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Hair Raising Experience in Istanbul

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  • I went to Istanbul - in Turkey? - on 25th January for transplants to cover rhe MPB and loss of hair from stress due to delays in surgery.

    I chose there because costs are really low at 1 Euro/$1.32 per follicle/hair compared to £5/$7.50 in London.

    I needed 2000 so cost me 2300Euro or £1970 or $3036 all inc room, taxis, food plus £250/$400 flights.

    I chose FUE which is taking out individual follicles and putting them where needed rather than the FUT which takes a long strip of skin off back of ghead, chopping it into individuals and sticking them back in.  I had FUT 4 years ago when it was only technique available but it wasn't good so now FUE is way to go.

    Flew from manchester UK to Zurich and then on to Istanbul.  Cloud almost all way so didnt see anything apart from Swiss mountains all covered in snow.

    Taxi thorugh crowded streets.  Istanbul is ancient city thats growing like Topsy with masses of apartmnet block all overloading the road system.

    Istanbul is half in Europe and half in Asia so I took a taxi ride over to Asia and back past th eluxury houses and boats.

    Surgery was done in operating rooms in evening so its cheap. had to have all head shaved to get enough follicles and make replanting good. Took about 4 hours. 

    Surgoen cut off then shaved all hair. Injected painkillers quite painfully! Then injected water under scalp to lift it off skull. then used a little drill thing to zip the follicles out at about one per second. Stopped every few seconds to empty the drilled follicles into water. Assistant counted and lined them up.  Then surgeon injected more water under scalp where follciles to go and then made tiny slits with sharp scalpel and then assistant passed each follicle and she pushed them in.  Bit of bleeding but not too bad.

    Bandaged me up and had to sleep with rolled towel under neck to keep pressure off back of head.  nasty mess on pillows and nightgown.

    Can't wash hair until Monday morning so its an itchy mess of little blood crusts.

    I was worried about being read too much with no hair and a woolly cap covering the bandages but very few people stared.

    Coming home plane was delayed then cancelled due to fog and snow so eventually airline had to give us free dinner and room in Hilton so no complainst from me.  Got home and took train home but so depressing to travel through filthy decrepit UK after the gloss and vibrancy of istanbul.

    Nice now with no hair to see how the hormones have changed my face over the years and with nice minimum makeup I'm quite a pasaable woman like any who have lost their hair for various problems but tomorrow I will have to go sort out a nice wig...but thats if my forehead swelling has gone down as right now there is a fluid buildup swelling that makes me look quite reptilian - just paint me slimy green and put me in horror movie.

    Anyone needing hair transplants should think of Istanbul as the place, people and service are fine and at 1 Euro a hair its incredible value.

    I won't post a photo yet as the blood makes it a bit gruesome.

      January 29, 2012 8:42 PM GMT
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  • Very interesting Rose. Thank you for spending the time and effort to make such an informative post. If I may suggest in keeping any photos of when it is slightly bloody, im sure when your hair has developed regrowth hopefully you will feel differently about sharing more of the unpleasant side of these efforts that we put our selves through :) love Penny x

    Just an ordinary girl finding her way in this strange life. - What will it take to get everyone to realise that everyone else is also a human being that deserves just as much respect? - How does someone tell their doctor they have hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia? - When I was a student I specialised in Alcopology. It always starts with Alco and always ends with pology. - Waiter! There's a hare in my rabbit pie!
    This post was edited by Penny Zenny at January 29, 2012 11:57 PM GMT
      January 29, 2012 11:56 PM GMT
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  • I have never herd of this procedure before. Wishing you a quick recovery and great results Rose. Thanks for sharing,this was a great read. hugs
    Jessica Nova
      January 30, 2012 3:38 AM GMT
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  • One week post-op. On morning of 4th day I got in bath for a long soak to see if I could soak off the messy bits. Put on some hair cleaner the clinic gave me and left it for 45 minutes while I had a lovely soak. (I like long hot bubble baths!) After half hour head was looking a bit cleaner so I got the plastic jug and started pouring warm water on the new hairs. Nothing happened for a minute or two then I got the mirror and OMG! I had a head full of disgusting white FUNGUS! LOL It seems that when each of the follicles is drilled out of my scalp it has a tube of skin around it and for soem reason or other it takes about 30 minutes to absorb enough water to suddenly swell up like a white fungus. I didn't dare rubbing it to get it off so I just poured some shampoo and then conditioner on and rinsed well and then patted and blow dried. As it dried the fungus disappeared again as the flesh shrunk back to size. I took a pix but its too gruesome to put up. Haven't been out until today as I got quite a swelling of my forehead and then the swelling moved down between my eyes and then turned yellow and black like a bruise. So finally today I decided to go but a wig. I'd looked at lots of online wigs but the problem of right size and exact colour stopped me buying so I went into town. One shop had a few but the staff just ignored me and didn't want my money so I walked out. Next shop had a few but nothing made me want to buy. Third shop very nice Asian guy got me several to try and I came out with a nice slim short bob. It is the flesh effect base with human hair. Looks and feels good. I'll use it and probably get other wigs for a few months until my hair grows out. I am surpised at how nice my skull looks so it is possible that I might keep to a short pixie cut in future.

    This post was edited by Former Member at February 2, 2012 8:30 PM GMT
      February 2, 2012 8:26 PM GMT
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  • Went into office wheer I do volunteer work yesterady, first time since hair op, had the new wig on and decided I'd try disguise myself and not wear my spectacles. Managed to walk the five minutes down to office without walking into trees and popped my head round door and said hello to my boss. she said hello, can I help you then realised it was me and was very surprised at my new look. She said the light brown colour suited me after seeing me as streaky blond for four years and alos seemed to make me look younger but couldn't decide exactly why ?
    Today I went to beauty salon for face electrolysis and girls there very appreciative and interested in the FUE procedure as it is first time they had seen it.
    9 days post-op and I'm still getting steady headaches and lots of little stings from various places where follicles were extracted and then inserted.
      February 4, 2012 8:41 PM GMT
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  • 11 days post-op and the hairs are loosening and can be pulled out quite easily.
    I'm hoping that new hairs will push up in another week or so.
      February 7, 2012 3:38 AM GMT
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  • Hi Rose,

     

    I wonder if you wouldn't mind answering a few questions as I might have to undergo something like this later on in the year.

    How much of an area of the scalp does 2000 implants cover??

    What sort of density - full or medium??

    Was this done to thicken your hair or (if you don't mind me asking) were you devoid of hair in the areas which you had the implants??

    Dis you try other remedies before resorting to transplants (eg Mynoxidyl, Finasteride, Dutasteride etc)??

    And finally, any signs of the new hairs yet??

    Hope they are sprouting for you like mad now

     

    Carol

    This post was edited by Former Member at February 17, 2012 2:11 AM GMT
      February 17, 2012 2:10 AM GMT
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  • no sign of new yet but practically all the implants have fallen out so new hairs will be pushing up in next few days.
    It was to cover thinned areas from MPB.
    2000 covers about 8 square inches as my darker hairs need fewer to give a good effect..lighter hairs would need to be more to get coverage.
    tried the other stuff but no results.
      February 17, 2012 9:50 AM GMT
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  • Thank you for sharing this, Rose. As someone with hair issues, I am very interested.
    -Jessi-
      February 17, 2012 4:25 PM GMT
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  • Hi Rose,

    Thank you for your response, it is very interesting. A couple more points if I may:-

    Did the doctot give you any idea of the success rate of the grafts (eg 60%, 90% etc) as when I had mine done originally in the 70's the success rate was only about 60% i.e. only 6 out of 10 grafts were viable)

    Would you care to give a link to the clinic in Turkey where you had them done please.

    Thanks

    Carol xx
      February 19, 2012 3:47 PM GMT
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  • all the transplanted follicles hairs have fallen out leaving a pink area where the receiving incisions were made and today at 37 days there are quite a few new hairs pushing up to give a definite stubbly feel and show here the new front hairline will be.
    By say first of May I should have a nice pixie look.
      March 3, 2012 3:54 PM GMT
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  • Good news for you then Rose - I hope everything is successful for you and that you are pleased with the results.

    Carol xx
      March 14, 2012 4:26 PM GMT
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