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Hi I am new here, I am a NW3 with terrible density all over my head so I was thinking at a hair transplant recently. I’ve done some research and Turkey seems to be the place to go as prices are more affordable for a guy who’s from Eastern Europe.

Now that we got that aside, I was assessing my hairliss options and it looks like this:

1. Try Minoxidil.

- currently on Finasteride and dermarolling once per week with 1.5mm needles.

- Minox can have good results along with Fin and dermaroller.

Pros:

- relatively cheap

- can impove hair density

Cons:

- I can’t fathom the fact that I’m going to have to use it for the rest of my life

- I heard its efficiency drops after a few years

- once stopped all the gains are gone

 

2. Buzzcut

I tried buzzcut for the first time during the coronavirus lockdown and I was honestly surprised that I was looking decent with it. I thought it would be a death sentence. I got a few compliments aswell including my gf who said I look sexier with buzzcut.

Pros:

- cheapest option

- no more styling stress or bad hair day

- hairline looks more even and density looks better

Cons:

- probably the biggest con is that despite being told that I look better, I personally don’t like it as much. I believe I look better with hair. For me looking as good as I can is an important aspect of my life.

 

3. Hair transplant

Pros:

- will restore my hairline and maybe density

- I will enjoy hair for a long time if everything goes right

Cons:

- even if it’s done in Turkey, it’s still really expensive for me. Like I’d have to spend all the savings in the past 3 years.

- I haven’t travelled in a foreign country alone so I am pretty anxious about going there myself

- haven’t researched a lot on the top surgeons in Turkey so it’s a risk I might get botched

 

What do you guys think I should do? I wanted to try Minoxidil but if I am to get a hair transplant, I don’t want the gains from Minox (if any) to interfere with the transplanted hair as I’ll probably stop using Minox after the transplant.

I am NW3 btw. The quotes I got back from Elithairtransplant was 2.5k grafts. Dr. Cinik also said 2.3-2.7k grafts but Elithairtransplant asked for less money.

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  • Senior Member

Sounds like the money aspect of this is weighing on you.  If that's the case, I would wait.

You seem to be OK with your current situation but it would be nice if you could reinforce the hairline......What about the rest of your head? Sounds as if you're experiencing diffused thinning. My suggestion is to continue medical therapy.  Propecia, Rogaine, PRP and Laser are the modalities we typically refer to when dealing with this condition.  It's been documented there is synergism when used simultaneously.  So I would encourage you to do as many as you can. Give it a good year and reassess.You may be able to accomplish what you set out to do without having to worry about traveling and all that.

With regards to taking meds daily.  Think of the millions of people with high blood pressure.  If you don't control it it can kill you. I would think of it as the hair vitamin and start thinking it will have a positive effect.  During that time put your pennies away.

Is a doctor following your case?  Do a couple of consultations and see what you're told.  You may become aware of other alternatives you had not considered.

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On 6/28/2020 at 3:06 PM, Egy said:

@criticalpain could you post some pics,  so we can see your starting situation?

I will post a few once I get back home.

22 hours ago, LaserCap said:

Sounds like the money aspect of this is weighing on you.  If that's the case, I would wait.

You seem to be OK with your current situation but it would be nice if you could reinforce the hairline......What about the rest of your head? Sounds as if you're experiencing diffused thinning. My suggestion is to continue medical therapy.  Propecia, Rogaine, PRP and Laser are the modalities we typically refer to when dealing with this condition.  It's been documented there is synergism when used simultaneously.  So I would encourage you to do as many as you can. Give it a good year and reassess.You may be able to accomplish what you set out to do without having to worry about traveling and all that.

With regards to taking meds daily.  Think of the millions of people with high blood pressure.  If you don't control it it can kill you. I would think of it as the hair vitamin and start thinking it will have a positive effect.  During that time put your pennies away.

Is a doctor following your case?  Do a couple of consultations and see what you're told.  You may become aware of other alternatives you had not considered.

Well no, I am not exactly ok with my current situation, this is why I am trying to find the best solution. I get a mix of anger and sadness everytime I see my hair in the mirror. It's quite possible that I'm diffuse thinning as the density all over the top of my head is absolutely atrocious when my hair is wet. It's better when the hair is dry but not that great. I'm so self conscious about the hairloss that I always wear a cap in public.

I don't know if Finasteride and Rogaine is more effective in diffuse thinning than in normal receding. I have bought three bottles of Kirkland Minoxidil to try and get an improvement in my hair but the main concern for me is like I said in the main post, the conflict Minoxidil might have with HT. I have talked to a couple of doctors in Turkey for HT and with 2.5k grafts they said they could give some decent density. If that is achievable I wouldn't want to continue taking Minoxidil.

That being said, if I start Minoxidil now and start getting some gains (I'm not really optimistic but you never know) in density and/or hairline before I get a HT,  I'm concerned that when I stop Minoxidil and all that hair I recovered on it will fall off, it will make the transplant look funny or patchy.

Edited by criticalpain
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There are so many misconceptions about medical therapy, it's worth visiting once more.  Nothing out there regrows hair.  Nothing.  What it can do is to help you retain.  So, of you look the same a year later, the medication did what it was intended to do.  From time to time there can be enhancement.  That's what gives the visual improvement.  

There are two types of loss. The one you see and the one you don't.  The type you see, on the shower, the pillow, etc is shedding.  The follicle gets tired of producing hair and it takes a vacation.  That resting period typically lasts 3-4 months and then returns.  This will happen randomly, to all the hair in your head.  Hair loss is different. You don't see hair loss.

To to the bathroom and turn on all lights.  Look at the hair on your hairline, particular the temporal areas.  Look at the hair caliber of each strand.  You'll notice some are thicker than others.  There are some so fine you can't hardly see them.  We call this miniaturization.  Eventually the hair withers, dissipates and disappears.The time to be on meds is before the hair is gone.

Do you have to be on the meds forever? Yes, unless you don't care about hair any more.  So say you get on the meds.  7 years later you decide to take it no more.  All the hair you would have lost in that time period will be lost. This is a commitment you're making.  Getting on and off is just a waste of time and money.

It's been known MInoxidil will help for about 7 years and then it loses some of its efficacy.  Just continue using as if you were starting on day 1.  You may even decide to combine it with other modalities.  Please post photos.  I have another concern.

I'm wondering if your case involves thinning of the donor.  

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Can you post pictures? Sounds like you have diffuse hair loss, which means you’re in for more grafts than you think. Can’t say for sure without pictures.


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.

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Pics

https://preview.redd.it/luu58qk2w0751.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=63fa2a1c83f280960e497761d2875660d52db71d

https://preview.redd.it/anoihuk2w0751.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e50efe260f125d3dabe432880e53df1cba3ca13d

https://preview.redd.it/h7oi3rk2w0751.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f5297cc6d25357609ea78be4113d6fc4572a5840

https://preview.redd.it/ym73stk2w0751.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=55a42a8c3aa38ac7c969ac5b2b82b86b5a8506de

 

I don't know if they work properly.

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@criticalpain You are not in bad shape, as far as I understand, the cost is your main problem, some forum veteran will surely tell you that the cost is the last thing you need to look at in a hair transplant procedure, but not  everyone can afford to go to H&W, Couto, Ferreira or other top surgeons, so look for the low cost ones, the ones that seem the best.  I can advise you to run away from Helithairtrasplant (I have seen real disasters around the forums), Cinik could be a good choice (I did my second procedure in his clinic).  Good luck

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1 hour ago, Egy said:

@criticalpain You are not in bad shape, as far as I understand, the cost is your main problem, some forum veteran will surely tell you that the cost is the last thing you need to look at in a hair transplant procedure, but not  everyone can afford to go to H&W, Couto, Ferreira or other top surgeons, so look for the low cost ones, the ones that seem the best.  I can advise you to run away from Helithairtrasplant (I have seen real disasters around the forums), Cinik could be a good choice (I did my second procedure in his clinic).  Good luck

So you believe I'd best choose the hair transplant path? 

Yeah unfortunately I have barely saved $2,000 so Turkey would be the best choice for me at the moment since the costs are less compared to other countries.

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But in Turkey you have to be very careful, there are hundreds of pseudo clinics that make you believe they are clinics but they are not, there is no control by the Turkish authorities and anyone can start doing hair transplants, just open a  site, stealing photos of transplants made by top surgeons by passing them off on their own, renting operating rooms in large hospitals and your life is ruined.  Be very careful.

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39 minutes ago, Egy said:

But in Turkey you have to be very careful, there are hundreds of pseudo clinics that make you believe they are clinics but they are not, there is no control by the Turkish authorities and anyone can start doing hair transplants, just open a  site, stealing photos of transplants made by top surgeons by passing them off on their own, renting operating rooms in large hospitals and your life is ruined.  Be very careful.

This is why I am looking for suggestions of hair transplant clinics. 👍

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1 minute ago, criticalpain said:

This is why I am looking for suggestions of hair transplant clinics. 👍

Marwan Saifi in Poland or Demirsoy in Turkey seem ethical and don't cost a huge amount.

4,312 FUT grafts (7,676 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - August 2013

1,145 FUE grafts (3,152 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - August 2018

763 FUE grafts (2,094 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - January 2020

Proscar 1.25mg every 3rd day

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In my opinion, Bisanga in Athens and Eugenix in India are the best for the price.

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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.

 

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13 hours ago, Melvin-Moderator said:

In my opinion, Bisanga in Athens and Eugenix in India are the best for the price.

Can you estimate how many grafts I would need to fix my hair? And how much it would cost me to do so?

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@criticalpain if your are looking for the best price/quality surgeon then you should really look into Dr. Arika at Eugenix (1.8€/graft) just like @Melvin-Moderator reccomendend. There is no other surgeon charging that price for such a highly skilled surgery.

Demirsoy is the cheapest surgeon in Turkey and charges 1.25€/graft but he`s technique is old school and his results are decent but not on the same level as Dr. Arika.

Turkey is the world capital of botched hair transplants with many hairmills like Cinik, Asmed,etc that have technicians perform the surgery with zero to little involvement from the Doctor. Technicians in Turkey don`t need a medical background so you can have a former taxi driver doing your surgery.

Results at these hairmills depend on your luck to get a good tech team.

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17 hours ago, Melvin-Moderator said:

In my opinion, Bisanga in Athens and Eugenix in India are the best for the price.

Also asked for a consultation on Bisanga's website. For me it's easier to travel to Europe, India is really far from where I live and I hate travelling by plane.

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  • Regular Member
On 7/3/2020 at 12:02 PM, criticalpain said:

I got an answer back from Bisanga, 2500 grafts for 6250 euros.

Is that a price for the grafts punched by a doctor by Dr Bisanga's team, with Bisanga and another doc making the recipient sites and the techs then extracting the pre punched grafts and placing the grafts into the pre-made recepient sites?

 

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On 7/3/2020 at 4:02 AM, criticalpain said:

I got an answer back from Bisanga, 2500 grafts for 6250 euros.

That’s a steal for a doctor of his caliber.


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.

 

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9 minutes ago, Egy said:

@Melvin-Moderator, why, isn't he good?  On European forums they bring it to the stars.

Yes, I meant that price is very good, especially considering he is an elite doctor. Given the choice I would choose him over any other low cost FUE clinic.


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.

 

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