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Winner of the draw for DHI's free hair transplant competition - 2.903 grafts

K

kostas1989

Valued member
Hi,

my name is Konstantinos Tsagkanis, 27 years old, from Athens, Greece. I am the big winner of the draw for the free hair transplant (two-day Giga session) provided by DHI Greece. I had my hair transplant done on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 of June. The whole session was performed at the DHI clinic in Athens (by the way, the facilities of the clinic really impressed me). Using a 1mm diameter punch and the DHI-Direct method, the medical team managed to transplant on my head a total amount of 6.198 hairs (or 2.903 grafts). I have to state that since I am not completely bald yet, we preserved my own hairline in order to achieve a more natural result.

My case: Gradual, slow but steady hair loss since I was 19 €“ 20 years old. The problem intensified the last couple of years (a remarkable thinning became visible), and today, as you can see in the attached photos, I have reached Norwood stage 4. Almost certainly, a negative impact in my hair loss played the fact that the last two years I am in a permanent stress (since I am working and having my MBA degree at the same time). Besides that, due to heredity (the men of my family from my dad €™s side are all bald!), it was a certain thing that one day I would lose my hair, but maybe it could be delayed for a couple more years.

Apart from some minor treatments a long time ago, I generally have never followed any kind of maintenance therapy. This is because my opinion is that in situations with strong heredity (like mine), things are irreversible and the only real solution is hair transplantation. I think all the rest are only temporary solutions that just prolong the life of some hairs for a few months or a few years (and in order to achieve that you have to spend a lot of time, money and energy). So, overall, I think it does not worth the effort. Only now, after my transplantation I will probably start Regaine Foam for at least six months and see how it goes. Incidentally, I would like you to give me your lights on overseas Regaine orders, since 37 euros per bottle (that €™s the price in a greek pharmacy) is, in my view, a bit expensive!

About the hair transplantation and the contest that I won:

a) It is a fact that I had already pre-selected DHI to have my hair transplant done there since (i) it is a recognizable brand name that I knew of old, and (ii) the last years I have heard of a lot of successful cases from people that selected DHI.

b) I was informed about the draw from a post on Facebook and immediately decided to declare participation. Parenthesis: The exposure of myself frankly does not bother me at all. I have never hided to those around me that one day I was going to have a hair transplant. I do not see a big deal in this and I really cannot understand why it is still a taboo in our days. After all, we do not put fake boobs on, we just move some hairs from one place to another!

c) After that, I received a call from DHI (before the draw) and we arranged to visit the clinic for a first diagnosis. You can imagine my surprise and joy when they announced me a few days later that I was the winner!

d) From then on everything happened very quickly. We set the date of surgery (two - day Giga session) on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 of June. Although the competition provided up to 10,000 hairs, since I'm still relatively young, and because my donor area - though good - is not perfect, we discussed with the doctor and decided to go in a relatively lower number of hairs. We did so, in order for me to have the opportunity to have another transplant after (I hope) many years, when I will probably lose the rest of my original hair.

I have to state that the whole procedure was way more simple and painless than I initially thought it would be. With the local anesthesia I almost felt no pain at all. During the procedure I was very relaxed and there were times that I even fell asleep! Now, I hope all I got to do is wait for the new hairs to grow €¦
In the following link you can see the photos taken so far: before the transplant, just after the two-day session, 4 days after and 20 days after.
http://www.hairlossexperiences.com/gallery_view.php?user=7105&page=1&folderid=none


I am going to keep you up to date with new photos almost every week. Feel free to ask anything.



Konstantinos
 
bullitnut

bullitnut

4 awesome repairs with SMG
Congratulations on winning the competition I look forward to following your progress with DHI.
Best wishes BN
 
Bigmac

Bigmac

Administrator
Staff member
Hey Kostas, thanks for joining and posting your experience. The work looks very nice and you've healed well.
I'm looking forward to following your journey.
All the best.
Bm.
 
K

kostas1989

Valued member
Thanks guys for your support! I just updated some new photos, taken 30 days after the surgery. I also started using Regaine Foam 20 days after the surgery, right now I must be facing the expected and normal shedding that comes with the usage of Regaine in the early stages. Still waiting for the final results, I will keep you informed with new photos every month. See ya
http://www.hairlossexperiences.com/gallery_view.php?user=7105&page=1&folderid=none
 
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A

ANDY35

valued member
Congratulations Kostas. I'm rooting for you to have a great result. Glad someone deserving got this opportunity, wish it was me, although I'm happy for you.
Bravo.
 
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Nervousnelly

Nervousnelly

The Coolest Member
Looks great and will be a nice result. Heal up!
 
K

kostas1989

Valued member
Hi everyone! Now that summer comes to an end, I just updated seven new photos, taken 70 days after the hair transplant. I believe I am doing fine so far, of course I am waiting for your opinions, so leave your comments! I continue using Regaine Foam twice a day, while the whole summer I was trying to protect my head from the sun (as you may know, Greece is quite sunny at summer). Anyway, I am still waiting for the final results, but I am trying not to think a lot about it, just let things happen. Hope everyone has a great time, bye!
http://www.hairlossexperiences.com/gallery_view.php?user=7105&page=1&folderid=none
 
Bigmac

Bigmac

Administrator
Staff member
Hi Kostas, your hair looks like it's all retried to your normal pre op stage which is right on track for day 70. It's healed well, now it's just a waiting game for the new growth to begin.
Thanks for the update.
 
V

Vento

valued member
Is this going to be a one off surgery?
Or, will you have something done after the yearly Mark?
 
K

kostas1989

Valued member
Hey friend, if I understood your question well and that is what you ask, I will not have another surgery for the next 3-4 years. But the doctor told me that I can give another 1500-2000 grafts in the future, so I am planning for a second hair transplantation in about 5 years from now (when I will have lost a few more of my original hair)...
 
bullitnut

bullitnut

4 awesome repairs with SMG
Everything looks bang on track as the others said, the waiting game sucks and is hard but it won't be too long now till those babies start to come through........exciting times ahead dude;)
Thanks for the update
 
V

Vento

valued member
kostas1989 wrote:
Hey friend, if I understood your question well and that is what you ask, I will not have another surgery for the next 3-4 years. But the doctor told me that I can give another 1500-2000 grafts in the future, so I am planning for a second hair transplantation in about 5 years from now (when I will have lost a few more of my original hair)...

Thanks for the reply. Sounds a good plan.
 
K

kostas1989

Valued member
Hello guys! I just uploaded some new pictures taken nine days ago, when I was at about 3.5 months after the hair transplantation. I have to say that the photos are somehow "unfair", since, because of the camera's strong flash, the so far result seems worse than how it really is. For the last couple of weeks, everyone from my friendly environment whenever they see me they keep telling me what a remarkable change has occured! Whenever I look in the mirror, I constantly see new tiny hairs sprouting from my scalp! I already am quite satisfied with the progress so far and expect to see even better results in the following months. I will keep you informed. See ya!
http://www.hairlossexperiences.com/gallery_view.php?user=7105&page=1&folderid=none
 
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Bigmac

Bigmac

Administrator
Staff member
Its looking good to me, the growth is clearly coming through and 3.5 months is relatively early.
Thanks for the update.
 
K

kostas1989

Valued member
Hi everyone! New update with new pictures taken 5 months after the hair transplantation. I believe the the so far result seems quite good! In my opinion, a remarkable change has indeed occured and I am very satisfied. I am really waiting for thoughts and opinions. Hope everyone is having a wonderful time, bye for now!

http://www.hairlossexperiences.com/gallery_view.php?user=7105&page=1&folderid=none
 
V

Vento

valued member
It`s looking good right now. Long way to go but you look better already.
 
Bigmac

Bigmac

Administrator
Staff member
Its all starting to take shape, giving a view to what your new hair line and behind will look like. Will only get better now.
Thanks for the update.
 
K

kostas1989

Valued member
Hello everyone! Latest update with pictures taken just before xmas, 6 months after the surgery. Quite "bushy", don't you think? My psycology reached a new high, I no longer feel bald at all, and, besides that, I find very interesting the fact that somebody who doesn't know I had a hair transplant half a year ago, cannot tell it. I mean the donor area seems like no one ever touched it! What do you guys think? I wish you all a happy new year!


http://www.hairlossexperiences.com/gallery_view.php?user=7105&page=1&folderid=none


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Bigmac

Bigmac

Administrator
Staff member
Looking great Kostas. What a difference its made to your appearance.

Donor area looks good too.

Thanks for the update.

 
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