My hair transplantation as a woman in Istanbul – Report from Saturday, 3 September 2016

For years, I had been thinking about getting a hair transplant to fix the hair I lost 20 years ago due to a shock. As a woman, it’s really tough. I had already been to a consultation in Zurich, but I simply couldn’t afford it. So, I searched the internet for a more affordable alternative and came across the MedicalTravel website. It quickly became clear to me that I wanted to get my hair restoration done this year.

After receiving a request via email from MedicalTravel, I sent photos of my thinning hair and was invited to a preliminary examination in Zug, which was conducted by a professor from the hospital in Istanbul.

To rule out the possibility that my hair loss was hormonally driven, I had to undergo a blood test with my family doctor. If that had been the case, a hormone therapy would have helped make my hair thicker again.

That wasn’t the case, though.

After sending the blood test results to the hospital in Istanbul, I received the following response:

Your test results have been carefully reviewed by our doctors. In this case, a hair transplant could be beneficial for you.

Wow, what a relief!

The reservation for the transplant appointment, as I requested, along with the flight and hotel bookings, were organised to my complete satisfaction by MedicalTravel.

Well, Saturday, August 13th, was the day. At 5 a.m. (in the middle of the night), my son took me to the airport, as my flight with Turkish Airlines to Istanbul was at 7:40 a.m. The flight lasted 3 hours, and I was able to enjoy the beautiful nature below the flight path while enjoying the delicious food. I can watch TV at home, after all.

At the agreed meeting point at Istanbul airport, I was greeted by a very kind hostess from the hospital. She then accompanied me to the hospital’s chauffeur-driven car, which took me to the hotel.

I was also warmly welcomed there. The hotel room was simple but functional. The staff was very friendly and helpful, and everyone spoke English.

I spent the rest of Saturday and Sunday exploring the country and its people. My first impression was: the city is alive. There are so many people out in the streets. It’s very colorful, with countless small restaurants, and the people are very friendly. I love walking, so I wandered for hours, probably through all the side streets. Steep down and steep up, sometimes completely out of breath. (The people in Istanbul must be very fit!) I just stayed where the locals were. To avoid being immediately recognized as a tourist traveling alone, I loosely wrapped a colorful scarf around my head. After all, we like it when foreigners adapt to us, don’t we? And there, I was the foreigner. So, I enjoyed the small bazaars, children playing, picnicking, happy people, the local food, and other offerings with freedom and ease. I love the authentic experience.

Monday, August 15th, 2016: I was very excited as I waited for the hospital chauffeur to pick me up. I was promptly driven to the hospital and, as soon as I entered, I was greeted by a charming young man who spoke German and stayed with me for almost the entire time. The hospital is incredibly beautiful. Modern and harmoniously designed, it immediately gave me a sense of comfort and confidence. First, I went for a blood draw to create plasma (PRP, platelet-rich plasma), which would promote faster wound healing and hair growth after the hair transplant.

Afterward, I was greeted by the handsome and sympathetic doctor (black hair and blue eyes. Wow) who thoroughly explained the entire transplant process to me. To ensure that I understood everything, my charming interpreter translated everything into perfect German.

In the treatment room, the team prepared my hair, shaved the back of my head, and… Oh dear, my hair is so thin (I had ended up in the silk box instead of the hair box for the hair distribution), that the doctor said this way, he could only guarantee a 25% improvement of my problem. The best result would have been if all the hair were shaved off. Well… That took a moment to process. But I wanted to finally be free – no longer having to cover up, go swimming, walk in the rain, worry about whether my hairstyle covered all the thinning spots, and yes, I could ride a motorcycle again, confidently pulling off my helmet in public after a ride. What’s a year, right? I had been hiding my hair for 20 years. So, it was clear: yes. My long hair fell victim to the razor, and a total of 3,500 roots were transplanted.

Definitely a great decision! 🙂

Beforehand, my own blood plasma was rubbed onto my scalp. Then, the entire hair area was numbed with lots of injections. Thanks to conscious relaxation, I was able to tolerate the procedure quite well. It went by quickly. Next, the roots were extracted from the back and sides of my head and stored in serum. Through countless (3500) punctures in the transplantation area, carried out by two tireless young ladies from the team, the hair roots were individually implanted into the prepared holes. Honestly, my hands would have fallen off! For 6 hours, these two diligent young “fairies” worked non-stop.

Finally, it was over. And I could admire my little bald head. Not so bad at all. Now I can understand why men with thinning hair shave it all off. The slightly lower hairline in the forehead area looks very balanced and elegant. It might sound a bit strange, but I actually like how I look. This is me.

Still… society – and I’m very exposed in my profession. Back at the hotel, I immediately ordered a fine short real hair wig online. I can wear it after 10 days. Until then, I’m presenting myself with carefully draped scarves and hats that match my outfits. And no one notices that my hair has been shaved. In fact, I even get compliments on my style from strangers on the street – with my hat.

Now, back to the day after the transplant. In the morning, I was able to check out of the hotel, and the hospital chauffeur was waiting for me with all my luggage. We then went for a check-up, where everything was more or less fine. I was slightly low on oxygen, so they administered oxygen through my nose. I was also given medication, shampoo, and lotion, which I had to take and apply exactly as instructed, along with some guidelines for aftercare and a little blue hat to protect myself on the way home from exposure.

I said my heartfelt thanks to the doctor and the interpreter, and then it was off to the airport with a different hospital chauffeur this time.

I’m home now. For the first few days, I had daily contact via WhatsApp with the treating doctor in Turkey. I sent photos of my head, which the doctor documented in a competent and friendly manner, and he sent me advice and videos on how to treat my hair with the lotion and shampoo.

After 10 days, I had to send him more photos and received a video tutorial on how to remove the scab areas.

Today, after nearly 3 weeks, I received a text message asking me to send pictures of the transplanted area. I received prompt responses to all my questions, along with more instructions on how to treat my scalp. After an appropriate amount of time, I should send him more pictures. And… the doctor is very pleased with the result. And so am I!

Exactly, the care was exceptional. Truly exemplary. I never would have expected such thorough support.

Thanks to the professional treatment in Turkey and the adapted lifestyle, the new hair roots have firmly settled into the scalp. The scabs from the extracted roots and transplanted areas have dissolved, and after almost 3 weeks, a dark, silky fuzz of hair has noticeably grown in. Done. Free.

In eternal gratitude.

M.R. Eng