2812 Grafts | Clinica De Freitas, Valencia

[GHTJourneya]

I would like to share my experience with my HT process with Dr. de Freitas.

Age: 27.5

Grafts: 2812

Singles: 370 | Doubles: 1582 | Triples: 824 | Quadruples: 36 

Hairs per graft: ~2.19

I booked my operation with Dr. de Freitas on the basis that he is a world-class creme de la creme surgeon, and produces very good results, as seen on Youtube. The clinic looks fantastic (and futuristic), the pre-operative and post-op protocols are very strict and detailed which I liked a lot.

Dr. de Freitas himself and his world-class team took extremely good care of me. I am extremely happy with how the process went. So happy, in fact, that I immediately booked another operation, which was not necessary at all.

I was under the impression that I was a NW2-3, but during the hairline design process I was put under some bright lights and I was told that I have some diffuse thinning and that I have a big head which I had not realised until that very moment. For this reason, we could not make the hairline perfectly straight in one session (which is what I everyone hopes for), so we ended up with a more natural, but still straight-ish design and we decided to make it even more straight in a second intervention (although that might be unnecessary for many). I loved the design process and the protocols involved, dr. Rafael has a pretty relaxed vibe and has a good sense of humour, too.

As much as I wanted to be a bit lower, I trust Dr. de Freitas and his wonderful team and I am convinced this was the best decision we could take.

Tip:

During the first night I somehow managed to remove my travel pillow while sleeping, but I put it back soon after I realised, and I did not dislodge any grafts. For the second night, I tied a knot using the corners of a wrapper-diaper pad so that I could not accidentally remove it while sleeping. It worked wonders. Please use a travel pillow with clips or tie a knot like I did.

 

Here are some pre-op and post-op photos, I will post updates as it progresses.

 

 

Edited January 19, 2022 by GHTJourneya
Added more info

[Gramatik]

Good luck. Freitas is a great surgeon.  Please give us more information about the procedure.

• Do you have the number of singles, doubles, triples etc?
• Do you have more pre and post operative photos ?
• what was the cost of the procedure for the 2812 grafts? 
• Did Freitas ask you to get finasteride or dutasteride in order to do the transplant with him? 

Edited January 19, 2022 by Gramatik

[JoeMan]

How old are you? Some before shaved pictures along with pictures of your donor after surgery would be nice if you don't mind sharing. 

 

[GHTJourneya]

2 hours ago, Gramatik said:

Good luck. Freitas is a great surgeon.  Please give us more information about the procedure.

• Do you have the number of singles, doubles, triples etc?
• Do you have more pre and post operative photos ?
• what was the cost of the procedure for the 2812 grafts? 
• Did Freitas ask you to get finasteride or dutasteride in order to do the transplant with him? 

I edited the original post and added some info regarding the grafts.

I do have more photos and I will batch post them later

I booked the procedure 2 years ago, it looks like the price back then was personalised for me, and it was 3.5 EUR/graft for the first 1000 grafts, and then 3 EUR/graft for the remaining grafts, paid in 2-3 instalments, prior to the procedure. I think it is a steal for the quality that I got, and I would recommend getting in touch with them in order to get an evaluation.

I was on Finasteride even before contacting the clinic, about 2 years prior to the procedure, and the doctor did not change my medication, nor had any further requirements. After the operation I got something very similar to that, using primarily finasteride, alternating a couple of days with dutasteride, due to my diffuse thinning.

Keep in mind I was requested to have a blood test 2-3 weeks before my operation, and both my dht & testosterone levels were very high, even when I was on finasteride. I am happy with the medication I was prescribed based on my blood test results and my current condition.

[GHTJourneya]

2 hours ago, JoeMan said:

How old are you? Some before shaved pictures along with pictures of your donor after surgery would be nice if you don't mind sharing. 

 

27.5 years old, I added more info to the original post. I will share more pictures as well

[Melvin- Admin]

I was literally going to ask you to come to the forum and post your review on Reddit. I'm so happy you are sharing your review. You join the few, but the mighty @Adam87 and of course the man, the myth, the legend @BjornBorg I can see this becoming another epic homerun. Happy growing 🙌 

[andrus]

2 hours ago, GHTJourneya said:

I edited the original post and added some info regarding the grafts.

I do have more photos and I will batch post them later

I booked the procedure 2 years ago, it looks like the price back then was personalised for me, and it was 3.5 EUR/graft for the first 1000 grafts, and then 3 EUR/graft for the remaining grafts, paid in 2-3 instalments, prior to the procedure. I think it is a steal for the quality that I got, and I would recommend getting in touch with them in order to get an evaluation.

I was on Finasteride even before contacting the clinic, about 2 years prior to the procedure, and the doctor did not change my medication, nor had any further requirements. After the operation I got something very similar to that, using primarily finasteride, alternating a couple of days with dutasteride, due to my diffuse thinning.

Keep in mind I was requested to have a blood test 2-3 weeks before my operation, and both my dht & testosterone levels were very high, even when I was on finasteride. I am happy with the medication I was prescribed based on my blood test results and my current condition.

Thank you for the post - very informative and I hope you achieve your desired result.

Sorry to stay on the grafts topic, but I was wondering about the no. of grafts quoted vs no. of grafts actually used? Did they differ, and if so, by how much? Were you charged for the extra grafts? I ask because different clinics have different pricing schemes - some base their quote based on the minimum and stick to that even if more are used, whereas others charge for the extra grafts.

Also, what made you decide to go with Dr Freitas vs other surgeons in this range (eg. Fereira, Pinto, Maras, HLC, Pekiner)?

[GHTJourneya]

7 hours ago, andrus said:

Thank you for the post - very informative and I hope you achieve your desired result.

Sorry to stay on the grafts topic, but I was wondering about the no. of grafts quoted vs no. of grafts actually used? Did they differ, and if so, by how much? Were you charged for the extra grafts? I ask because different clinics have different pricing schemes - some base their quote based on the minimum and stick to that even if more are used, whereas others charge for the extra grafts.

Also, what made you decide to go with Dr Freitas vs other surgeons in this range (eg. Fereira, Pinto, Maras, HLC, Pekiner)?

I was told I needed 2500, but then actually used 2812, and I was not charged for the extra grafts. However, I was so happy with the operation that I immediately booked another one without knowing if I need it or not, just to make my hairline straight, or increase density. I am not sure if that played a role.

I liked Dr Freitas results on youtube, constant uploads, all great. I think they look extremely dense and beautiful. I liked FueExpert in Madrid and Dr. de Freitas in Valencia, and they both have long waiting times (around 1.5 years), and strict protocols. Pinto is also great but has fewer posts, Fereira and HLC do not have as many videos on youtube.

 

[JDEE0]

5 minutes ago, GHTJourneya said:

I was told I needed 2500, but then actually used 2812, and I was not charged for the extra grafts. However, I was so happy with the operation that I immediately booked another one without knowing if I need it or not, just to make my hairline straight, or increase density. I am not sure if that played a role.

I liked Dr Freitas results on youtube, constant uploads, all great. I think they look extremely dense and beautiful. I liked FueExpert in Madrid and Dr. de Freitas in Valencia, and they both have long waiting times (around 1.5 years), and strict protocols. Pinto is also great but has fewer posts, Fereira and HLC do not have as many videos on youtube.

 

Looks really good man, I'm sure it's gonna be another amazing result added to the list for De Freitas! I'll be keeping an eye out for your progress.

Pinto has lots of patient reviews, around 60 or so, on the Spanish forums (just as an FYI for anyone).

[JoeMan]

I agree, Dr. Ferreira doesn't have nearly the amount of posted results. I'm definitely seeing more on here, myself included. Hopefully he gets more exposure but I'm not sure he needs or wants it.

They are both booked 1 year out, at least when I was booking.

 

Quick question: Did you have to put a down payment again for your second surgery? You have me thinking about booking a 2nd surgery for a top off so to speak, but I almost think that the 1st one should be fine. Your surgery looks like it should be fine from the pictures. Do you just want a lower hairline? 

[GHTJourneya]

8 hours ago, JoeMan said:

I agree, Dr. Ferreira doesn't have nearly the amount of posted results. I'm definitely seeing more on here, myself included. Hopefully he gets more exposure but I'm not sure he needs or wants it.

They are both booked 1 year out, at least when I was booking.

 

Quick question: Did you have to put a down payment again for your second surgery? You have me thinking about booking a 2nd surgery for a top off so to speak, but I almost think that the 1st one should be fine. Your surgery looks like it should be fine from the pictures. Do you just want a lower hairline? 

I did not have pay a deposit for my second intervention. But I was insisting, saying "I want another one, please give me another one, what do I have to do, who do I need to contact now? Tell me I need to know now!" like a child, so I am sure they were pretty convinced I am going to pay, but nevertheless they didn't ask for anything.

I was hoping I would be able to have a perfectly straight line, hence I booked the second one. I think the current one still looks a bit like a flying eagle, but I am under the impression that when it grows it actually goes a bit lower, due to the different angles the hair grows at, plus a tiny bit of thickness, or curve if you wish.

I have a PRP/evaluation session in three months from now (included in the price), so it is very likely that I will know more about my second operation at that time.

[Fabulous]

Hi. Thanks for posting here! Do you have any pre-op photos (unshaven) ? Maybe those you sent to the clinic.

Also, was your procedure done in 1 or 2 days ?

[Jtoorrees]

Following this! I like how the hairline looks on the photo man. I got quoted about the same number of grafts from Dr. Freitas also so I really want to see how it turns out! After you got your consultation form back, was your communication with them mainly back and forth via email? Did you communicate with Dr. Freitas at all prior to flying out?

[BjornBorg]

On 1/19/2022 at 4:47 PM, Melvin- Moderator said:

I was literally going to ask you to come to the forum and post your review on Reddit. I'm so happy you are sharing your review. You join the few, but the mighty @Adam87 and of course the man, the myth, the legend @BjornBorg I can see this becoming another epic homerun. Happy growing 🙌 

Welcome to the gang, @GHTJourneya. 

Looking forward to following this case closely.

[GHTJourneya]

On 1/21/2022 at 4:28 PM, Jtoorrees said:

Following this! I like how the hairline looks on the photo man. I got quoted about the same number of grafts from Dr. Freitas also so I really want to see how it turns out! After you got your consultation form back, was your communication with them mainly back and forth via email? Did you communicate with Dr. Freitas at all prior to flying out?

I used Whatsapp, but you can also use emails if you prefer that. 

I did not talk to Dr. De Freitas himself, I talked to his team a couple of times before the procedure. They will probably contact you asking for a blood test 20-30 days before the operation, as well as for the payments, if you haven't done so. But all these closer to the scheduled dates.

[GHTJourneya]

Update, 10 days post-op: Crusting is gone, donor area 90% healed, there are a few scabs here and there, but overall really good progress, I guess.

There is some kind of anxiety regarding the result and how it will progress, but I think any level of stress at this point is unlikely to affect the outcome?!

[andrus]

22 hours ago, GHTJourneya said:

Update, 10 days post-op: Crusting is gone, donor area 90% healed, there are a few scabs here and there, but overall really good progress, I guess.

There is some kind of anxiety regarding the result and how it will progress, but I think any level of stress at this point is unlikely to affect the outcome?!

Wow this really looks awesome just 10 days after the surgery. There's nice growth and very little scars. I don't think you should have anxiety...

[JoeMan]

Wow! This looks much better than mine as I'm at 13 days Post Op. The growth is amazing already. I'm not sure you're going to need a 2nd procedure. 

[GHTJourneya]

17 hours ago, JoeMan said:

Wow! This looks much better than mine as I'm at 13 days Post Op. The growth is amazing already. I'm not sure you're going to need a 2nd procedure. 

Well this is before the so called shedding phase. I am expecting all these little ones to start shedding within the next week. I am more than likely to go into shedding & shockloss within the next days. I will post updates

[deeznuts]

where do you have diffuse thinning? i can't see it at all

 

edit: also your situation is quite similar to mine though I'm not sure about the diffuse thinning part so I'm rooting pretty hard for it to work out lol. I haven't been looked at under a microscope yet so that's a possibility for me

Edited January 27, 2022 by deeznuts

[GHTJourneya]

47 minutes ago, deeznuts said:

where do you have diffuse thinning? i can't see it at all

 

edit: also your situation is quite similar to mine though I'm not sure about the diffuse thinning part so I'm rooting pretty hard for it to work out lol. I haven't been looked at under a microscope yet so that's a possibility for me

To be honest I do not really know. I was under the impression I was a very good NW2, I will share pictures before and after. I was placed under super bright lights with wet hair, then got shaved and told by Dr. Freitas himself I am thinning, hence I should also use a bit of Dutasteride in my routine. I guess Dr. Freitas has hyper super duper standards and scrutinises every little detail. I do not doubt the judgement, I think you need to be that strict with patients in order to have super dense results.

You might be thinning, you might not. Go to a dermatologist and ask them to evaluate your situation. Whatever it is, if you can't see it or if you are not sure (like I was, I couldn't see it), then it's most likely reversible with fin, dut and/or a post-op prp. Best of luck

[deeznuts]

20 hours ago, GHTJourneya said:

To be honest I do not really know. I was under the impression I was a very good NW2, I will share pictures before and after. I was placed under super bright lights with wet hair, then got shaved and told by Dr. Freitas himself I am thinning, hence I should also use a bit of Dutasteride in my routine. I guess Dr. Freitas has hyper super duper standards and scrutinises every little detail. I do not doubt the judgement, I think you need to be that strict with patients in order to have super dense results.

You might be thinning, you might not. Go to a dermatologist and ask them to evaluate your situation. Whatever it is, if you can't see it or if you are not sure (like I was, I couldn't see it), then it's most likely reversible with fin, dut and/or a post-op prp. Best of luck

That's a scary thought lol. You show up NW2 and you find out you're a NW5 diffuse.

If anything though, your loss seems like it will be over a long time. Who knows, maybe by the time you lose it all they'll have cured hair loss 

[GHTJourneya]

One month in, some shedding, some redness, a couple of pimples here and there, all as expected!

It is better than I though it would be, I am supposed to start my LLLT 3x/week in a few days

 

[ConnorCrosby]

Only a couple of months until the fun begins. De Freitas is an excellent choice of doctor!

Cheers!

[Melvin- Admin]

On 2/15/2022 at 9:00 AM, GHTJourneya said:

One month in, some shedding, some redness, a couple of pimples here and there, all as expected!

It is better than I though it would be, I am supposed to start my LLLT 3x/week in a few days

 

I’m right there with you, shedding, are you doing anything to speed up the growth?