HLC ANKARA 3580 Grafts for hairline and middle section

[FaganBecker]

15 minutes ago, Stoner said:

No, I think it is fairly likely that you will see new hair growing until the 10-12-month mark, at least some. This is why I said I expect this to be denser. Since past performance is usually indicative, you might want to have a look at other cases from HLC either here, on Reddit, or on other forums to check what the usual growing timeline for patients who have gone to HLC is. I hope the comments did not discourage you too much, since you truly have some way to go still.

It is really hard to tell where this will land yet, but anything within 'ok-ish' to 'good' seems within the range of possibilities (sorry, that must have sounded like a liability waiver :P)

I think the lack of naturality and the awkwardness may be more because the hairs are still wavy which will definitely improve overtime. They will mature and mingle fine with your native hair.

I saw your previous comment about meds. I would suggest trying topical min slowly, as you intend, and upping gradually. You can talk with a cardiologist to make sure it does not mess with your heart rate or whether oral min may be more apt.

 

Well I hope you are right! The other commenter doesn't have quite so rosy a view on it! Thanks again

[duchaine]

9 minutes ago, FaganBecker said:

Well I do appreciate your comments, but am going to try not to take them too seriously for now. I've seen some of your comments on here and they do tend to be quite assertive and certain. I'm counting on you being wrong, honestly, as there is still a way to go! 

 

Nonetheless, if you're right, I'll eat my words. will post more pics soon. 

I hope to be wrong. I am happy if things turn for the best.

in any case, I invite you to have a more coherent attitude: You invited people to express their honest opinions and it is simply what I did.

if you will share better pics, maybe the comment can change. Lightings and background make a huge difference.

[FaganBecker]

1 minute ago, duchaine said:

I hope to be wrong. I am happy if things turn for the best.

in any case, I invite you to have a more coherent attitude: You invited people to express their honest opinions and it is simply what I did.

if you will share better pics, maybe the comment can change. Lightings and background make a huge difference.

I don't think my attitude is incoherent! I think your bedside manner is just somewhat brusque haha 

I'm totally seeing what you're saying and sadly agree with much of it, but I'm just hoping that you (and my fears!) are wrong. 

Regarding lighting I purposefully chose a room where the lighting is very average. Not heavily exposed, but still downlighting. I sat on the floor to ensure that I wasn't directly under a light too. 

In some lighting it definitely looks thicker, but in other lighting - such as outside - it definitely looks thinner and therefore more unnatural. 

 

[duchaine]

2 minutes ago, FaganBecker said:

I don't think my attitude is incoherent! I think your bedside manner is just somewhat brusque haha 

I'm totally seeing what you're saying and sadly agree with much of it, but I'm just hoping that you (and my fears!) are wrong. 

Regarding lighting I purposefully chose a room where the lighting is very average. Not heavily exposed, but still downlighting. I sat on the floor to ensure that I wasn't directly under a light too. 

In some lighting it definitely looks thicker, but in other lighting - such as outside - it definitely looks thinner and therefore more unnatural. 

 

IMHO, the bathroom (3 months pics) was perfect 😉😉😉

 

[Melvin- Admin]

If I’m being honest, there’s quite a few multi-follicular units in the very front. 

 

I want to commend you on sharing your experience. It takes courage and it’s not easy being judged by strangers on the internet. But the truth can be painful. 

I don’t think HLC would be happy with this hairline. There needs to be refinement to frontal zones, and some more micro-irregularities. Have you spoken to the clinic?

[BaldReaper]

the density is good but the hairline is pluggy and need more irregularities

[FaganBecker]

3 minutes ago, Melvin- Admin said:

If I’m being honest, there’s quite a few multi-follicular units in the very front. 

 

I want to commend you on sharing your experience. It takes courage and it’s not easy being judged by strangers on the internet. But the truth can be painful. 

I don’t think HLC would be happy with this hairline. There needs to be refinement to frontal zones, and some more micro-irregularities. Have you spoken to the clinic?

Thanks for your response. Yes I have. I was told that there were no such things as multi-grafts. 

As for the growth, is that concerning too?

Edited January 18 by FaganBecker

[duchaine]

1 minute ago, FaganBecker said:

Thanks for your response. Yes I have. I was told that there were no such things as multi-grafts. 

As for the growth, is that concerning too?

I tried to count the uf. It is not easy.

you can do the math by yourself.

take a piece of paper. Make an ho-le 1 sq cm (1x1). Put the she-et oh your hairline and see how many grafts are in it. 
 

[FaganBecker]

16 minutes ago, Melvin- Admin said:

If I’m being honest, there’s quite a few multi-follicular units in the very front. 

 

I want to commend you on sharing your experience. It takes courage and it’s not easy being judged by strangers on the internet. But the truth can be painful. 

I don’t think HLC would be happy with this hairline. There needs to be refinement to frontal zones, and some more micro-irregularities. Have you spoken to the clinic?

Also in terms of getting responsive and cooperative and collaborative communication from HLC, would you recommend my sending them a link to this thread? or would that be very combative do you think?

 

They seem to be quite unresponsive, have indicated nothing about their view of the quality of the hairline, only that it's 'average', they also told me that multi-grafts are not possible, which seems untrue based on how this looks. They also said that they really can't say anything until 12 months passes. 

[duchaine]

4 minutes ago, FaganBecker said:

Also in terms of getting responsive and cooperative and collaborative communication from HLC, would you recommend my sending them a link to this thread? or would that be very combative do you think?

 

They seem to be quite unresponsive, have indicated nothing about their view of the quality of the hairline, only that it's 'average', they also told me that multi-grafts are not possible, which seems untrue based on how this looks. They also said that they really can't say anything until 12 months passes. 

What did they mean “multigrafts are not possible”?

 

[Melvin- Admin]

38 minutes ago, FaganBecker said:

Thanks for your response. Yes I have. I was told that there were no such things as multi-grafts. 

As for the growth, is that concerning too?

The growth looks good. But it needs refinement. I would be straight up and honest with them. Tell them how you feel and what you want. 

[Sunset Dune]

Is HLC still in the recommended list? There have been way too many cases with lots of multis in the hairline and low density even though they use many grafts. 

[Britanium]

7 hours ago, Sunset Dune said:

Is HLC still in the recommended list? There have been way too many cases with lots of multis in the hairline and low density even though they use many grafts. 

HLC isn't on the forums recommended list, and I dont seem to see any members mentioning them much these days (myself included) 

I don't think they are producing the consistent work they used to be renowned for. Shame really as they were always one of the better options in Turkey.. 

[duchaine]

1 hour ago, Britanium said:

HLC isn't on the forums recommended list, and I dont seem to see any members mentioning them much these days (myself included) 

I don't think they are producing the consistent work they used to be renowned for. Shame really as they were always one of the better options in Turkey.. 

hlc had some flaws (no after op care and many grafts use) but was a very good clinic.

some of the doctors (and, from what I see, the best doctors) that were there until 3/4 years ago left the clinic and now they have an high % of poor results.

Btw, from what I see, all the multi in first line are because the single didn’t grow.

you can clearly see what I mean: the hairline had a lot of irregularities after ht. The irrugalarities are the singles.

now, the hairline lacks of irregularities: that means that the single didn’t grow.

Hard to say if that is because poor grafts managing or because the single grafts were weaker and died because the patient didn’t use the right medications.

Edited January 19 by duchaine

[FaganBecker]

39 minutes ago, duchaine said:

hlc had some flaws (no after op care and many grafts use) but was a very good clinic.

some of the doctors (and, from what I see, the best doctors) that were there until 3/4 years ago left the clinic and now they have an high % of poor results.

Btw, from what I see, all the multi in first line are because the single didn’t grow.

you can clearly see what I mean: the hairline had a lot of irregularities after ht. The irrugalarities are the singles.

now, the hairline lacks of irregularities: that means that the single didn’t grow.

Hard to say if that is because poor grafts managing or because the single grafts were weaker and died because the patient didn’t use the right medications.

I think I disagree with your assessment here, though I do understand it. 

However, if you look closely at the pattern of implantation - the small spaces (necessary irregularities) between the very front row of implanted grafts - it is much the same as when the operation was first done. I think it is masked by the fact that many of these are multi-follicular units, rather than singles (with a few singles scattered throughout.) Also, combing through the hair and looking very closely, I can actually see loads of singles! Sadly, only a few of them are actually at the very front of the hairline, most are interspersed throughout behind the hairline. Clearly those single grafts grew just fine.

The doctor I had - Dr Elif -  did seem particularly experienced. I specifically requested her based on results I had seen online. However, given what I'm seeing now in my results what I took to be a sign of experience and professionalism when I was there - a very laid back and relaxed attitude - I'm now wondering if it was just a sign of not caring all that much. Another patient, another day. That kind of thing. 

When I raised concerns at the end of the transplant, partly on the hairline design, she waved concerns away with a kind of "oh well! if you need another one, you can come back in a year" kind of attitude, which given the stress and difficulty of actually getting surgery in a foreign country seemed like an overly relaxed approach to hair transplantation. It's surgery, not a haircut. 

Edited January 19 by FaganBecker

[FaganBecker]

15 hours ago, Melvin- Admin said:

The growth looks good. But it needs refinement. I would be straight up and honest with them. Tell them how you feel and what you want. 

Thank you! Based on your advice, I laid out my concerns to them very clearly and asked for feedback on whether or not they believed my hairline conforms with HLC's standards and specific expectations. Got a response back from them saying that they are asking the doctor and will get back to me soon. 

Edited January 19 by FaganBecker

[wembley]

Your result looks good to be honest. What i can see is some doubles in the front, which are also observed in most clinics...

In general i dont think anyone in normal life will observe things like that. It will look normal...

[FaganBecker]

46 minutes ago, wembley said:

Your result looks good to be honest. What i can see is some doubles in the front, which are also observed in most clinics...

In general i dont think anyone in normal life will observe things like that. It will look normal...

Thank you! Observed in most clinics, including top ones? (Or at least those in HLC's higher mid tier reputation?)

[duchaine]

1 hour ago, FaganBecker said:

I think I disagree with your assessment here, though I do understand it. 

However, if you look closely at the pattern of implantation - the small spaces (necessary irregularities) between the very front row of implanted grafts - it is much the same as when the operation was first done. I think it is masked by the fact that many of these are multi-follicular units, rather than singles (with a few singles scattered throughout.) Also, combing through the hair and looking very closely, I can actually see loads of singles! Sadly, only a few of them are actually at the very front of the hairline, most are interspersed throughout behind the hairline. Clearly those single grafts grew just fine.

The doctor I had - Dr Elif -  did seem particularly experienced. I specifically requested her based on results I had seen online. However, given what I'm seeing now in my results what I took to be a sign of experience and professionalism when I was there - a very laid back and relaxed attitude - I'm now wondering if it was just a sign of not caring all that much. Another patient, another day. That kind of thing. 

When I raised concerns at the end of the transplant, partly on the hairline design, she waved concerns away with a kind of "oh well! if you need another one, you can come back in a year" kind of attitude, which given the stress and difficulty of actually getting surgery in a foreign country seemed like an overly relaxed approach to hair transplantation. It's surgery, not a haircut. 

Yes, she has a very relaxed attitude.

she was not my surgeon but I talked with her before the op.

in my case, she was helpful but I understand that her statement can be disturbing.

[duchaine]

41 minutes ago, FaganBecker said:

Thank you! Observed in most clinics, including top ones? (Or at least those in HLC's higher mid tier reputation?)

A double in first line can happen, especially if you were in a telogen phase.

microscopes reduce the risk but you can’t be risk free.

[FaganBecker]

6 minutes ago, duchaine said:

A double in first line can happen, especially if you were in a telogen phase.

microscopes reduce the risk but you can’t be risk free.

Do they definitely use microscopes at HLC?

[duchaine]

1 minute ago, FaganBecker said:

Do they definitely use microscopes at HLC?

I saw microscopes but can’t say if they used.

i suppose they did but keep in mind that microscopes are not 100% guaranteed.

For a 100% result, the grafts selection with microscopes should take hours.

[BaldGuy]

23 hours ago, FaganBecker said:

So here is my 6 month update. 

 

I have my thoughts about it. I also have my thoughts about some of the communication I've had with HLC. But for now I'm just genuinely interested in seeing what happens in the months to come and of course, receiving some impartial opinions/advice from the good gentleman of the HRN. Will probably share some neurotic ramblings at a later point, but I don't want to influence what people think here... so for now, please just shoot. Tell me what you think - how am I getting on? 

(Pics taken in what I'd call, average lighting.) 

 

 

 

Your result looks pretty good and you still have 6 months for more improvements. Enjoy your new hair 👍

[FaganBecker]

9 minutes ago, BaldGuy said:

 

Your result looks pretty good and you still have 6 months for more improvements. Enjoy your new hair 👍

Appreciate the comment, but honestly for me this is very far from good! I don't believe I had unrealistic expectations either

[Melvin- Admin]

13 hours ago, Sunset Dune said:

Is HLC still in the recommended list? There have been way too many cases with lots of multis in the hairline and low density even though they use many grafts. 

They’re not on our list and never have been, we only recommend surgeon's, not clinics. That said, they have a good reputation. I would imagine this result would prompt them to offer a free repair.