Regular Member barnwela Posted August 11, 2018 Regular Member Share Posted August 11, 2018 Hi everyone, I wanted to briefly share my experience in Istanbul with Dr Demirsoy and Armamed because other people's stories helped me to make a decision that I am (so far) extremely happy with. Background I am 27 and always had a really high hairline, even as a child. Around age 20-21 I noticed rapid hair loss around the temples and hairline. Over the next few years, my hairline stabilised and I haven't noticed any real changes in the last 3-4 years. No one in my extended family has anything past a Norwood 3. I have experimented with buzzing and shaving my head completely and I wasn't happy with the overall look. I have been researching FUE procedures for years and had always come back to the idea every 6 months or so when I came across the topic online again or if someone made a comment on my appearance. I am aware that I could require a second procedure down the line but I will cross that bridge when I come to it. For now I will be taking Minoxidil but not Finasteride. Why Armamed? I did enormous amounts of research and cost/benefit analysis of dozens of different doctors across Europe and eventually narrowed it down to Armamed and another well known clinic in Istanbul. The other clinic quoted me 2800-3000 grafts which seemed excessive for my case. I have no desire to have a really low hairline. I never had this in my life and think it would look completely unnatural on me. I still was interested in going to the other clinic under the assumption that I would have input into the hairline design. Overall it was a really close decision between the two options. The other clinic was a lot more expensive but the price was not the primary motivating factor for me. Now happened to be a great time for me to go. I had the spare cash and my current work situation means I can take time off whenever I like and I can easily conceal the fact that I underwent the procedure. Both clinics were fully booked so I would have to wait several months for either appointment. In the end I booked the procedure with the other clinic. A few weeks passed an I figured I had waited long enough and got in touch with Armamed again. They had a last minute cancellation two days later. That night I booked my flights and left the following day for Istanbul. To summarise, my reasons for choosing Dr. Demirsoy were: Results - I have seen some very impressive results from Demirsoy. I think Armamed almost undersells itself because until recently the photographs they produced of their procedures weren't as professional as other clinics. Price - Great price in relations to other clinics producing similar results. Ethics/communication - I first enquired with Armamed about a year ago and was initially rejected. The pictures I sent in mustn't have shown the full extent of my condition. Of the dozens of clinics I contacted, Dr Demirsoy was the only one who rejected me and to me this said a lot about his ethical approach compared to some of the HT farms out there. Convenience - The timing suited me perfectly. Overall Experience I won't go into too much detail about the logistics of the whole thing as I think other threads covered that in great details but everything went really smoothly with regards to transfers, hotels etc. The hotel you stay in is lovely and the patient coordinator, Muzzaffer, is an absolute gent. I will let the pictures do the talking as I think people are more likely just to browse through and look at them rather than reading a wall of text. If anyone has any specific questions please just ask, I will do my best to respond. Pictures Online Consultation Consultation Hairline Design Post Op Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member barnwela Posted August 11, 2018 Author Regular Member Share Posted August 11, 2018 (edited) 3 Days Post Op Edited August 11, 2018 by barnwela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member barnwela Posted August 11, 2018 Author Regular Member Share Posted August 11, 2018 6 Days Post Op Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member SWdan Posted August 14, 2018 Senior Member Share Posted August 14, 2018 Looks good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member whathaveidone Posted August 14, 2018 Regular Member Share Posted August 14, 2018 Looks really good so far. Keen to see how it grows in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member BuddyX Posted August 15, 2018 Regular Member Share Posted August 15, 2018 Congrats. Looks like clean work and the graft placement should give you a very natural looking hairline. I myself have been a long time admirer of Demirsoy's work. Could I ask, is he still doing only 1 patient a day ? Also, he used to do most of the procedure himself. Is that still the case ? Thanks in advance. And please keep the thread updated with pics so that we can enjoy your great results with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member barnwela Posted August 15, 2018 Author Regular Member Share Posted August 15, 2018 8 hours ago, BuddyX said: Congrats. Looks like clean work and the graft placement should give you a very natural looking hairline. I myself have been a long time admirer of Demirsoy's work. Could I ask, is he still doing only 1 patient a day ? Also, he used to do most of the procedure himself. Is that still the case ? Thanks in advance. And please keep the thread updated with pics so that we can enjoy your great results with you. Hi BuddyX, to answer your questions... Yes, Dr Demirsoy only performs one operation per day. He performed the extraction of the grafts and the incisions himself and the nurses performed the implantation of the grafts. I will keep the thread updated with my progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmastone Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 Nice hairline, Looks very natural. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Castillo Posted September 2, 2018 Regular Member Share Posted September 2, 2018 Price still 1.5 euros? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member BuddyX Posted September 2, 2018 Regular Member Share Posted September 2, 2018 12 minutes ago, Castillo said: Price still 1.5 euros? It's been 1.25 per graft for a long time. Unless it's gone up in the last year or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member VicTNYC Posted September 2, 2018 Senior Member Share Posted September 2, 2018 Work looks nicely done man! How did the Dr go about doing the extractions, was it manual tool or motorized? How were the grafts implanted, was it with implanter or with forceps? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LonelyGraft Posted September 2, 2018 Share Posted September 2, 2018 What are the red patches on the donor in your preop pics?seborrheic dermatitis? Did the doctor comment on it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member barnwela Posted September 2, 2018 Author Regular Member Share Posted September 2, 2018 13 hours ago, Castillo said: Price still 1.5 euros? €1.25/graft but the minimum surgery cost is €2,500 so you need to get >2,000 grafts to hit this threshold. Also hotels and transfers are charged at a fixed rate of €250 on top of the surgery. The total for me was €2,750: - Surgery @ €2,500 (€1.38/graft) - Hotel and transfers @ €250 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member barnwela Posted September 2, 2018 Author Regular Member Share Posted September 2, 2018 13 hours ago, BuddyX said: It's been 1.25 per graft for a long time. Unless it's gone up in the last year or so. Correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member barnwela Posted September 2, 2018 Author Regular Member Share Posted September 2, 2018 (edited) 10 hours ago, jj51702 said: What are the red patches on the donor in your preop pics?seborrheic dermatitis? Did the doctor comment on it? Birthmark. Yes he did comment on it and asked me a few questions about it. Edited September 2, 2018 by barnwela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member barnwela Posted September 2, 2018 Author Regular Member Share Posted September 2, 2018 10 hours ago, VicTNYC said: Work looks nicely done man! How did the Dr go about doing the extractions, was it manual tool or motorized? How were the grafts implanted, was it with implanter or with forceps? thanks Thanks. The extractions were performed with a motorized tool. I’m almost positive that forceps were used but I was asleep for 90% of this part of the operation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member markymarc123 Posted September 21, 2018 Regular Member Share Posted September 21, 2018 On 9/3/2018 at 4:49 AM, barnwela said: Thanks. The extractions were performed with a motorized tool. I’m almost positive that forceps were used but I was asleep for 90% of this part of the operation. Hey @barnwela Any further updates? How is the donor area looking now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member barnwela Posted September 21, 2018 Author Regular Member Share Posted September 21, 2018 (edited) 15 hours ago, markymarc123 said: Hey @barnwela Any further updates? How is the donor area looking now Hi @markymarc123, I've attached two pics of the donor area - 1 from a distance and one up close. Hair is still a bit damp from the shower. I've had two haircuts on the back and sides since the operation and the top hasn't been touched. Also attached a pic from above but the recipient area isn't very interesting at the moment. Some hairs there but I'm not sure if they are new growth or the initial hairs still remaining from the transplant. The area is still a bit pink/red. My hair is another couple of months off its "normal" length so looking forward to that. Here's a close up of the recipient area from a couple of days ago to give you a better idea of how it's looking at the moment. Edited September 21, 2018 by barnwela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member barnwela Posted September 21, 2018 Author Regular Member Share Posted September 21, 2018 I actually decide to get on Finasteride a few days after posting my OP (where I said I wouldn't be taking it). Unfortunately I experienced some worrying side effects even taking just 1/4 of the pill. I had sharp pains in my testicles and violent mood swings. I will not go back to taking the medication. I am continuing with the Minoxidil once or twice daily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member OliverTja Posted November 2, 2018 Regular Member Share Posted November 2, 2018 Hi barnwela! The result so far looks ok. to me. How is the redness now? Is it any better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member barnwela Posted November 7, 2018 Author Regular Member Share Posted November 7, 2018 (edited) On 11/2/2018 at 7:24 PM, OliverTja said: Hi barnwela! The result so far looks ok. to me. How is the redness now? Is it any better? Hi @OliverTja I’m now 15 weeks post op. The redness has gone down but definitely still lingering a bit. My native hair is almost grown back to its normal length and the transplanted hairs have begone to grow in. im happy with my progress so far and my decision to go ahead with the surgery. Even if the final result does not surpass the current state by much I am still happy with the improved appearance of my hairline. Pics taken today and attached. Edited November 7, 2018 by barnwela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member encina Posted December 17, 2018 Regular Member Share Posted December 17, 2018 Looking good so far. Any updates? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member bman3082 Posted December 18, 2018 Senior Member Share Posted December 18, 2018 any updates bruv? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member barnwela Posted December 18, 2018 Author Regular Member Share Posted December 18, 2018 On 12/17/2018 at 2:12 PM, encina said: Looking good so far. Any updates? 12 hours ago, literalno said: any updates bruv? Here you go guys. Almost 5 months post op now. Looking forward to the hair all being the same length. Don't think the result is perfect but I'm pretty happy with my decision all round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Namsak Posted December 22, 2018 Regular Member Share Posted December 22, 2018 Hey barnwela, thanks for sharing. I have been rejected by Demirsoy last week. He suggested that I take finasteride for a year and contact him back. May I ask you think the result is not perfect? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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