4501 Grafts FUE Premium Package with Eugenix Hair Sciences Nov 8-10 2021

[WhatComesNext]

Hello everyone,

I want to give back to this forum by posting my recent experience with Eugenix Hair Sciences in Delhi, India. I write this review from the Westin Gurgaon in Delhi, having just undergone 2.5 days of a hair restoration procedure with the Eugenix team. 

Before I begin (feel free to hop to "Highlights" for the start of the actual write up) I want to give a big thanks to @Kirkland (check out his own Eugenix experience posted on this board) and to a couple members of the Eugenix team who made me - a Canadian thoroughly outside of my cultural context and comfort zone - feel comfortable and in good hands while at the clinic. 

Thank you Kirkland for checking in on me as my procedure unfolded, helping me on my Visa process, and for providing inspiration through your own experience posted on this forum. 

Thanks to Yugbir, a post-operative care specialist who sat down with me when I first arrived at the clinic and immediately made me feel welcome. He and another guy's name who I didn't get gave me a solid outline of what I would experience over the next few days. About ten minutes into the conversation Yugbir revealed that he had a procedure done himself, which looked great and immediately made me feel confident in my choice to go with Eugenix.

I would also like to thank Dr. Shishir Chandra, who spent alot of time on me throughout the 2.5 days. He is a consumate professional who knows his stuff, and I felt very comfortable under his capable hands for the bulk of my procedure. I'd also like to thank Rizwan, who is on the business side of things at Eugenix, but neverthless helped me out with some post-op logistics and gave me a well rounded picture of Eugenix's ethos and business practices outside the operating room.

And of course, a warm thank you to Dr. Bansal for designing a fantastic natural hairline (though I leave it to you all to be the judge). Dr. Bansal is a very busy woman, and even with the Premium package I did not get to see much of her, but suffice to say that when I did, and specifically when she was in the room working on my hairline and doing the slits, it was clearly evident how technically skilled and competent she is at her art. I can emphatically state that her reputation is well earned.

So, here we go:

Highlights

- MPB progression: Somewhere between NW3v and NW5a. Noticed balding at 24-25. Confidence in appearance shattered by 28.

- Donor Quality: good to very good; wavy/curly hair, soft skin, multiple follicles per graft

- Cost: Eugenix Premium Package with Dr.Bansal. 210 INR per graft. Total procedure cost ~$20,000 CAD. Travel/hotel/PCR RT tests/Visa: another $5,000 CAD.

Research Phase

This part is straight forward. At 32 I realized I did not want to just lay down and accept my balding. A very close friend of mine started taking Fin, and that led me down the rabbit hole into a world where I found it was, in fact, not a given that I had to go bald. To my amazement, my genetics could be overcome. I started obsessively researching clinics and procedures, stumbled across this forum, looked at the patient results from Eugenix, and the rest is history. The previous sentence is a little hyperbolic - I did several extensive consultations before deciding to choose Eugenix. I spoke to reps from Hasson and Wong, Dr. Rahal, and had an email consult with Dr. Blake Bloxham. While these all varied and gave me important information, I ended up choosing Eugenix because it matched better with my goals and timelines.

You can check out my original posts - but here is what my hair looked like in all its MPB glory around 2 months ago:

Pre-Arrival

After a consultation with Amandeep from Eugenix I bought the Eugenix pitch and decided to go for it, scheduling my procedure for Nov 8th. This will only really be relevant to Canadians, and if you're reading this after November 2021 the Covid-19 situation may have changed, but it is an arduous process to get the Medical Visa granting access to India. If you're planning on heading to Eugenix I suggest referring to Kirkland's write up on this (I did and it helped a great deal) and you can reach out to me in DMs and I'll help where I can. The Indian consulate is tough to deal with. They are not service oriented, which makes sense as they are bureaucrats and not service providers. They also use an external courier service (BLS International) which comes with it's own set of headaches. If you can, try to allow for as much planning and time as possible in submitting your Visa application. I did not have this option and I received my Medical Visa the day before my flight departed. with no communication from the consulate until I received it. This was not ideal, and a hell of a gamble on flights, PCR test costs etc.

Arrival

Travelling to India to do this kind of procedure is no joke. If you're coming from Europe or North America be prepared for the flight, but mostly be prepared for the time change and the culture shock. Delhi is a different beast - there are almost as many people in the city as there are in Canada, and that becomes rapidly apparent as soon as you step off the plane. Eugenix makes this transition as smooth as possible. At one point I was talking to three different WhatsApp numbers covering all pre-planning aspects. The day before my flight a concierge got in touch with me and as promised, had a driver waiting to greet me right when I got out of customs. If you choose Eugenix and you're coming from North America, just be prepared for a brutal flight followed by the time change. The clinic is great about planning the surgery after you've  had a night to recover in the hotel, but travel length and time change will combine to rock your world. Recognizing this, Eugenix went easy on me on day 1. 

Day 1

I arrived at the clinic around 3:30pm Indian Standard Time. The drive to the clinic was eye opening, and arriving at the clinic almost moreso. Cultural context is important here, and for a Westerner Eugenix is a lot to take in initially. I would best describe it as Controlled Chaos, which is not necessarily a bad thing. WIthin the first 20 minutes I had spoken to at least 6 people, many of which knew my name and greeted me warmly. Within 30 minutes I was whisked off into photos, followed by a rapid hairline drawing by a very busy Dr. Bansal, then into a video pre-procedure interview. Eugenix markets themselves well, but we all know on this forum that the patient-posted results speak for themselves. I signed a media consent form (you can find me on youtube in the near future using James as a psuedonym), as well as a procedure consent form and a Covid-19 declaration form. Here is what my drawn hairline looked like:

With my life thoroughly handed over, I changed into medical gowns and was off to the races. Dr. Bansal started on slits on my frontal region and right temple. During the procedure she noted that I was an atypical patient (about 1 or 2 in 100) with a frontal cowlick, which she decided to rebuild. I'm happy with that. I loved my cow lick. The Dr is a total no-nonsense professional. She'll humour you a bit with small talk but don't expect much. She has a job to do and she performs it flawlessly. My big takeaway from Day 1 is that the slits are, from the patients perspective, the quickest and easiest part of the procedure. This is how my frontal area and right temple slits looked after I was back in the hotel room (sorry I did not get better photos - I was wrecked from jet lag and anxiety):

Day 2

Day 2 saw around 2400 grafts extracted and planted, covering my frontal area to mid scalp. Dr. Shishir marathoned this with me and I felt well taken care of.  

Hair restoration is a minimally invasive procedure, but the time spent lying down with your scalp being drilled into, injected, incised, and split apart is no joke. These marathon sessions are brutal. I did 10 hours on Day 2 and Day 3 and I have serious respect for anyone going 6k+ grafts. The procedure felt like a rite of passage. I experienced an endless dream-state in which my particular slice of MPB played over and over in my head with each acute sensation. At one point I teared up a bit, not from the pain or discomfort, but from the shedding of eight years of fatalism and confidence annihalation my MPB gave me. I was proud of myself for taking the leap. The best things in my life have come from taking reality-warping leaps, and this is right up there. 

Others here have posted about the Butter Chicken during the break for lunch, and I echo their sentiments. Chefs kiss.

It's worth referencing cultural context again here. For the first couple of hours on Day 2 Indian dance music was blaring loudly from a TV in the procedure room. After a couple of hours I found it unbearable, and combined with my already intense anxiety and jet lag, my BP spiked. The Drs made the call to halt the procedure and get my BP down with food and a vigorous quadruple-handed massage, and after I indicated that the music was too much for me the team immediately shifted the music to soft classical music. On Day 3 that soft classical played me all the way through to victory, and though at times I was concerned that the Drs/techs would perform worse without their preferred soundtracks, that did not seem to be the case at all. The end of Day 2 left me exhausted but happy, and the drive back to the hotel felt completely surreal. Here is how I looked at the end of Day 2:

Day 3

By this point I was more comfortable, had more time to adjust to the time zone difference, and my BP was reading normally. The finish line was one session away and I was mentally prepared to march toward it, step by hopeful step.

On Day 3 around 2100 grafts were extracted and planted. Dr. Bansal did the slits for my crown and left temple, and worked on my hairline at various points throughout the day. The extractions on my upper left donor area were particularly brutal. Apparently I was bleeding alot there, and that oozing dampens the effectiveness of the anesthetic. However, as soon as I indicated any sort of discomfort the techs were there applying their blessed needles with soothing words. It's also worth noting that Dr. Bansal was on some sort of business call while doing slits on my crown, which may be normal in an Indian context but is a little alarming in a Canadian context. I was concerned at first, but it quickly became apparent that her eyes and her hands were a hundred percent focused on me, and I felt comfortable with what was occuring. Dr. Bansal has a powerful aura, and you feel enveloped by it when she is in the procedure room. It is hard to explain the deftness of touch and skill, but you know it when you're lying there under the bright lights hearing her call out instructions to the techs. 

The rest of the procedure went well. Dr. Shishir excelled again, and the entire team worked in concert, techs and Drs switching in and out to get me through. Because the procedure lengths are so long it is common for techs and Drs to switch in and out, but it is clear they all work as a well oiled machine. It is also common for staff not participating in the surgey to come in and out talking on the phone, asking you how you are, and generally creating the earlier mentioned environment of controlled chaos. This is very different from the Canadian idea of a medical procedure, and the Eugenix team are definitely professionals who are extremely skilled at what they do, but it's worth noting the difference for any Westerners preparing to make their pilgrimage.

I felt comfortable and in expert hands throughout the entire process, and I am relieved that I am through and on the other side. Here are the final results of my procedure:

Takeaway

Eugenix's reputation is well earned. I post this to give back to this great forum which helped to change the course of my life. If I had to go through this all again, knowing what I know now, I would choose to do the procedure with Eugenix again without a second thought. I am incredibly greatful to the Clinic's Drs, techs, and support network of staff that make the experience as comfortable as possible for their patients.

If anyone is considering Eugenix, they are the real deal. Feel free to reach out to me anytime with questions.

I will make sure to update this thread with my progress. Happy growing hairs, happy growing.

 

Edited November 13, 2021 by WhatComesNext

[Britanium]

Thanks for posting such a detailed account of your experience so far. Great pics too. This looks really good 👍🏽 

[Monero]

Do you maybe remember how long you waited for their reply after first contact and how long it took after you decided for them to the actual surgery?

Edited November 11, 2021 by Monero

[WhatComesNext]

2 hours ago, Monero said:

Do you maybe remember how long you waited for their reply after first contact and how long it took after you decided for them to the actual surgery?

After I sent them photos they were pretty quick to reply. Once the dates were confirmed they were very responsive. If you're not providing full details on your situation as well as solid photos for their Drs to assess they may take time getting back to you. They have a ton of questions and consultation requests coming in. What info did you provide?

Edited November 11, 2021 by WhatComesNext

[SLA]

Wow @WhatComesNext...what a fantastic account of your journey and I really appreciate the level of detail about both Eugenix and the cultural differences to be aware of. I was thinking about the possible culture shock of never having been in India before. For me, I could see it as being distracting in a positive way to get my mind off of the actual procedure.

Interesting how you mentioned that Dr. Bansal was on a business call while making the slits. All I kept thinking of when you said this was my complete inability to multitask on something so intricate; glad you felt confident that you were in great hands!

Quite an emotional journey- I can see myself crying on the table as well :).

Did they use only scalp grafts (rather than combining with beard)? Any idea how many scalp donor you have left should you need in the future?

Looking forward to seeing your continued progress!

[Berba11]

Brilliant write up. Your experiences obtaining the medical visa are virtually identical to my own here in UK (I'm booked for the 27th of this month with Dr Arika).

I'll be following your progress keenly!

All the best!

[Melvin- Admin]

Man it's so awesome to belong to a community that helps and gives back @kirkland thank you for all you do for our community, and big shout out to @MazAB and @Zoomster you guys are helping out in so many ways. You have some good information. I think soft calming music will be my choice. I want everyone to be comfortable and feel good, but to be honest I want to fall asleep for most of the procedure. 

[kirkland]

@WhatComesNextI'm glad to hear the hard part is over and now comes the healing and the growing. Thank you for the detailed write-up and the open and honest expression of your experiences. It helps others with concerns or questions about their own choices for hair restoration surgery and rightly pays it forward. 

Get some rest, enjoy India's hospitality and good luck on your flight back to Canada.

[Monero]

8 hours ago, WhatComesNext said:

After I sent them photos they were pretty quick to reply. Once the dates were confirmed they were very responsive. If you're not providing full details on your situation as well as solid photos for their Drs to assess they may take time getting back to you. They have a ton of questions and consultation requests coming in. What info did you provide?

I had not got to the pictures or any details yet. Just put the basics in the contact form on Sunday. 

[Berba11]

38 minutes ago, Monero said:

I had not got to the pictures or any details yet. Just put the basics in the contact form on Sunday. 

You're better off sending them a message via Whatsapp - you'll get a reply very quickly.

[Mggm]

On 11/11/2021 at 4:56 PM, WhatComesNext said:

It's also worth noting that Dr. Bansal was on some sort of business call while doing slits on my crown, which may be normal in an Indian context but is a little alarming in a Canadian context. I was concerned at first, but it quickly became apparent that her eyes and her hands were a hundred percent focused on me, and I felt comfortable with what was occuring. Dr. Bansal has a powerful aura, and you feel enveloped by it when she is in the procedure room. It is hard to explain the deftness of touch and skill, but you know it when you're lying there under the bright lights hearing her call out instructions to the techs. 

I had a similar experience when she was on a business call during the procedure and this had me real worried but I decided to trust in the process. I realized that they are so used to doing this so many times that they can multi task without losing efficiency.. In the end, I went from NW3 to NW0 in 6 months.
 

Edited November 13, 2021 by Mggm

[Gatsby]

@WhatComesNext you have written a brilliantly detailed write up! 🙏 Yes India for many can be very challenging on first arrival. I've been there several times, the first time when I was just 21 back packing and the culture shock was mind blowing at first. Your hair is almost identical to mine in terms of color and curl except I am slick bald on top as a Norwood 6. I'm heading there January 16th so I really appreciate the heads up from your shared experience. I totally agree to the many people such as @kirkland, @MazAB, @Zoomster, etc who have been incredibly supportive on this forum and via DM. Wishing you happy growing and I look forward to sharing your journey.

[Monero]

On day 4 you had washing in the morning and flight in afternoon or you spend another night in New Delhi?

[WhatComesNext]

1 hour ago, Gatsby said:

@WhatComesNext you have written a brilliantly detailed write up! 🙏 Yes India for many can be very challenging on first arrival. I've been there several times, the first time when I was just 21 back packing and the culture shock was mind blowing at first. Your hair is almost identical to mine in terms of color and curl except I am slick bald on top as a Norwood 6. I'm heading there January 16th so I really appreciate the heads up from your shared experience. I totally agree to the many people such as @kirkland, @MazAB, @Zoomster, etc who have been incredibly supportive on this forum and via DM. Wishing you happy growing and I look forward to sharing your journey.

Thanks for the kind words Gatsby. How many grafts were you quoted? Are you going for crown as well?

[WhatComesNext]

23 minutes ago, Monero said:

On day 4 you had washing in the morning and flight in afternoon or you spend another night in New Delhi?

I elected to stay here until the 17th because I didn't want to mess with the long travel times, especially with how many grafts I had. I'll do the first wash at the clinic late on the 16th. Hoping I can wear a hat on the plane by that point. I'm vain. Would be tough to fly 15 hours and navigate 3 airports in a surgical cap, but huge props to the guys that don't care what others think.

[Gatsby]

We are going for max! It will be as many scalp grafts and beard grafts that can be harvested without leaving the donor regions looking depleted. I've sent many photos and videos of my hair to Dr Pradeep and Dr Arika. They have both stated that I will be able to obtain full coverage. The estimation is between around 7,000 grafts plus. Dr Pradeep has stated higher numbers but I prefer to wait until my eggs are in the pudding until i believe it. I'm also a repair case from two previous 'punch graft' surgeries from many years ago. I have a hairline 'FUT' type scar that runs 7cm's across the top of my forehead above the glabella (as well as scars in the donor region) and both Dr Pradeep and Dr Arika have assured me that they will be able to hide this without my results looking like a 'juvenile hairline.' It's a huge challenge for them but they have both stated to me that this is achievable.

[WhatComesNext]

On 11/11/2021 at 9:59 AM, SLA said:

Wow @WhatComesNext...what a fantastic account of your journey and I really appreciate the level of detail about both Eugenix and the cultural differences to be aware of. I was thinking about the possible culture shock of never having been in India before. For me, I could see it as being distracting in a positive way to get my mind off of the actual procedure.

Interesting how you mentioned that Dr. Bansal was on a business call while making the slits. All I kept thinking of when you said this was my complete inability to multitask on something so intricate; glad you felt confident that you were in great hands!

Quite an emotional journey- I can see myself crying on the table as well :).

Did they use only scalp grafts (rather than combining with beard)? Any idea how many scalp donor you have left should you need in the future?

Looking forward to seeing your continued progress!

Dr. Bansal took one look at my beard and said it wasn't good. Took everything from scalp. I have horsehair on upper sides and back, so they felt comfortable taking 4.5k. I look like a clown with devil horns when my hair grows out, the sides stick up at a hilarious angle.

One guy at the clinic thought I had about 1200 usable donor left, but I'll ask one of the Drs when I go in for my clean tomorrow. I have had no sides from fin and my balding has slowed down significantly the last couple of years even without fin, so they're pretty confident I won't need another procedure. Who really knows though. 

Edited November 13, 2021 by WhatComesNext

[WhatComesNext]

14 minutes ago, Gatsby said:

We are going for max! It will be as many scalp grafts and beard grafts that can be harvested without leaving the donor regions looking depleted. I've sent many photos and videos of my hair to Dr Pradeep and Dr Arika. They have both stated that I will be able to obtain full coverage. The estimation is between around 7,000 grafts plus. Dr Pradeep has stated higher numbers but I prefer to wait until my eggs are in the pudding until i believe it. I'm also a repair case from two previous 'punch graft' surgeries from many years ago. I have a hairline 'FUT' type scar that runs 7cm's across the top of my forehead above the glabella (as well as scars in the donor region) and both Dr Pradeep and Dr Arika have assured me that they will be able to hide this without my results looking like a 'juvenile hairline.' It's a huge challenge for them but they have both stated to me that this is achievable.

Good stuff. You're going for the highest package I take it?

When Dr. Bansal was doing my slits and talking about the atypical frontal cowlick, it was pretty evident she relishes a good challenge. I'm assuming Dr. Sethi is no different. The Drs and techs are extremely well oiled as well, and the interoperative/post operative staff. 

I keep going back to the clinic every day for cleanings and man, the more I'm there the more I like the vibe. So many of their staff have had procedures done themselves and they're all so open and friendly. Big shout out to Anil - that guy rules.

I'm excited for you - gotta be the best choice on the market right now for high NWs.  They will carry you through to victory brother. 

Edited November 13, 2021 by WhatComesNext

[kirkland]

@WhatComesNextby the time you board the plane, enough time should have passed to allow you to wear a hat rather than the surgical cap. But if there is discomfort in the donor region, keep a few surgical caps on hand (Eugenix should have provided you with 3 or 4 of them) and wear that instead. I had a hoodie so I wore the surgical cap and then the hoodie. I knew people stared at me in the airport and on the plane but I chose not to give two f*&@s because I was never going to see any of those people ever again!

[kirkland]

50 minutes ago, WhatComesNext said:

Big shout out to Anil - that guy rules

Anil is a solid dude. 

[Gatsby]

1 hour ago, WhatComesNext said:

Dr. Bansal took one look at my beard and said it wasn't good. Took everything from scalp. I have horsehair on upper sides and back, so they felt comfortable taking 4.5k. I look like a clown with devil horns when my hair grows out, the sides stick up at a hilarious angle.

One guy at the clinic thought I had about 1200 usable donor left, but I'll ask one of the Drs when I go in for my clean tomorrow. I have had no sides from fin and my balding has slowed down significantly the last couple of years even without fin, so they're pretty confident I won't need another procedure. Who really knows though. 

@WhatComesNext were the pictures you sent Dr Bansal very different to what your beard was like when you arrived? If possible would you be able to post a picture (or DM) your beard? I only ask as I am also wondering upon presentation how many beard grafts will be able to be harvested when I get there compared to the pics I have sent? My results will be heavily reliant upon the number of beard grafts obtainable.

[WhatComesNext]

@Gatsby Sure, here are a couple of photos. I grew it out more than usual to give the clinic perspective on it. I did not send any beard pics beforehand. I think there are a couple of things to consider to mitigate your worry:

1. You've sent them pictures - they're going to be able to get a pretty good approximation from those pics.

2. You're a higher NW and BHT is a more critical and needed option for you. If I was in a similar position with less scalp donor/more grafts needed, I think they would have examined the beard option more closely. 

3. My beard is bushy/patchy - one staff member (not a Dr) said it is usable but not ideal. They just decided I didn't need to consider it due to donor availability.

Edited November 13, 2021 by WhatComesNext

[Gatsby]

Thanks @WhatComesNext. Yes you have a much better scalp donor supply than I do and it makes more sense to utilize this than to go to a secondary source (beard grafts). You are in for an incredibly natural result and again thanks for sharing! 🙏

[Ronnie]

Thank you for the informative write up. I'll be traveling next month to Eugenix from North America. 

Could you approximate your daily cost for food ? And does your hotel offer a way for you to clean your laundry? 

Also, would you recommend taking extra leg room for the flight? the cost to upgrade is significant so I'm unsure if the cost will be worth it. 

Edited November 13, 2021 by Ronnie

[xpressabhi]

Thanks for the detailed write up. My hair quality and thinness is quite similar to yours i feel. Also i have exactly the same kind of patchiness in my beard.

I would be following your growth mate, all the best.