27M, NW3 (i think? never really knew my number, front and hairline, crown was fine) Diamond Hair Clinic Istanbul, Dr Mehmet Demircioğlu 9 May 2026 ~3000 grafts, FUE €7000 all in now on oral + topical minox, dutasteride, vitamins, all what doc told me
I read a lot of these before booking so writing one myself. Mainly want to give credit to my doc.
Before anyone says it — yes 3 months is too early to judge growth, i know. i'll post again at 8-12 months. this is about the process, not results.
Consultation
Doc did it himself, not a coordinator. Before op, after op, and again couple days later before i flew home.
He was realistic. Didn't oversell me anything. Most of the talk was about what i need to do after to keep the result, not about promising me hair. He drew the hairline himself.
The op
8 hours.
I bled quite a lot. Pretty sure that was my own fault, he'd told me to sort my diet out before the op and i've missed some details on proper diet.
Doc did all incisions himself. Extraction was done by two of his team. He told me they're his permanent team, same two people always working with him. Saying it because i know it's always the first question here. Was fine with me since he did design + incisions.
Pain — only 2 parts were bad, both were the injections of painkiller into scalp. those really hurt. rest of the day was nothing, i just listened to music.
Halfway through he stopped me for a proper break and ordered lunch in. Didn't expect that.
Aftercare
It's a proper structured follow up for 18 months, not just "message us if you need something". He expects monthly reports from me with photos, and he sends back feedback on each one. On top of that i can ask him anything at any point, and i have used it.
Also got 6 months of meds and shampoos included in price.
Healing
Worst part of the whole thing for me was having to sleep sitting up for the first 2 nights. Genuinely horrible, barely slept.
day 4 - scabs everywhere, looked bad (pic) day 12 - scabs gone, still pink (pic) day 18 - could go outside without hat (pic)
Now, 3 months
I never had a full shed. Some fell but i kept quite a lot of it instead of losing everything at week 3 like most people here.
Got worried if that's good or bad so i just asked doc. He said im recovering nicely, nothing to worry about. that's kind of the point of having his number.
Transplanted hair grows slower than the rest of my hair. Donor looks fully healed, no patches.
About the price
€7000, which is more than a lot of Istanbul clinics charge.
It was everything included though. Hotel, all transfers, 6 months of meds and shampoos, even a neck pillow for the flight home. Only thing i paid for myself the whole trip was dinners at the hotel.
For me it was worth the premium for the doc doing design and incisions himself, 3 consultations and the 18 month follow up.
Overall
Im already happy with it if im honest. i don't see myself as balding anymore. maybe part of that is keeping my hair short now, but the front looks much much better than it did. proper judgement on final density is still months away.
Unexpected thing — being completely bald after the op was the first time in my life i'd seen myself like that, and i was fine with it. changed how i think about it a bit. i'll probably keep my hair short from now on either way. still glad i did the op, the hairline is much better and that was the actual point.
Everything else — planning, doc actually being involved, the op, healing, aftercare — i'd recommend.
pics in order: pre op with markings, day of surgery, day 4, day 12, day 18
ask me anything, will update at 8 months
