HT with dr Turan / Fuecapilar - 4000 grafts (02/2023)

[Levi]

Hi all,

 

A bit early, you might think. Legit, but I just wanted to create my own HT thread on HRN out of sheer excitement. 😉

I just received confirmation that I'm a good candidate, despite being a NW6 - so I'm looking forward to the procedure. I will post pictures at a later stage, as I recently started a regimen of fina, duta and minox. If there is any progress on that front, I will gladly share it in this topic. But let me elaborate why I chose dr Turan - and what brought me to this point to begin with.

 

💢 Introduction

I'm 37 years of age, male, living in Belgium (yea, hair transplant Walhalla 😅). I've been dealing with hairloss since I was 21. It's genetic - and the Norwood Reaper turned me into a NW6. 

I really noticed that things started deteriorating when I was 23 years old, so I went to see a dermatologist. She told me about finasteride and minox, but at the same time said that she would never prescribe that to her son - lol. Great advice. 😑

Anyway, I insisted and got a prescription for topical minoxidil and oral Propecia 1 Mg. After a while I experienced sides (slight ED, brain fog) and so I started doing some research. Bad idea. There is so much fud out there - combined with the derm's warning - so I decided to discontinue after 14 months. Reading all that fud probably led to confirmation bias. For years to come, I was really focused on these sides - which probably made them persist until I started to forget about it. Exit nocebo. 👆

For years, things seemed to have stabilized (24-26), until a bald spot at the crown started to appear. I could not return to meds and my only source of information was a Dutch forum (it really sucks compared to hairlosstalk and - especially - this forum). Too bad that I only discovered other sources aprox 2 years ago.

So I started to cope, limit myself to hairstyles that made me believe would hide or cover things up. I've been in denial for so many years, and it really weighed heavily on me - often on a sub-conscious level, but also in everyday life. I guess the following examples sound familiar to most of you:

- looking at your reflection in windows (houses, cars) hoping that your hair still looked alright

- cursing heavy rain or wind

- dodging bright lights in bars and restaurants

- picking a chair that doesn't expose your backside to an audience (luckily I'm rather tall)

- dodging pictures in later stages, eventually abandoning social media and (partially) social life

- less female attention when going out

- envying friends and family (my brother seems to be my genetic counterpart) that have a full head of hair

- lower self-esteem

- etc.

I never considered a hair transplant, because most of my sources were anti. "You will inevitably lose the rest of your hair and look like a gremlin for the rest of your life". I regret that I did not debunk this sooner, that my dermatologist was so inexperieced and not supportive, that I experienced sides and discontinued - and on top of that: that I pretended that my hairloss was stable for so long. But let's not dwell in/on the past too much. 🔥

2 years ago (during covid) I shaved it all off - hooray for homework. I was shocked to see the state of my hair at that point. I started topical fin and min, irregular dermarolling, vitamine pills, etc. There was some regrowth after a year (but not what I had hoped). At one point we had to return to work and I just opted for a hair system out of sheer anxiety - and again discontinued. It made me feel better for a few months, but it's not the solution for me. Cumbersome, makes you feel like a fraud at times and color needs refreshing on a regular basis. And this, to make a long story short, is what finally led me to this point. It's time to take full control of my (mostly social) life again.

Happy to have found this forum. Couldn't have done this without all the amazing people that share their stories, experiences and recommendations. I will return the favor in due time. 🙂

 

💢 My choice for Dr Turan

1. Surgery performed by Dr Turan -  implants each graft himself (DHI)

2. One patient per day. No hairmills for me. 👀

3. Grafts/day: 2000 grafts per day, 4000 in total over 2 days. I'm going to ask if a third day is a safe option, because 4000 might not be enough to guarantee great density in frontal area and mid scalp.

4. Dr Turan proposed a follow-up procedure after 8-12 months to fill up the crown = more time to achieve regrowth with current regimen + evaluate donor.

5. Amazing results. It's subjective, but based on the reviews I've found here and on Reddit, it will be life-changing for me. 🔥

6. Price. I think there is no place in the world right now where you can find a surgeon that performs the surgery and consistently (based on my findings) delivers great results for this price per graft. It'd be great to see more of his work out here, but maybe my thread can contribute to that in 2023.

7. Waiting list. I've been in touch with a couple of hair mills (in Turkey + Netherlands) and I could schedule my appointment within weeks. I'm quite sceptic and my research led me to this forum (about 2 months ago). I guess you can all agree that a 7-8 month waiting list is a good sign.

8. Analysis. Doctor reviewed my pictures and video and I received a tailored and detailed report. I also had to fill in a medical questionnaire before they would accept my booking. I also have to continue my current regimen.

9. Service. Satisfied with the response times and customer focus of Fuecapilar via WhatsApp. 

 

💢 Closing thoughts

Being a NW6, I will need multiple procedures. Depending on my experience with Dr. Dogan Turan, I will book my second procedure with him too if positive. For a third procedure, I would probably consider Dr Mwamba of Bisanga, as that would be the finishing touch imo.

I will share pictures in the months leading up to the transplant, but I would highly appreciate any feedback/advice/concerns/support that you want to share, based on the above.

 

And now the waiting game begins. 🙈👀

Levi.

Edited June 17, 2022 by Levi
Extra clarification

[Melvin- Admin]

I would love to see some pictures. 

[SimpleLife]

Great writeup, goodluck

Looks like you did your research, from what I've read he is one of the better ones in Turkey. 

Before you get it done I suggest you still do an in person consultation with someone like dr Bisanga/Mwamba. It will cost you 100 euro, but can save you tens of thousands and lots of headache. Wish I found this forum earlier and did that..

[Levi]

On 6/18/2022 at 4:09 PM, SimpleLife said:

Great writeup, goodluck

Looks like you did your research, from what I've read he is one of the better ones in Turkey. 

Before you get it done I suggest you still do an in person consultation with someone like dr Bisanga/Mwamba. It will cost you 100 euro, but can save you tens of thousands and lots of headache. Wish I found this forum earlier and did that..

Hey buddy, thanks for the advice. I think I might just do that - with 2 of the best doctors basically in my backyard. 🙂

Budget-wise full procedure by either one of them will be impossible though, given the total amount of grafts required. A final session with them to add extra density and to restore temple peaks is on the table.

[Levi]

On 6/18/2022 at 4:20 AM, Melvin- Moderator said:

I would love to see some pictures.

I will try to upload some pictures later today, tomorrow latest. 👍

 

I have received an update from Fuecapilar regarding my request for a third day of surgery. Dr Turan does not perform more than 2 consecutive days in order to reduce head trauma and to guarantee optimal survival rate of transplanted hairs. I respect the doctor's opinion, irrespective of my wish to have a "full' head of hair in the shortest timespan. 

I also requested if beard or body hair could be used. Dr Turan only uses beard hairs as a last resort to create more density in the crown, following an analysis of beard donor condition.

Added this information for other members that are also contemplating dr Turan. Cheers. 👀

Edited June 20, 2022 by Levi
Empty message

[Levi]

On 6/18/2022 at 4:09 PM, SimpleLife said:

Great writeup, goodluck

Looks like you did your research, from what I've read he is one of the better ones in Turkey. 

Before you get it done I suggest you still do an in person consultation with someone like dr Bisanga/Mwamba. It will cost you 100 euro, but can save you tens of thousands and lots of headache. Wish I found this forum earlier and did that..

I have an appointment with Dr Bisanga next week for a thorough examination (donor), regimen analysis and realistic hairline expectations. Really siked about this & will probably request a prescription for their topical Duta if complementary with current regimen.

I am also prepared for a potential sales pitch (can't blame them 😅), but I do hope that he will acknowledge that dr. Turan is a 'safe', reasonable choice when opting for Turkey for economical reasons.

On top of that, due to a cancellation I was offered the opportunity to have my surgery scheduled on 2 specific (& consecutive) days in August. Pulled the trigger on that one. 👀

Time to update the title.

[Levi]

@Melvin- Moderator- could you please remove this topic?

Retrograde - no HT for me. Disappointed to say the least, time to move on with my life.

[xanxious]

Hi Levi,

  Did Dr. Bisanga not recommend the HT because of your retrograde alopecia? I know that he would probably be the best doctor to work with that condition.

Wondering because i also have a consultation with him and i suspect i may have some retrograde as well, although my NW is a bit less then yours.

What did he say exactly or recommend? 

[RTC]

Damn I'm sorry to hear that. Can you elaborate on what Bisanga said exactly? Maybe the finasteride will improve things.