Experience report- Autologous hair transplantation in Istanbul – Report from Wednesday, 17 February 2016
I wanted to give you some feedback regarding my hair transplant and my current well-being.
The flight to Istanbul on Friday went smoothly, except for a slight delay. Upon arriving at baggage claim, my phone rang, and a friendly lady asked if everything was okay and explained where I needed to go once I had passed customs. After a quick refreshment at the “Acıbadem Help Point,” I was ready to continue.
The driver took us directly to the hospital, “Acıbadem Fulya.”
When we were standing in the hospital’s entrance hall, I was positively surprised. Everything looked new and very clean, comparable to a 5-star hotel.
Afterwards, I went to the information desk to figure out where I needed to go. Unfortunately, they couldn’t assist me right away and asked me to check in on the second floor. As soon as I was about to leave, a friendly woman, Merve, the interpreter, came up and asked if I was Mr. A.G.
So, everything worked out smoothly without any delays. Since our flight was late and the doctor was already ready, everything had to move quickly. First, I had to give blood for the PRP, and then it was straight to shaving my hair.
About 15 minutes later, I was able to lie down in a room, and the nurse began with the pre-treatment. She applied a cream-like paste to my head and explained that it was the anaesthetic.
I had to leave it on for 30 minutes, and during that time, I was able to go and have a drink or a snack. The great thing was that Merve, the interpreter, was with us the whole time and accompanied us everywhere. Once the time was up, we went back to the room we were in earlier. The doctor was already there, and the PRP procedure began.
The doctor injected the blood that had been taken into the areas where the hair transplant would be performed the next day. That was it for the first day at the hospital. They also offered to drive us to the Orya Hotel, which is about a 2-minute walk away, but I felt fine and decided to walk there (though with a bit of luggage). Checking in at the hotel went smoothly.
Saturday was the big day, and I started to feel a bit nervous. I had to be at the hospital by 10 a.m. There, I was greeted again by Merve and was directly taken to the operating room. When I arrived at the operating theatre, two doctors were already there and greeted me. They also explained to me how everything would proceed.
After discussing the desired hairline, the FUE hair transplant began. They injected anaesthetic into the donor area at the back of my head, which was quite uncomfortable at first, but once the anaesthetic took effect, it didn’t feel bad at all. After about an estimated 5-6 hours, the surgery was thankfully over. I didn’t experience any pain as everything was numbed. After the transplant, I was given a small meal to help strengthen me, and then the doctor explained in detail what I could and couldn’t do, and how I should apply the aftercare. Everything was clear, and I was allowed to return to the hotel. Nothing was planned for Sunday. On Monday morning, I had to go back to the Acıbadem Maslak hospital for a follow-up check-up and bandage change.
Upon arriving in the entrance hall, Mr. Tolgay came and accompanied me. The doctor changed my bandage, and I was then taken back to the Orya Hotel. After quickly packing my luggage and checking out, I noticed swelling on my forehead. Although I didn’t have any pain, I wanted to show it to the doctor just to be sure before I flew back. Unfortunately, all the doctors were either busy or in the operating rooms at that moment, so Merve and we were unsure of what to do. One thing was certain – the bandage was tied too tightly, so I asked if the forehead part could be cut off. Of course, Merve took responsibility and started looking for solutions.
After some time, she was able to reach one of the doctors who had performed my surgery. He explained that swelling can occur in the first 3-4 days and that it wasn’t anything serious. He also confirmed that the forehead part of the bandage could be cut off. This reassured me a bit, and I was able to fly back.
I’m 90% satisfied with the entire process of the trip. Some minor, less important things could definitely be improved.
It definitely seems like you’ve shared your experience in great detail! If there’s anything more you’d like to add or clarify, feel free to let me know. I’m here to help with any further thoughts or questions you might have!
Kind regards,
Alp Güren