Regular Member brinner Posted December 1, 2019 Regular Member Share Posted December 1, 2019 (edited) Hi Guys, I'm going to share my experience so I can help others the same way they helped me decide. I'm on my second day post-op and It was a long flight going back home so forgive any errors or mistakes. I'll try to give more details as I can. - Why Aisha? I'm from the States and I decided to go to Turkey to do the procedure. There's a Spanish discussion forum with plenty of nice cases from this clinic and I decided to do the procedure with them. Specially since it was only 2000 euros (includes hotel staying + transport). So the reason is plenty of good results and affordable price. I will post pictures bellow. Just going to explain how it was in detail: The clinic is getting flooded with Spanish clients. Apparently there's a lot of word-of-mouth and the mentioned forum attracting clients like me. When I was in Frankfurt for my connection, the security guard told me he sees a lot of people coming from Turkey with the same scars (hair transplant). I guess Turkey became a Mecca for hair restoration. And since they're going thru a currency crisis, Istanbul became very affordable. Initially I was concerned about going to Turkey, specially as an American but the experience was great. The city is beautiful, safe and very affordable for tourists. The airport is yuuuge (later I realized it's the biggest in the world!). - Arriving in Istanbul When you finish customs you head to the exit and on the left side you'll see a number and your name (exactly like they explained a week before). Then they take you to the hotel. - The Hotel It's a 5-star hotel called Mercure. At the lobby I saw a guy with some bandages in his head so the staff is used to see our kind of (medical) tourist. The clinic gives you a day so you can visit the city (or rest). They tell you to have a nice breakfast and be ready at the lobby at 7:30am. - The Clinic Representative (translator) The gentleman is called Ammar (who speaks English). There's another who speaks Spanish called Mustafa who I met at the clinic since there was another Spanish patient doing the procedure (the clinic does two patients a day). Ammar was waiting at the lobby at the exact time. We entered the van and while we headed to the clinic (who took 20min I believe) he explained everything in detail. From the procedure to the expectations. He took all my doubts and I felt more confident about the procedure. - Arriving at the clinic The clinic is clean and modern. They share one floor with another clinic (I don't know the name) so they can use the lab for blood tests/etc. You meet the other patient who's doing the procedure. I asked him if he was a member of the Spanish forum and he said no. That he had two friends who did the procedure and recommended the clinic (it gave me a little more confidence). They take your blood to check for diseases and for the PRP (Platelet-rich plasma, which is included in the package). You talk to the two ladies (Aisha and Meryem), sign the papers and pay in cash. - Starting the procedure You lay down on your stomach and they give you like 15 (anesthesia) injections in your head. It hurts but it lasts a minute, then you feel nothing. You hear the machine touching your head and you realize they started the procedure. I don't know how long it was but it was hours. Then they stop so you can have lunch. They bring the typical hospital food (healthy but not tasty). I guess I finished eating in 20min. So the next part starts. I had a look at the grafts; they're very tiny, way tinier than I expected. Since my hair is very thin and never had too much density I was expecting for most of the grafts to be of a single hair. Ammar (who stays with you for 90% of the time) asked the professional who was separating the grafts and she said 50% was two hairs, 25% singles and the rest threes. Way better than expected. Now you have to lay down facing up. They give you more injections in the head. This time a solution to bloat/swell your scalp. You feel some pressure and feels like you have a helmet on. Again, it's a little painful but last only a minute. Then they start puncturing your scalp (making room for the grafts). You don't feel a thing but the sound is like someone is piercing a sheet of paper (it is funny). - Putting the grafts Now the last part. They start putting the grafts in your head. In my case the majority in my frontline since I had practically none and then moving to the crown area. The whole procedure takes many hours. I arrived at the clinic at around 8am and when they finished it was 7pm to 8pm. - Returning to the hotel Still at the clinic, Ammar showed me the medication I have to take and explained how/when to take it. He gave me a bag containing the pills and lotion/shampoo plus manual with instructions. We headed back to the hotel. He told me he would pick me up tomorrow at 10am for a first wash to explain how it's done. I went to my room tired. Called reception and ordered a Salmon with vegetables to my room. - Back at the clinic for Wash Nurse gives you a wash and they explain how it's done. They offer to take more blood for another PRP but after too many needles I decided not to have it. Later I went to the hotel to rest. Early in the morning the driver was waiting to take me to the airport. Took 30min to arrive and after a long flight, I'm back home. My head is a little swollen (liquid is going to my face) and I'm trying to stay laying down most of the time. And now the most important part, the pics: Front line: As you can see, none in the front. After OP: Second wash by myself on 2nd day: I wonder if I should gently rub (actually pat) more to remove the lotion residue. Back are and sides: I'm just beginning. The attention was exceptional. What I need now are results. I'll keep you guys posted. Edited December 1, 2019 by brinner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member ITA Posted December 1, 2019 Senior Member Share Posted December 1, 2019 good luck my friend, know that post surgery is not a walk, dark times will come, especially between the first and second month when you will see that your newly made hair will greet you falling inexorably and then even when anxiety assaults you asking you when they reappear and you will go to the mirror every time to check if someone has just popped up or you will take pictures with your cell phone, magnifying the photo to better control. but the clinic didn't give you a headband to keep in your head for the first three days to prevent the anesthesia from falling on your face? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member brinner Posted December 1, 2019 Author Regular Member Share Posted December 1, 2019 (edited) They told me to lay down so the anesthesia would come out from the back and not to my face. But after my long flight, I had to stay straight. So my head looks very round right now. Edit: Face is not swollen after a few days. I'm going to post pics weekly or when something changes. Edited December 9, 2019 by brinner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member brinner Posted December 12, 2019 Author Regular Member Share Posted December 12, 2019 (edited) 12th day updates: I washed my head to remove scabs yesterday and I was thinking my grafts would fall but my hair was still there (what a relief!). Expectations are high now; Happy with the hairline density but at the same time sad knowing all that hair will fall and will take months to start growing for real! Here's the pictures in high-res taken with the latest iPhone 11: Edited December 12, 2019 by brinner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member brinner Posted February 8, 2020 Author Regular Member Share Posted February 8, 2020 (edited) A recent pic. 2 months after the procedure: Zooming the pic, you can see some hairs growing. For how long should I wait to see some results? Edited February 8, 2020 by brinner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Melvin- Admin Posted February 8, 2020 Administrators Share Posted February 8, 2020 You should start seeing some growth by 3 months, but if you don't at 3 months don't worry it can take 6 months 1 I’m a paid admin for Hair Transplant Network. I do not receive any compensation from any clinic. My comments are not medical advice. Check out my final hair transplant and topical dutasteride journey: View my thread Topical dutasteride journey Melvin- Managing Publisher and Forum Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q&A Blog. Follow our Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and YouTube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member ITA Posted February 8, 2020 Senior Member Share Posted February 8, 2020 Sorry, @brinner, maybe I missed it, but I haven't read how many UF have been transplanted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member brinner Posted February 9, 2020 Author Regular Member Share Posted February 9, 2020 (edited) ^^ 4000 grafts And btw, is it okay to trim my hair? I think it will look more normal if I keep it trimmed (not shaved). Edited February 9, 2020 by brinner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member brinner Posted May 4, 2020 Author Regular Member Share Posted May 4, 2020 (edited) Update for 5th month: I was expecting more hair by now. I guess there's hope though. Edited May 4, 2020 by brinner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Dangrowthfactor Posted May 4, 2020 Senior Member Share Posted May 4, 2020 Looks great! It’s so hard to wait! I am about to hit month two. Grow dammit grow 😂 it’s looking good though. Have faith it’s growing 👍🏻 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member brinner Posted May 4, 2020 Author Regular Member Share Posted May 4, 2020 I know it's early to complain but I was expecting more by now. I'll wait another 3 months to start worrying. I remember when the scabs fell the density in the frontal line was higher than when I was younger and had hair! I guess I should curb my expectations a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lubomir202 Posted November 20, 2020 Share Posted November 20, 2020 (edited) Quote @brinner Hello brinner, I am interested how your hair looks now, it is approximately one year since your hair transplant. Could you please show us the results? Edited November 20, 2020 by lubomir202 I wanted to add quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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