I traveled from the US to Istanbul to receive a FUE hair transplant because the costs were so much less. Despite what people say, I don't necessarily believe that the surgeons are more skilled in the Turkey, but the costs are certainly less. I received quotes from about a dozen doctors, and some ended up being sort of meat market doctors that take a dozen or so patients a day and only see them for about half an hour. In those cases, it would seem a luck of the draw whether you have a good operation, depending on which of his assistants you happen to get.
I ended up selecting Dr. ARSLAN Musbeh from Hairmedico. I've documented my entire experience on youtube and update each week, if you care to follow. I will say that Dr. ARSLAN treated me very well, and conducted the majority of the operation himself. He did have two experienced assistants (Zerda and Hatice), but he constantly supervised their activities. The translator (Asma) and photographer (Salih) were also outstanding. The most painful part of the procedure was the numbing shots, and they were over in a couple of minutes. Laying face down on a table while they did extractions was also a bit painful on the nose. The actual removal and transplant of follicles had no pain at all. The procedure took about 6-7 hours, at the end of which, I felt a bit lightheaded. Overall, I was very satisfied with the treatment that I received, and I do recommend Dr. ARSLAN.
I'm about 5 weeks post surgery, and so far, so good. The donor and transplant sites healed quickly. The scabs were minor and came off both sites within two weeks. I've had some shedding (perhaps 30%), but it has been very slow, and I'm not sure if there will be more. I will update my review after I've had time to see how well the hair grows back in.
Updated on 17 Jul 2018:
A few things that learned that I thought I could share. First, take your time picking a doctor. Obviously, don't go solely on price. For me, it was about having a doctor's attention, which is what led me to Dr. Arslan. He only does one patient a day, which I preferred. Second, look for one that operates out of a real medical facility. Dr. Arslan partners with another doctor, and they work out of a very nice private clinic. He did share with me that some doctors work out of apartments or even a closed hospital emergency room. Third, be prepared for a real medical procedure. Getting a hair transplant is a real surgery. You'll lose blood, which will leave you feeling weak and dizzy. Fourth, wear the black headband for at least a couple of days. Believe me, it helps with keeping the swelling down in your face. I took mine off after two days, and I noticed the swelling starting in my eyebrows. When I put back on the headband for another day, the swelling subsided. Fifth, and this one is super important, be careful going home. It's so easy to bump your head on an an airport bin or a headboard. The reason it's so easy is that your head is numb. Even weeks later, it feels numb. So, it almost feels like you're wearing a helmet. Obviously, you don't wan to injure you freshly implanted follicles, so be super careful for a week. Sixth, and this is just my personal recommendation, take frequent very gentle showers until the scabs come off. I had great luck with this, very little scabbing and it all came off easily. Rather than letting the shower run over my head, I ran the water into my hands and dumped on my head, gently rubbing to remove scabs. Finally, I took finasteride (Propecia) almost immediately, but waited 4 weeks to start on Rogaine, per the doctor's recommendation. I also took biotin and general multivitamins, although I have no idea if those helped. I hope that my suggestions help a little. Feel free to ask any other questions that I might be able to help with.
Updated on 7 Sep 2018:
It's been right at 12 weeks since the procedure. So far, everything seems to be going well. The donor area looks completely normal, and it doesn't feel thin in any way. The front of the scalp has started growing new hairs as you can see in the photo. I expect quite a bit of additional growth, but we'll see when it all comes in. I have no complaints at this point. Everything has gone as expected. Will post more photos later.
Updated on 12 Dec 2018:
It's been almost six months, and I wanted to post a short update. Let me start by saying that all in all, I'm very pleased with the results. My new hairline looks natural, and the hair is coming in nicely. I'm posting a couple of photos for others to judge for themselves. I have absolutely no regrets about having Dr. Arslan do the surgery, and the results have been everything I expected. The hair is still a little thinner than the hair at the back of my head, but I expect it to thicken a bit more over the next six months.
Updated on 31 Jan 2019:
Here are a few more photos. My hair has grown in well, and I have no complaints about the experience. I included one photo with wet hair so you can better see the pattern of hairs. All in all, the money and effort of having this procedure was well worth it.