Going to Dr Yaman in Turkey July 2023 for my second HT

[MFR84]

Hey guys,

I’ve been looking for reliable reviews for quite some time and I’m glad I stumbled across this forum. I figured I’ll post my journey in case I can help someone else. I know what it’s like to sit at home scouring for reliable reviews, so feel free to follow along for mine. I’m open to feedback also. 

I’m 38 years old and I first noticed my hair loss more than 13 years ago. At first I tried topical minoxidil, but that didn’t last more than a few months because I didn’t see results fast enough. I later consulted with a hair loss doctor and tried oral finasteride with plan for HT in the future since I was still young, but had side effects, not sure if they were psychological, but I stopped taking the medication. Fast forward a few years to July 2020 and I had my first FUE procedure done in New Jersey. I saw a Groupon discount on hair transplants and without doing research I went for it. They transplanted about 1200 - 1500 grafts. During my consultation they told me the number of grafts, since I hadn’t done any research I didn’t know what that would cover. I blindly hoped for the best and went based off the of sales persons promises. The procedure was completely done by techs. I won’t get into the clinic itself, but I will say I should have known better. 

I wasn’t happy with the HT result at the 11 month mark since I had false expectations, so I tried a hair system. I thought I’d try it until I get my next HT. I hated it. That thing was on my head less than eight hours, and I was left with a terrible haircut (they shave the top of the head) so I opted to shave my head entirely at that time and I’ve been shaving my head since then. Its very visible that I had a HT, so I’m ready to get it fixed. I decided on Dr Yaman for my second HT based on reviews, photos, the cost, and years of experience. I’m hopeful that Dr Yaman can give me a boost in confidence again. The plan is for 4,000 grafts.

I started topical minoxidil about three months ago. I’ve been doing combination topical minoxidil and finasteride for the last few weeks but switching to an oral finasteride. I’ll see if I can tolerate the side effects. I stopped shaving my head a few weeks ago because I want to arrive with as much hair as possible so Dr Yaman can get a good evaluation of what I have. 

I look forward to sharing my progress and hearing your thoughts along the way. 

Any suggestions for my travels or anything else would be appreciated!

These are some before photos of my hair journey so far. the start of my hair loss 

before my first hair transplant - July 2020

1st hair transplant in USA

1 month post HT in USA

11 months after first HT in USA

Today June 2023 - I stopped shaving my head 3 weeks ago.

[Mr.potato]

Bring with you a good neck pillow, the one the clinic provides you after the surgery is not good (it’s an inflatable one ).

[MFR84]

Thanks! I already bought 2. One will be better for the plane and the other better for sleep. 

[Belve]

Great choice of doctor. Dr yaman is a great doctor..waiting for your hair transplant presentation 👍

[SeanT1]

Rooting for you friend.

[MFR84]

If it wasn’t for this group I don’t think I would have the resources available to make an informed decision, so I appreciate you all and hopefully I can help someone else by sharing my case. Many of the other reviews explain the entire process regarding airport transfers and hotel stay, etc. so I’ll skip that part. I appreciate you all posting as I feel like I knew exactly how everything would go for me, and you’re all spot on. 

I had my procedure with Dr. Resul Yaman on July 21 and July 22. The entire process could not have gone any smoother or been any easier. Ihsan has been very helpful since I was back home communicating on WhatsApp and made me feel very welcome and comfortable when I arrived. He was available to me during my entire stay. Dr. Yaman walked into the hospital while I was at the front desk checking in on my first day and greeted me as if I knew him for many years. My nerves and anxiety immediately went away. He has excellent bedside manner and he is a true master of his craft. 

 

My consultation was immediately prior to the procedure and payment to the clinic. I did not want to touch my front hairline too much because it’s not an area of concern for me and I wanted it to be as natural as possible. Dr Yaman listened to my concerns and constructed a plan for me based on my preferences and some calculations that he had come up with. He was honest with me and told me that with 45 grafts per cm squared in the front and 35 grafts per centimeter squared in the back I may be cutting it close (I could be wrong with those numbers but I think that’s the density he mentioned), but when I told him he could take from my beard I could see in his face that he was happy with my decision as it would give me a better outcome.

 

We went into the surgery room, Dr. Yaman numbed my head, applied PRP, started making incisions, and the time went by fast. They had a TV in the room but I wanted the girls to play their Turkish music. I enjoyed listening to something new and learning a new culture, but I also wanted them to feel as comfortable as possible while working on my head. 

 

I had 5,580 grafts extracted and implanted over two days. Extractions from the back were manual extractions (per my request) and beard was motorized extractions. As you saw on my last post, my prior HT left me with some scars on my head so I wanted to try manual punch extractions this time around. The clinic I had gone to the first time was not great, so I wanted to do everything I can to maximize coverage and reduce scars, as this is probably my only shot at hair transplant surgery. 

 

I don’t know how many grafts were removed from my beard, but total graft count was:

5,580 total

960 single

2730 double

1890 multiple 

 

Dr Yaman was very involved in the entire process. He performed all incisions and came in frequently throughout the procedure. He made a couple suggestions to the techs during implantation, but I couldn’t understand what he said. He was always asking how I’m doing and concerned for how I was feeling.

 

I read a lot of reviews about people not happy with the fact that the technicians were talking and laughing, I wasn’t bothered at all. They’re in a room with coworkers working on a patient for many hours at a time. They’re going to talk and laugh, they’re human. Go in with that expectation and maybe it won’t bother you so much. 

 

I also read a lot of reviews about how terrible the anesthesia is. Sure, it’s the worst part, but you can tolerate 3-5 seconds of pain in order to get the result you want. It’s a quick pinch, burn, then it’s numb.. it’s really not that bad and I was expecting way worse based on people’s comments.

 

I went back to the clinic today for the 3rd day and had a wash. They gave my vitamins for almost a year, shampoo and foam for the next 10 days, some headbands to prevent swelling from settling around the eyes. Ihsan took pictures and recorded my wash using my phone so that I could reference at a later time.  I also failed to mention that I had already been given antibiotics, pain medicine, steroid for the swelling, and a proton pump inhibitor to protect the stomach. I was not instructed to spray my head every so often as I was told after my last transplant. I’m hoping it doesn’t get too itchy as I remember that was one was I was able to relieve the itch, but time will tell. 

 

I did bleed quite a bit. I was taking all my vitamins up until a week before surgery and I was doing scalp massages regularly and laser cap therapy daily. That all promotes blood flow to the scalp so I wasn’t surprised. 

 

My plan for the next few months -

Continue Finasteride 1mg daily

Laser cap therapy daily 

Topical minoxidil after 3 weeks 

Multivitamin provided by clinic

Once I’m done with those vitamins I’ll start back on mine - Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Zinc, Fish Oil, Biotin, Vitamin D

 

I had such a good experience and I’m leaving here tomorrow feeling really good about my decision. Now it’s a waiting game. I’ll post updates from time to time. The real question is whether I get the result I’m hoping for, keeping in mind I will never have a thick head of hair. My hair has always been thin so I have realistic expectations, but hoping for some coverage. 
 

Below are my before pictures and after wash in clinic pictures. I didn’t shave my head for a month and a half prior to surgery so that Dr Yaman can see exactly what he was working with. 

[Stam21]

Mind me asking which clinic you went to in NJ? I’m from here and speaking with a few about my HT, and want to avoid the one you went to 

[MFR84]

On 7/25/2023 at 7:26 PM, Stam21 said:

Mind me asking which clinic you went to in NJ? I’m from here and speaking with a few about my HT, and want to avoid the one you went to 

I went to Eternal Hair and Aesthetics in Totowa, NJ. I would avoid at all costs. It left me in a really bad mental space full of anxiety and isolation for the last 3 years. If you’re considering a transplant, just go to Turkey. I wish I had gone to Dr Yaman in the first place. 

[Stam21]

35 minutes ago, MFR84 said:

I went to Eternal Hair and Aesthetics in Totowa, NJ. I would avoid at all costs. It left me in a really bad mental space full of anxiety and isolation for the last 3 years. If you’re considering a transplant, just go to Turkey. I wish I had gone to Dr Yaman in the first place. 

Thank you. 

[Britanium]

Looking to following this 👍🏽 Thanks for posting 🙏

[Wolverine98]

On 6/24/2023 at 8:31 PM, MFR84 said:

Hey guys,

I’ve been looking for reliable reviews for quite some time and I’m glad I stumbled across this forum. I figured I’ll post my journey in case I can help someone else. I know what it’s like to sit at home scouring for reliable reviews, so feel free to follow along for mine. I’m open to feedback also. 

I’m 38 years old and I first noticed my hair loss more than 13 years ago. At first I tried topical minoxidil, but that didn’t last more than a few months because I didn’t see results fast enough. I later consulted with a hair loss doctor and tried oral finasteride with plan for HT in the future since I was still young, but had side effects, not sure if they were psychological, but I stopped taking the medication. Fast forward a few years to July 2020 and I had my first FUE procedure done in New Jersey. I saw a Groupon discount on hair transplants and without doing research I went for it. They transplanted about 1200 - 1500 grafts. During my consultation they told me the number of grafts, since I hadn’t done any research I didn’t know what that would cover. I blindly hoped for the best and went based off the of sales persons promises. The procedure was completely done by techs. I won’t get into the clinic itself, but I will say I should have known better. 

I wasn’t happy with the HT result at the 11 month mark since I had false expectations, so I tried a hair system. I thought I’d try it until I get my next HT. I hated it. That thing was on my head less than eight hours, and I was left with a terrible haircut (they shave the top of the head) so I opted to shave my head entirely at that time and I’ve been shaving my head since then. Its very visible that I had a HT, so I’m ready to get it fixed. I decided on Dr Yaman for my second HT based on reviews, photos, the cost, and years of experience. I’m hopeful that Dr Yaman can give me a boost in confidence again. The plan is for 4,000 grafts.

I started topical minoxidil about three months ago. I’ve been doing combination topical minoxidil and finasteride for the last few weeks but switching to an oral finasteride. I’ll see if I can tolerate the side effects. I stopped shaving my head a few weeks ago because I want to arrive with as much hair as possible so Dr Yaman can get a good evaluation of what I have. 

I look forward to sharing my progress and hearing your thoughts along the way. 

Any suggestions for my travels or anything else would be appreciated!

These are some before photos of my hair journey so far. the start of my hair loss 

before my first hair transplant - July 2020

1st hair transplant in USA

1 month post HT in USA

11 months after first HT in USA

Today June 2023 - I stopped shaving my head 3 weeks ago.

Thanks for sharing. I have a scheduled HT with Dr. Yaman next month and have been communicating with Ihsan as well. Any last minute advice on anything you wish you had taken or done differently? I'm flying out from the states as well and will just be flying back two days after surgery. 

[MFR84]

46 minutes ago, Wolverine98 said:

Thanks for sharing. I have a scheduled HT with Dr. Yaman next month and have been communicating with Ihsan as well. Any last minute advice on anything you wish you had taken or done differently? I'm flying out from the states as well and will just be flying back two days after surgery. 

Good luck! I had a great experience and hoping you do too.

Someone recommended bringing my own neck pillow and I can’t emphasize that enough. The little blow up neck pillows the clinic provides is the only negative aspect of my experience. It’s flimsy and won’t keep your head off the bed. I bought two on Amazon that I highly recommend. I’ve been using one for sleep (brand is SNUGL) and one for the flight (TRTL). Some may say that it’s not necessary, and I wouldn’t argue, but it was nice to have. It’s a long flight.. 

I also purchased a package of chucks pads for about $20 and brought a few with me. I’m glad I did. The clinic gave me some but I had quite a bit of drainage. I was able to protect my neck pillow and the bed sheets from getting all soiled. I’m sure they’re used to it at the hotel, but I can image they appreciated not having sheets and pillows covered in blood. I was seeping through the bandage when I woke up. 

A few extra button down shirts and a zip up hoodie served me well. My shirts got soiled. There was a girl getting her transplant done on the same day that commuted with me and the back of her shirt was a mess. That can’t be comfortable. The zip up hoodie was nice for the plane because it got pretty cold. 

Food at the hotel was very cheap compared to US prices. I didn’t know how much anything cost but at the end of my trip when I checked out I was surprised at how little it cost. I always ordered extra food and a few 1.5 liter water bottles anytime I’d order. The water helps with the swelling so I’d start hydrating a few days before and keep up with the fluid intake while you’re there. 

I asked Ihsan if I needed an e-visa and he said no, but I purchased it anyway just in case. I didn’t need it. They just released that we’ll need a visa if traveling from the US starting in 2024, so save the $50 bucks. 

I brought a small suit case ready to check in if I had to because I didn’t know if I could bring the shampoo and foam in my carry on. When I got to the counter I asked what the limit was and checked the bottles and I was good to go. I didn’t want to check a bag and have to deal with baggage claim when I got back to the states. Each bottle is 100ml, which is the limit. You won’t need to check a bag if you don’t want to. 

Like you, I flew out 2 days after my second procedure. The entire process was flawless. 

I was pretty anxious about traveling back home with my head in the condition it was in. No one bats an eye (except for the little kids with horrified looks on their faces). I flew back to NY and in my cabin alone there were 3 other hair transplants. It’s normal. No one cares.

I hope this helps. 

[Wolverine98]

13 minutes ago, MFR84 said:

Good luck! I had a great experience and hoping you do too.

Someone recommended bringing my own neck pillow and I can’t emphasize that enough. The little blow up neck pillows the clinic provides is the only negative aspect of my experience. It’s flimsy and won’t keep your head off the bed. I bought two on Amazon that I highly recommend. I’ve been using one for sleep (brand is SNUGL) and one for the flight (TRTL). Some may say that it’s not necessary, and I wouldn’t argue, but it was nice to have. It’s a long flight.. 

I also purchased a package of chucks pads for about $20 and brought a few with me. I’m glad I did. The clinic gave me some but I had quite a bit of drainage. I was able to protect my neck pillow and the bed sheets from getting all soiled. I’m sure they’re used to it at the hotel, but I can image they appreciated not having sheets and pillows covered in blood. I was seeping through the bandage when I woke up. 

A few extra button down shirts and a zip up hoodie served me well. My shirts got soiled. There was a girl getting her transplant done on the same day that commuted with me and the back of her shirt was a mess. That can’t be comfortable. The zip up hoodie was nice for the plane because it got pretty cold. 

Food at the hotel was very cheap compared to US prices. I didn’t know how much anything cost but at the end of my trip when I checked out I was surprised at how little it cost. I always ordered extra food and a few 1.5 liter water bottles anytime I’d order. The water helps with the swelling so I’d start hydrating a few days before and keep up with the fluid intake while you’re there. 

I asked Ihsan if I needed an e-visa and he said no, but I purchased it anyway just in case. I didn’t need it. They just released that we’ll need a visa if traveling from the US starting in 2024, so save the $50 bucks. 

I brought a small suit case ready to check in if I had to because I didn’t know if I could bring the shampoo and foam in my carry on. When I got to the counter I asked what the limit was and checked the bottles and I was good to go. I didn’t want to check a bag and have to deal with baggage claim when I got back to the states. Each bottle is 100ml, which is the limit. You won’t need to check a bag if you don’t want to. 

Like you, I flew out 2 days after my second procedure. The entire process was flawless. 

I was pretty anxious about traveling back home with my head in the condition it was in. No one bats an eye (except for the little kids with horrified looks on their faces). I flew back to NY and in my cabin alone there were 3 other hair transplants. It’s normal. No one cares.

I hope this helps. 

This is super helpful info! Thank you so much! I didn’t even think about bringing some of that stuff. The e-visa is great info bc I would’ve gotten it. I will also just take carry on especially if shampoos are in small bottles.

My one fear and I spoke to Ihsan about is if I could get some anti anxiety meds or I can get some prescribed for the injections. He said they could give me on surgery day. Did you ask for any Xanax? I’m wondering if that will help with the anxiety around the injections and subsequent pain.

last thing I’m traveling solo so fine just hanging out in hotel. Was that your experience post surgery were you pretty much just in hotel/room ordering room service or did you explore surrounding area within walking distance from hotel? I’m not planning on going to any tourist attractions as I know they are not in close proximity and I’ve visited before.

 

 

 

[MFR84]

2 hours ago, Wolverine98 said:

This is super helpful info! Thank you so much! I didn’t even think about bringing some of that stuff. The e-visa is great info bc I would’ve gotten it. I will also just take carry on especially if shampoos are in small bottles.

My one fear and I spoke to Ihsan about is if I could get some anti anxiety meds or I can get some prescribed for the injections. He said they could give me on surgery day. Did you ask for any Xanax? I’m wondering if that will help with the anxiety around the injections and subsequent pain.

last thing I’m traveling solo so fine just hanging out in hotel. Was that your experience post surgery were you pretty much just in hotel/room ordering room service or did you explore surrounding area within walking distance from hotel? I’m not planning on going to any tourist attractions as I know they are not in close proximity and I’ve visited before.

 

 

 

No problem! My pleasure. 

I was very anxious right up until I met Ihsan and Dr. Yaman. They made me feel so comfortable right off the bat and listened to my concerns so I did not need anything for anxiety. I was surprisingly calm and ready to get going. Ask them for the medication when you get there if you think it will make the process easier for you. 

Also, the pain from the injections isn’t that bad. It lasts for a few seconds, then you’re numb. I’m a healthcare provider and I often numb people up before procedures. I can tell you they did a fine job anesthetizing the area. They’ll poke around afterwards and ask you if you feel pain to make sure you’re numb. If you feel anything, don’t be afraid to speak up. It’s better to have them numb you correctly from the beginning versus having to ask for more anesthesia while they’re working on your transplant. I was sent back to the hotel with pain medicine but I didn’t need to take it. With that being said, everyone is different and has a different tolerance. I’ve read the anesthesia horror stories on here. It burns, but it lasts seconds, then you’re numb. I took some deep breaths and exhaled slowly as they were injecting me which helped. 

One thing I was not prepared for was the sensation that comes with numbing of the beard. I had a hard time speaking for about an hour afterwards. I was slurring my speech and had little control of my lower lip/jaw which was a bizarre feeling, but it went away about an hour later. I’m not sure if you’re having beard grafts harvested, so be prepared for that if you do. 
 

I didn’t do any sightseeing while I was there. It was very hot and sunny. I brought an umbrella with me, but I had no interest in walking around in the condition I was in. It’s also recommended that you just rest and avoid long walks per the written discharge instructions. I was traveling solo so I just hung out in the hotel room and I’d go down for breakfast each morning. I watched some shows on my laptop. The channel selection on the TV is slim, so I’m glad I brought my laptop with me. 

[Gramatik]

happy grwoing. Really nice and detailed post describing your experience with Dr Yaman. This will help other people that are looking to have a hair transplant with Dr Yaman. 

The work looks really very clean and nice. Dr Yaman is a great doctor and i'm sure he did the best to give you the best result possible. I will be following your joyrney. Keep us updated!

[MFR84]

A few days shy of my 1 month mark. I was told I could cut the donor area with clippers after 15 days but I waiting a bit longer and got it cut today because I wanted to blend in my donor area. I’m taking the multivitamin provided by the clinic, vitamin E, D, C, zinc, MSM, biotin, fish oil, Finasteride 1mg daily, and started oral minoxidil 2.5mg daily. Also doing laser cap therapy daily. Libido is great. Felt a little foggy for the first 2 weeks on finasteride (started taking 1 month prior to HT) which went away. Erections are stronger and more frequent after starting minoxidil, with no side effects. Just some vivid dreams, but no nightmares or anything like that. Pictures below are from today (before my haircut and after). When I washed the scabs out I had a ton of shedding, but they came off easy. I’m still shedding. Every time I wash my hair I noticed hairs on my hands. I noticed some cobblestoning the first few days after washing my scans off which caused a ton of anxiety after seeing some posts on here about cobblestones. I reached out to the clinic and they told me it’s normal and will go away. They’ve definitely gotten much better. So far - I’m happy with my progress, but keep looking in the mirror for some miraculous growth. I have to be patient, but feel 100x better after getting my haircut today. Now alcohol yet, but I’ll be going out for drinks this weekend, then I won’t drink again for a while. I’ve followed all instructions given by the clinic. I was told I could workout lightly after 15 days but decided to just hold off for a full month. I’ll start my workouts again soon. One question I have for anyone that can help - does preworkout affect hair? I was using preworkout powder regularly before my HT and wondering if it could affect my growth at all. (Pictures are in harsh light. Looks better in natural lighting, but the harsh light helps to get a more accurate assessment of the process)

Edited August 17, 2023 by MFR84

[MrBiggs]

Hey man, thanks for the great detailed post. I'm looking to go to Turkey to get my second transplant. I just wanted to know what was the wait time before they were able to get you in. And if possible could you provide me with the cost of surgery and maybe flight as I am in New Jersey as well. Also, was your hotel stay included in the price or was that separate. I tried to PM you but my account won't let me. If you feel more comfortable reaching out, maybe you can PM me or answer up here. Any responses are greatly appreciated.

[MFR84]

2 hours ago, MrBiggs said:

Hey man, thanks for the great detailed post. I'm looking to go to Turkey to get my second transplant. I just wanted to know what was the wait time before they were able to get you in. And if possible could you provide me with the cost of surgery and maybe flight as I am in New Jersey as well. Also, was your hotel stay included in the price or was that separate. I tried to PM you but my account won't let me. If you feel more comfortable reaching out, maybe you can PM me or answer up here. Any responses are greatly appreciated.

I just sent you a message. 

[MFR84]

8 weeks since my HT with Yaman and I’m noticing some slight growth. Shedding lasted from week 2-4. Little stubbles that I find end up turning into longer hairs.  I’m finding new stubbles daily during my scalp massages. Little pimples popping up all the time but they’re usually gone within a day or two. 2 more weeks until the 2 month mark. This is a side by side comparison the day of surgery to today with my hair grown out the same amount of time. Not a huge difference but I’m hoping the little time hairs get thicker with time. 

[MFR84]

2 months - after haircut 

 

[MFR84]

Just a little over 3 months. In hard lighting and normal lighting. Thoughts?

[son2]

Looks right on track, the fun part should start soon.

[MFR84]

6 month update

[wembley]

Great progress at 6 months. It looks already very good at 6 months and you still have 6 more months for improvements...🙏

[Jupiter_]

Thats a great result with massive before-after progress at 6 months! Enjoy your new hair!!😀