Trichogenics- Dr. Asi and Eric Peretz- 2749 grafts- Apr 26, 2023

MDKB · April 30, 2023

Hey everyone, just wanted to share my experience with Dr. Asi and Eric Peretz at Trichogenics in Istanbul turkey. I received a total of 2,748 grafts.

Background:

I am 32 years old. My hair has been gradually thinning since my early 20’s and frankly thought I’d be bald by now but it turned out to be a much more gradual process than anticipated. I was on topical minoxidil since 2017. Switched to topical minoxidil/finasteride mixture in 2021. I actually never thought I’d get a HT through my 20s, and ultimately accepted that I’d shave my head when it’s time. FUT was an absolute no go for me, as I would always want the option to shave my head if a transplant didn’t work out down the line. I saw how much the procedure had been improving with new techniques and FUE, and ultimately had a change of heart. Got some decent stabilization with medical therapy and decided to go for a hair transplant in 2022. I’m a resident physician in the US so I didn’t have very many good windows of time where I could get the procedure and recover before having to go back to work. I had a two week vacation scheduled in April 2023 so I booked with a different clinic in another country. It ultimately didn’t work out with that other clinic so I had to cancel a week before my vacation. I was pretty bummed since I wasn’t sure when id get another opportunity given my inflexible schedule. I figured I’d try again for another vacation, perhaps in the fall. I reached out to only a handful of other clinics that I trusted and asked if they had any last minute cancelations so that maybe I could proceed with my HT after all. I first learned of Trichogenics through TikTok. (Side bar- I highly recommend giving them a follow @Trichogenics on TikTok, even if you’re not on the hunt for a clinic. Dr. Asi Peretz really has his finger on the pulse of the industry. He’s an expert clinician and he dissects and interprets current studies in very brief videos. He also provides education on hair restoration/hair loss science in a very digestible manner. He also doesn’t use the platform to promote the clinic, you have to seek the clinic info yourself. It’s nice to feel like you’re not watching a long ad). It turned out that they had a patient reschedule that was scheduled for the first week of my vacation. Given the scheduling urgency, Dr. Asi immediately a video chat with me where he discussed my goals and what he thought was the best strategy. He was very confident, personable, honest and professional which gave me a great first impression. I pulled the trigger and took the open appointment and booked my flight for the next day.

Package Selected:

I believe there is only one package available. Not sure how frequently prices change but the cost is $5,500 USD (they did offer a 10% healthcare worker discount so I paid $4,950 USD. They charge a flat rate and don’t charge per graft. This includes all transportation from airport to hotel, 3 nights at a 5 star hotel (breakfast included), all aftercare products.

This is more on the pricey side in terms of Turkish Hair transplants. But in my opinion it’s worth every penny given that they are one of the only clinics that have the procedure nearly fully doctor performed. Dr. Eric and Dr. Asi do all extractions and channel creation. The only time that the techs work on you is the implantation stage after channel creation is completed. Also, they’re among only a handful of clinics which actually use microscopy. They typically do one procedure daily which they both take part in. Rarely, they take on two.

HT Plan: The initial plan was 3,000 grafts to add density to my crown and hairline. I initially wanted to bring my hairline down slightly which Dr. Asi Peretz didn’t recommend in order to properly manage my donor and achieve a more natural result. My goal was to ultimately feel confident getting my hair wet and wearing my hair naturally without feeling like I needed to cover up with fibers.

Travel and Accommodations:

I arrived 3 nights before surgery to enjoy Istanbul for as much as possible before the procedure. The team was great in coordinating the travel. His associate Naz communicated very frequently and was very clear. The transport vehicles were very luxurious and comfortable. Naz brought me a box of baklava which was a very sweet touch. The hotel was Movenpick Bosphorous which was very nice and run by a very professional staff. They also have a gorgeous rooftop restaurant where breakfast is served. Views were unbelievable, food was excellent, and service was exceptional. It is an Italian restaurant by night, which I highly recommend. The only hiccup regarding travel and accommodations was that the driver was late on the morning of my departure. I called Naz after 20 minutes of waiting and she was able to reach him and report that he got stuck behind an accident and he’d be 20 minutes away. There was still plenty of time before by flight. However, She suggested I get a cab to avoid the risk of being late and offered to cover the cost. No big deal to me, things happen.

Day of surgery:

I was scheduled to get picked up at 9am. And got started shortly after arrival. Dr. Asi and Eric made me feel very at home in the clinic. They sat me down and further discussed my goals. They both agreed that maintaining my mature hairline was the best strategy and just focusing on density. They personally went through the consent form and reaffirmed every point on the form, answering any questions at all. After we had a plan, we quickly got going. Surgery day was very efficient but not rushed whatsoever. Dr. Eric and Dr. Asi switched off with doing extractions and implantation. Lunch break was given after extractions were completed (Most amazing Turkish kebab I had all trip). There was a huge team involved with all of the other stuff including re-evaluation of grafts under microscopy. I ended up having an average of 2.7 follicles per graft which was more than anticipated. Therefore, they decided to be more conservative and extract 2,748 instead of the planned 3,000. Dr. Eric dissected some of the doubles because I didn’t have enough singles for the hairline. Surgery was very comfortable. Dr. Eric and Dr. Asi checked in frequently to ask if I was feeling any pain. Even if I said “bearable pain” or “slight discomfort” they would stop the procedure and inject more anesthesia. It was evident that my comfort was a huge priority. They showed me the result at the end and I was very pleased. I got good coverage on the crown and they succeeded in making sure my hairline was nice and irregular which was very important to me. Not much else to say about surgery day, it went very smoothly. I ended at around 5pm and they sent me out with the surgery night instructions and some NSAIDs and Tylenol for pain. The staff was very hospitable the entire time.

First Day after the surgery:

I felt great after surgery. I slept fine. Had a good breakfast. Pain was basically nonexistent. Facial edema was minimal. Both Dr. Eric and Dr. Asi went over the aftercare instructions with me in detail. They gave me their personal numbers and requested daily updates for the first 10 days. They both insisted that I reach out if I have any questions or concerns at all. That really meant a lot, because frankly I’d never let a patient have my personal number. They did my first wash and sent me on my way with all of the necessary post op supplies.

Overall Experience:

My experience with Trichogenics was excellent so far. Dr. Asi checked in frequently while I was out there given that I came a few days early and asked if there was anything that they could do for me. Dr. Asi emphasized that they were my family while I was there and not to hesitate if they could do anything for me. By the end of my trip, it was evident that he meant that sincerely. Dr. Asi, Dr. Eric, Naz, Maria, and the rest of the staff left no stone unturned to make sure my trip and procedure went as smoothly as possible. Dr. Asi and Dr. Eric have a very caring, meticulous approach to hair transplantation. They also have excellent taste when it comes to creating a natural, durable result. They truly did remind me of my family and some of my closest friends. I found myself wanting to grab a beer with them when it was all over. I’m now home after a super easy flight on Post-Op day #2. I'm now Post-op day #4 healing great and loving the healing progress so far. Now on to year long waiting game.

Pre-Op 4/26/2023