POSTED UNDER FUE Hair Transplant REVIEWS
FUE in Ankara, Turkey - Extremely Satisfied - Ankara, TR
ORIGINAL POST
Writing this from my hotel room, a few hours...
WORTH IT$5,250
Writing this from my hotel room, a few hours post-op. Arrived in Ankara on Monday. Impressed by the professionalism of the staff, from the patient coordinator whose mother tongue is English, to the assistants. Hotel a 4 mn walk to the clinic. Pre op consultation was clear and everything explained in detail. Dr Civas takes the time to explain and make you feel at ease. The next day, surgery. They take only one patient per day. 3 nurses help Dr Civas, who have been working with him for over 10 years. Surgery room very clean, state of the art. Dr Civas draws the hairline and injects anaesthetics, an almost painless process though you can feel a small something. Slightly uncomfortable for a second and the all is good. I cannot tell much about the surgery itslef as I slept almost all the time! Only thing I know is Dr Civas does make all the incisions himslef, and starts getting the grafts before handing over to the nurses who work in a very efficient manner. Which is why I fell asleep... Everyone is so kind, you feel that you are not just a number. At noon I had a quick lunch and they started inserting the grafts. And then it was over in 8 hours. They gave me a cap, all the medications I need and ordered a taxi for me - because they say after the surgery it is preferable even for such a short walk! An assistant even accompanied me. Soon a complimentary dinner will be served in the room. No pain for now, just a bit tired. Amazing results ftom what I see. I am really glad I went for Civas Clinic, there are cheaper alternatives in Turkey but dr Civas is the only ISHRS fellow and a member of the American Board of hair restoration surgery. I cannot speak highly enough of him. Will post pictures to report progress. Appointment tomorrow to remove the bandage. Am really stoked.
lcry's provider
Replies (8)
June 7, 2016
I don't understand how people can say they are extremely satisfied 7 days post op! No one can be satisfied until they see the final result!
June 8, 2016
Okay so I wil help you understand better.
If you have read reviews on here you may have noticed that quite often people write about the hotel, the breakfast or how nice the driver was. Some people talk about the doctor's kindness.
I am not interested about the doctor kindness -apart from the minimal politeness requirements. I am interested in doctors who know what they are talking about, and what they are doing.
With my scientific background and interest in medicine in general, and as a former journalist in this field, I can easily tell if the guy is just average, or if he's a crook or a good doctor. I have very specific questions and I already know what I'm talking about before asking questions. Actually; I even tend to have a couple "trap" questions, to which I know exactly what the answer should not be. And here's my little secret: the really good doctors admit they don't know everything. They will just plainly tell you "I don't know". That's a major green flag.
I'm also interested in what sorts of tools/instruments are used, the team expertise, and the premises.
So why am I very satisfied with Dr Civas? Because he ticked all the boxes. Not one single red flag. Surgery room super clean, very professional team of 3 persons working with him for 10+ years. The way the procedure was handled was really professional. Pre-op and after care were second to none. Now, Dr Civas is also very kind and that's nice to have but he is most importantly one of the best hair restoration surgeon in the world - the only ISHRS fellow in Turkey, and there are no so many of them in the world. He explained everything to me and understood quickly that I had more knowledge than the average Joe, so when we talked about sedation or molecules or treatments possibilities we went far beyond the basics. And he knows what he is talking about. Alopecia treatment is his main subject of interest and he told there's not one single day when he does not read a scientific publication about it.
As for my results : now 3 weeks post-op. Should I see the final result to decide if I am satisfied? Sorry mate, that's not true.
1- Pleas define "final result". Is it a date, such as one year after surgery? A timeframe? WHat is "final results"? I will be losing some hair in the coming months and year, so my hair is always a work in progress. So how can anything be "final"? Now of course we can talk about graft survival rate.
2- If you prefer I can write that I'm extremely satisfied AT THIS STAGE. The procedure went smoothly as I explained already. Furthermore, the implantation of the grafts is perfectly natural (random patter as opposed to linear/unnatural pattern seen in cheap clinics). Healing went exactly as described by Dr Civas. Current state is great: went to the gym yesterday, people complimented me on my look and some told me about my "military cut". Only one person asked me what I did with my hair, she saw that the grafts are shorter. My answer satisfied her and she did not ask anymore. It means that with my military cut it looks natural and that, my friend, is a good reason to be extremely satisfied.
3- Once grafts are properly implanted, what can I expect? Well, Dr Civas not only implanted grafts in the bald area, but he also grafter the area where I'll be losing my hair in the coming years. He told me "so that you don't have to come back". I will never look 20 again, but I appreciated that.
So you know what? I'm REALLY extremely satisfied.
If you have read reviews on here you may have noticed that quite often people write about the hotel, the breakfast or how nice the driver was. Some people talk about the doctor's kindness.
I am not interested about the doctor kindness -apart from the minimal politeness requirements. I am interested in doctors who know what they are talking about, and what they are doing.
With my scientific background and interest in medicine in general, and as a former journalist in this field, I can easily tell if the guy is just average, or if he's a crook or a good doctor. I have very specific questions and I already know what I'm talking about before asking questions. Actually; I even tend to have a couple "trap" questions, to which I know exactly what the answer should not be. And here's my little secret: the really good doctors admit they don't know everything. They will just plainly tell you "I don't know". That's a major green flag.
I'm also interested in what sorts of tools/instruments are used, the team expertise, and the premises.
So why am I very satisfied with Dr Civas? Because he ticked all the boxes. Not one single red flag. Surgery room super clean, very professional team of 3 persons working with him for 10+ years. The way the procedure was handled was really professional. Pre-op and after care were second to none. Now, Dr Civas is also very kind and that's nice to have but he is most importantly one of the best hair restoration surgeon in the world - the only ISHRS fellow in Turkey, and there are no so many of them in the world. He explained everything to me and understood quickly that I had more knowledge than the average Joe, so when we talked about sedation or molecules or treatments possibilities we went far beyond the basics. And he knows what he is talking about. Alopecia treatment is his main subject of interest and he told there's not one single day when he does not read a scientific publication about it.
As for my results : now 3 weeks post-op. Should I see the final result to decide if I am satisfied? Sorry mate, that's not true.
1- Pleas define "final result". Is it a date, such as one year after surgery? A timeframe? WHat is "final results"? I will be losing some hair in the coming months and year, so my hair is always a work in progress. So how can anything be "final"? Now of course we can talk about graft survival rate.
2- If you prefer I can write that I'm extremely satisfied AT THIS STAGE. The procedure went smoothly as I explained already. Furthermore, the implantation of the grafts is perfectly natural (random patter as opposed to linear/unnatural pattern seen in cheap clinics). Healing went exactly as described by Dr Civas. Current state is great: went to the gym yesterday, people complimented me on my look and some told me about my "military cut". Only one person asked me what I did with my hair, she saw that the grafts are shorter. My answer satisfied her and she did not ask anymore. It means that with my military cut it looks natural and that, my friend, is a good reason to be extremely satisfied.
3- Once grafts are properly implanted, what can I expect? Well, Dr Civas not only implanted grafts in the bald area, but he also grafter the area where I'll be losing my hair in the coming years. He told me "so that you don't have to come back". I will never look 20 again, but I appreciated that.
So you know what? I'm REALLY extremely satisfied.
June 9, 2016
If the hair that has been transplanted doesn't grow will you be extremely satisfied?
August 3, 2016
how much they charge per graft? all things such as lodging, post treatment also included? Thx :)
UPDATED FROM lcry
6 days post
Almost a week
6 days post surgery. I had quite a bit of swelling on the 3Rd day. No pain. A bit itchy.
Replies (6)
May 26, 2016
How many grafts did you get? Dr. Civas is a fantastic doctor.
May 27, 2016
3500 grafts.
He is fantastic indeed. I went to Civas Clinic because I wanted the surgeon to perform the incisions himself, and not some random assistant. That being said his 3 assistants have been working with him for over 10 years. He even told me that if one of them is sick/unable to work he prefers to cancel the surgery. He is one of the very few IHRS fellows in the world and being a scientist myself I really appreciated when he told me "if I don't read scientific litterature each day, I feel not good". A constant learner - those are the best.
He is fantastic indeed. I went to Civas Clinic because I wanted the surgeon to perform the incisions himself, and not some random assistant. That being said his 3 assistants have been working with him for over 10 years. He even told me that if one of them is sick/unable to work he prefers to cancel the surgery. He is one of the very few IHRS fellows in the world and being a scientist myself I really appreciated when he told me "if I don't read scientific litterature each day, I feel not good". A constant learner - those are the best.
May 27, 2016
I went to go a low cost Turkish clinic and they did a great job on me. The Dr actually did much of the work but I'm nearing 12 months and considering a smaller 2nd procedure for density. I am open to other clinics and would consider Civas for sure. I'll follow your progress. Happy growing.
May 29, 2016
Thanks! I'll post regular updates. Looking good so far. There is a small lack of density in the top central area and it is most likely because I hit my head on an ATM the day after surgery. Dr Civas had warned me against this (low hanging lamps, door frames, entering a car) but I could not see the screen due to direct sunlight, so I came closer to the screen - and forgot the structure above. Damn! Hopefully it won't be seen as I am tall. If necessary I will go back. Regarding low-cost my concern was really to get natural results, and also to be sure that 5 or 10 years from now I will still have perfect results. As I said for me it is important to know that the surgeon is passionate about his work. I asked Dr Civas why he is doing this and he was very clear that it is a job that pays well, but most importantly that he wants to get the best possible results, which is why he spends so much time with each patient. I have to say even now the result looks really good compared to some pictures I have seen elsewhere. In my opinion and given his track record - more than 3000 surgeries in which he was personnally operating since 1999- I think he is one of the best in Europe and certainly the best in Turkey. Also like the fact that he is doing only one patient per day. So even when you take into account all the travel expenses, it is still extremely cheap as compared to the US or UK. I was quoted $25k for the same amount of grafts. When you do the maths it just does make sense, considering that you are going with a talented surgeon. But I would not have done the same with a cheap clinic. Too scared for that.
May 29, 2016
It really depends on the clinic. You can click on my name and see my review and pics. Mine was a smaller clinic that does 1-2 patients a day. One doctor from that clinic who worked on me has left recently so I'd be using a new doctor either way. Sorry about you bumping your head. Unless it bled a lot I doubt it will make a big difference. It would have cost me around 25k here in California too. I'm not too worried about price in Turkey. 2k or 4k doesn't make much difference to me. A good doctor is more important. I would probably only need about 1500 grafts for a 2nd procedure.
I'm sure yours will look great. I'll watch for your updates. Be patient. The fun will start for you around September.
I'm sure yours will look great. I'll watch for your updates. Be patient. The fun will start for you around September.
I'm so glad that you decided to share your personal experience. I wish you much success and I look forward to your updates. Good luck!