week.

 

 

Vlog #2 shows the first day of surgery where Dr. Maras provided my consultation and designed my hairline.

 

 

I am spending a lot of time to try to make these videos professional (first time video maker), and will upload a new vlog whenever it is done. I hope that people will find these videos documenting the whole process helpful. I will post in this thread whenever a new vlog is uploaded, but you can also subscribe to my channel to be notified. I really appreciate your support!

 

Progress pictures:

 

I have just hit 5 months and have already seen a lot of results. Here you can see a before after shot of the top and front of my hair. You can see that my hairline has been lowered by quite a bit. The hair is looking really great in pictures and even in sunlight. However, up close I am really hoping the front will gain more in density. I will continue to post more old pictures that I took after the surgery and update you guys with my progress here.

 

Also I made an Instagram account where I upload my progress pictures, so be sure to support, follow me there, and check that out too!

 

https://www.instagram.com/hairplanter/

 

 

 

Current hair loss regime:

I am currently doing the big 3 regime. I started finasteride in January 2017 and luckily had no side effects. The Minoxidil I started 2 months after surgery and Nizoral I just started a week ago. Nizoral has caused a bit of shedding after I incorporated it into my regime. I'm planning on continuing for longer before I decide if want to keep using it or not.

 

1) 0.5mg Finasteride daily.

2) 5% Kirkland Branded Minoxidil Foam applied morning and night daily.

3) 2% Nizoral shampoo used once a week.

 

Thank you so much for reading my post! I hope that you find my content helpful if you are considering or have had a hair transplant. Feel free to reach out with any comments and questions. I look forward to providing more content for the hair loss community!

 

-Hairplanter

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrXSnH6jHAsX1EIgXECbIhQ/videos

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hairplanter/

Edited September 7, 2017 by hairplanter28

[BaldingtimetoLdar]

Congrats on the procedure you look so much better. I'm asian as well and I was just wondering can you tell me how long did it took for your redness to disappear? Also how much grafts were put into the first of the transplant?

Thanks in advance.

[hairplanter28]

Thanks! I appreciate it! It's really changed my look entirely and I feel more confident than ever before!

 

My redness disappeared pretty quickly within the first three weeks. I think this is common for most people. The clinic did 2000 grafts the first day and 1200 grafts the second day.

 

Are you thinking of getting a hair transplant too?

[BaldingtimetoLdar]

Yes i am, but both doctors that i have consulted told me to come back in a few months after ive spent 6months on finasteride. Sorry, just realised i made a mess of my first post lol. How many grafts were put into the frontal hairline band area? (I dont know the correct name)

[hairplanter28]

Yeah starting finasteride first to stabilize hair loss and make sure you aren't experiencing side effects is important. The doctors gave you good advice.

 

If you look at this screen shot from my 2nd VLOG on youtube which showed the hair line design by Dr. Maras, the plan was to put 2000 grafts in the front part and 1000 in the back part. I hope that helps answer your question!

 

 

How severe is your hair loss? Is your hair characteristics similar to mine?

 

-Hairplanter

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrXSnH6jHAsX1EIgXECbIhQ/videos

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hairplanter/

[Hairhope4ever]

Congrats on the procedure my friend.

 

Best of luck going forward, and keep us posted with the progress.

 

 

Happy Patient's Blog

[HairThereAndEverywhere]

Congrats on the procedure my friend.

 

Best of luck going forward, and keep us posted with the progress.

 

 

Happy Patient's Blog

 

Massive improvement. Congrats!

[hairplanter28]

Hey guys! I appreciate the compliment and support!

 

I've got a new video I'm very excited to share with you guys! Vlog #3 shows you what I looked immediately after the first and second day of surgery, so you will be able to review the result on my donor and recipient area.

 

Feel free to reach out with any comments, questions, or ideas on new videos. I look forward to providing more content for the hair loss community!

 

[hairplanter28]

Here is a hairline progress shot in the sun at 5 months and 8 days. Although my hair has grown quite a lot for 5 months and I'm excited about the progress, my hairline will look dense in pictures and from far away, but up close the hairline looks thin. I'm REALLY hoping to gain more density up front.

 

Does anyone know from experience how much density/thickening I should expect on my hairline and right behind it after the 5 months mark?

 

[hairplanter28]

Hey guys! I have uploaded a video of my 5 month progress. I will comb through my hair in this video so you can review my hair and see the before and after changes and result.

 

You can really see the progress I have made especially on the hairline. I do have a see through effect currently so hopefully I can gain some density. As my hair grow longer maybe I can gel it back for more coverage too.

 

Feel free to reach out with any comments, questions, or ideas on new videos. Subscribe to my channel if you like my content, I would REALLY appreciate the support and motivate me to continue making these videos. I look forward to providing more content for the hair loss community!

 

[hairplanter28]

New video of the first and second day post op!

 

You can really see the swelling set in after the first day and I am almost unrecognizable on the second day.

 

Also I got my first wash on day 2, which you can check out here!

 

Feel free to reach out with any comments, questions, or ideas on new videos. PLEASE upvote and subscribe to my channel if you like my content, I would REALLY appreciate the support and motivate me to continue making these videos. I look forward to providing more content for the hair loss community!

 

[hairplanter28]

Hi everyone! New video is up. Keeping it real once again so you can see exactly how much swelling you can get post surgery.

 

This video shows my third and fourth day post op and the swelling was the worst on the third day. I looked scary lol...

 

Feel free to reach out with any comments, questions, or ideas on new videos.

 

[TakingThePlunge]

Great vids and a phenomenal result! Congratulations!

[hairplanter28]

I've just decided to stop using Nizoral. I took some update pictures today on my hair and noticed that I have experienced severe shedding the last few weeks being on Nizoral 1x a week for a month and a half.

 

My native hair and even some of my newly transplant hair have fallen off and I've taken a big step backwards. I never noticed much if any hair falling out in the shower before Nizoral but have since been seeing hair on my hand when I shampoo.

 

Currently really sad right now that Nizoral has basically caused me to hit a big halt on my improvement and caused me to look way worse than before.

 

I started Nizoral 1x a week 1.5 months ago.

 

Will the hair I lost grow back? Would appreciate someone with experience commenting.

 

2 weeks ago

 

Today

[hairplanter28]

Hey guys, so i stopped Nizoral about 3 weeks ago. Still shedding in the shower a decent amount, hope it stops soon and stabilize.

 

It has been really hard because it has definitely hindered my progress. Here are some pics I took today of the damage Nizoral did.

 

Hopefully this terrible shed stops soon and the hair starts to grow back! I'll continue to update.

 

 

 

 

[hairplanter28]

New video is up. It's my 5th day post op video. The intro is filmed at 7 mos

 

This is one of the last "old" footage from the beginning of my transplant. The videos I'll post going forward will be more recent stuff.

 

 

[hairplanter28]

This is a follow up to my 5 month progress video.

 

My hair had been growing longer, not too much difference in density from the 5 to 5.5 month mark. In this video my hair is not styled and was just combed after getting out of bed.

 

Will be posting more updates soon!

 

Feel free to reach out with any comments, questions, or ideas on new videos.

 

5.5 months update:

 

5 months update:

[hairplanter28]

Here is my 6 months update. My hair has grown longer and I finally got a haircut! My hair in front isn't long enough yet though to get the hair style I want, but it was a great feeling to go to a barber shop. I haven't stepped foot in one for years since I used to shave my head myself at home.

 

I also did a review for Toppik that you guys can check out... I wasn't paid/sponsored. I got good results from it and thought I would share my experience.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

[jjsrader]

Good videos! Ty...

 

If you have the money and stamina - you should do another full pass and get your density up through your frontal 1/3rd of your scalp after 12-18 months from initial surgery.

 

Looks like your density is about 30 grafts per cm2.

 

For Asian hair like yours you probably would be happy with 60-70 grafts per cm2 in the frontal 1/3rd of your scalp.

[ThickGreenLawn]

Great videos but I'm not sure you reported on what happened after your nizoral shed. Did your hair grow back? Are the videos you posted from before or after your shed?

[hairplanter28]

Good videos! Ty...

 

If you have the money and stamina - you should do another full pass and get your density up through your frontal 1/3rd of your scalp after 12-18 months from initial surgery.

 

Looks like your density is about 30 grafts per cm2.

 

For Asian hair like yours you probably would be happy with 60-70 grafts per cm2 in the frontal 1/3rd of your scalp.

 

The density has definitely increased since the 5th and 6th month mark. My hair growing longer has also given me more illusion of density and coverage. I've also noticed new growth coming from multi follicle growths, which should give me a little more density.

 

A month ago I have thought about getting a touch up in the hair line to give it more density, but I don't think I need to anymore, my hair is looking really great now. I will probably save my donor for filling in my crown and behind my hairline when those hair start to thin.

[hairplanter28]

Great videos but I'm not sure you reported on what happened after your nizoral shed. Did your hair grow back? Are the videos you posted from before or after your shed?

 

I started seeing the effects of the shed just after the 6 month mark, started Nizoral after 5 month post op. Just after the most recent video (6 months update) is when I noticed thinning from the shed, so you don't really see it in that video.

 

I have stopped Nizoral for a month now and my shedding have slowed down. I can't really tell for a few months if the hair that shed grew back. But I'm just glad that my hair isn't shedding as much and it feels more balanced and not dry any more. I've been using shampoo every other day or every third day and just water rinse the other days.

 

I'll post some newer pictures later. I take a pics of my hair every other day.

[BaldingtimetoLdar]

Wow amazing results man, i've been following your progress as your hair loss is almost identical to mine and i'm also asian.

 

I have a few questions that i hope you don't mind answering.

Is the accommodation included in the price?

How did you pay for your procedure?

How long was your waiting list?

How long did it take for them to respond for your online consultation.

 

thanks in advance.

[October]

Any update?  12 month mark.  Great post and great videos on YouTube.  I’m sure you out there enjoying your new hair and too busy to post.