Dr Kapil Dua | AK Clinic | 2000 Grafts | 30/12/2023

[BabaYaga-666]

Yes, the title is a clickbait. 😁

Greetings, fellow hair enthusiasts! Join me on a riveting journey through the strands of time as I delve into the realm of hair restoration. At the ripe age of 29, armed with a Norwood 2 to 3 hairline, my saga of hair loss began at the tender age of 21.

As destiny would have it, in the next 12 months, I am set to embark on the adventure of marriage. Fueled by the impending celebration of love, I've made a bold decision to undergo a hair transplant. Drumroll, please! The deed was done on the 30th of December 2023.

So, fasten your seatbelts, hair aficionados! This is not just a tale of lost strands and surgical remedies; it's a narrative of confidence regained, self-discovery, and the pursuit of a luscious mane. 

Having been inspired by my father's successful transformation at AK Clinic under the skilled hands of Dr. Kapil Dua, he naturally became a frontrunner in my choices. The allure of affordability added to its appeal. However, the researcher in me decided to explore other options, just to be thorough.

The contenders in this follicular showdown were:

1. AK Clinic - Dr. Kapil Dua (Cheapest)
2. HairTran Clinic - Dr. Pukpinya (Mid-Price)
3. Local Clinic - A member of ISHRS (Most Expensive)

With the initial inclination towards the local clinic, I eagerly paid a deposit, locked down a date, and braced myself for the impending transformation. However, a chance conversation with my dad, who had some friends with not-so-optimal results from the same local clinic, gave me pause.

The uncertainty of whether it was due to negligence or the doctor's skills haunted me. Alas, I was not prepared to play Russian roulette with my precious locks. Thus, I pivoted my focus to HairTran and AK Clinic, aiming for a more thorough examination before the final leap into the realm of hair restoration. 

Decision locked: AK Clinic and Dr. Kapil Dua it is, influenced by my dad's success and other Malaysians with positive outcomes. While HairTrans offers the speedy allure of FUE/DHI, I appreciate Dr. Dua's meticulous approach—measuring grafts and tailoring slits to graft length. This precision echoes the practices of Dr. Gary Linkov, another admired expert, albeit beyond my budget. Here's to embracing the methodical artistry of AK Clinic! 

The journey to Dr. Kapil Dua for my hair surgeon, all narrated with the whimsical touch of ChatGPT. 

 

So now come to the details of my pre and post-surgery experience. 

Pre-Surgery:

I connected with Manya at AK Clinic, sharing my baldness pics for Dr. Kapil's evaluation. After the consult, which included graft details and costs, I had a brief chat with Dr. Kapil himself. Although I felt well-prepared for my research, a small regret lingered about not asking about DHI. The surgery date initially set for December 29th had to be adjusted to December 30th due to my travel plans. Manya skillfully managed to coordinate with Dr. Kapil for the change. After paying the deposit, I received a detailed pre and post-surgery guide that outshone even the local clinic's instructions. Additionally, a thorough blood test, beyond the usual HIV check, added another layer of confidence in AK Clinic's professionalism. Now, the countdown to December 30th begins! 

A thoughtful side note indeed! The prospect of AK Clinic offering a broader package, like a medical tourism bundle for hair transplants, sounds like a fantastic idea. Imagine the ease of having airport pick-up, a few nights' stay at a designated hotel, and seamless hotel drop-off all rolled into one. It could streamline the entire process and alleviate the challenges of finding the ideal accommodation, which can be a real headache. Here's to hoping for future innovations that make the hair transplant journey even smoother for others! 

 

Day of the surgery:

I had a hefty hotel breakfast before reaching the clinic at 8:36 am. Mr. Girish greeted me and they did a quick CT/BT test in the lab below (Not an AK Clinic Lab), something I couldn't find in Malaysia (The CT/BT Test). Then i met with Geeta who then gave me clothes to change into and took some headshot pictures before shaving my head (still waiting for those pics to be sent over to me) and another set of pictures after shaving. She did also give some medication, I think it was Antibiotics. 

After all that, I met Dr. Kapil. We had a simple chat told him what i wanted and my expectations are, and he drew my new hairline on my freshly shaved head. He covered the front crown and apex, and when I asked about the temple triangle, he advised waiting until I was 35+. Nice to see a focus on a natural look for my age. (Would love some feedback from the rest in this forum on not doing anything on my temple triangle).

In the operating room, after the routine local anesthesia, I was surprised to receive a tetanus shot—an unexpected but reassuring precaution. The familiar steps followed, but the extra layer of care added a sense of confidence to the proceedings.

 

For this part, I would like to do direct hits. 

Step 1: Slit Making - Dr. Kapil Dua (100%)

Step 2: Harvesting - Dr. Kapil Dua (100%)

Step 3: Graft Insertion into Slits - Technicians (100%) - Geeta and Jagdev handled the insertion, and a new technician (name unknown/I think its new cause saw he doing some slit training on fake head on the 5th day) managed the saline water shooting.

Fine with this structure as step 1 and 2 for me was the most important. 

Graft Break down: 

1. Single graft: 258
2. Double graft: 628
3. Triple graft: 864
4. Four Graft: 260 
5. Lost or Extra Graft (Not Sure):10
6. Total Graft: 2000
7. Total Hair Folicle:5073 
8. Punch Tip: 0.9

I was told I have a lot of nice 3 and 4 grafts (What do you think?)

Overall procedure experience:

1. Needles were painful.
2. Procedure comfort was okay, considering the circumstances.
3. I tried sleeping, but I couldn't. 
4. I could hear all the chit-chat. Some were interesting, and some were lost in the language barrier. LOL 
5. PRP was done once the surgery was completed.  
6. Overall It was okay. 

Special shoutout to Girish for arranging a delicious Porontha for lunch! 🍽️👍

After all the above, i was wrapped up and sent back home with the Surgical Cap which was loosely worn. 

Post-Surgery Experience:

 

Days 1 - 7 Overall Care:

• Applied saline water spray regularly, every 15, 30, or 10 minutes based on comfort levels.

Day 2:

• Bandage removal and cleaning of the Donor Area.
• Application of cream with instructions for twice-daily care.

Day 4:

• Visit for a hair wash before heading back to Malaysia.
• Application of Aloe Vera Gel, followed by a 45-minute rest.
• Gentle massage of the implant area with gauze to clear scabs.
• Hair wash with Hair Soup.
• Experienced sharp pain at the widow's peak with no bleeding, deemed normal.
• Given steps for hair wash on Day 7.

Day 7:

• Followed the outlined steps for washing, with additional clarification via a clinic-arranged call.

Uncertainty:

• Mixed information from forums and AK Clinic regarding post-Day 7 washing frequency.
• Attempted clarification with the clinic resulted in delayed and brief responses post-surgery.
• Clinic advised using normal shampoo once a week and dandruff shampoo twice a week.

Overall: 
A pleasant experience at AK Clinic, yet an area for improvement lies in the post-surgery phase. Acknowledging the positives while suggesting enhancements for the post-operative journey. Hoping to get feedback from AK Clinic on my post-operative Journey as soon as possible.

Thank you to the Team: @Dr. Kapil Dua, Manya, Girish, Geeta, Jagdev, Mohit

I would also keep everyone posted on the progress of the surgery. 

Pre Surgery Picture: 

Day 0

Day 2 (Bandage Removal) 

Day 4 Wash

Day 7 Wash

 

 

[jjalay]

Great presentation but Gary Linkov is more of a youtube expert, not a hairtransplant expert.

[BabaYaga-666]

Day 10 Update: 

[BabaYaga-666]

@Melvin- Admin is there a way i could edit the title of this page. 

Edited January 9 by BabaYaga-666

[Rawkerboi]

Great Write and wish you the best, the work looks good and I guess 2000 Grafts will give you sufficient density.

Any pre ops pictures from clinic?

[BabaYaga-666]

17 hours ago, Rawkerboi said:

Great Write and wish you the best, the work looks good and I guess 2000 Grafts will give you sufficient density.

Any pre ops pictures from clinic?

Have requested for it but haven’t gotten it yet. 

hopefully 2k graft is sufficient, i did have alot of baby hair from my receding hairline. Implant were done around that area and beyond that as well. Hoping that minoxidil and finasteride will make them healthy and strong again. 
 

On 1/7/2024 at 12:54 AM, jjalay said:

Great presentation but Gary Linkov is more of a youtube expert, not a hairtransplant expert.

yeah i kinda felt that after joining/ discovering this forum, prior to that information was limited and my source has been youtube. 

[Melvin- Admin]

22 hours ago, BabaYaga-666 said:

@Melvin- Admin is there a way i could edit the title of this page. 

Sure what would you like it changed too?

[BabaYaga-666]

48 minutes ago, Melvin- Admin said:

Sure what would you like it changed too?

Dr Kapil Dua | AK Clinic | 2000 Grafts | 30/12/2023 

 

I Believe this should do it. 

[Steeeve]

@jjalay I would actually omit the word “expert” 🤣 he does indeed have a YouTube channel! 😂🤣

@BabaYaga-666 Awesome write up! Congrats on the procedure and congrats on the impending marriage! This is going to be a big year for you!!

Looking forward to following along with your journey!

[BabaYaga-666]

Day 46 

seems like its shedding, lets see how it goes. Got a small pimple on the implants, but after a call with Dr Dua, he said i have nothing to worry about. 
 

 

[Hairwolf]

On 1/7/2024 at 12:54 AM, jjalay said:

Great presentation but Gary Linkov is more of a youtube expert, not a hairtransplant expert.

Would be interested in seeing a report from him too 😆 

[Hairwolf]

On 1/11/2024 at 1:09 PM, Steeeve said:

omit the word “expert” 🤣

😂 he’s done very well out of it,  it seems.