J
janosch
member
Hello everyone !
I am 40 and I lose my hair since I'm 25. Very discrete at the beginning, I managed to hide it for several years using a concealer, but lately it became very difficult to conceal it any further, which pushed me to do that surgery.
I’m posting this testimony about my hair transplant, which I will feed with updates until M+12.
It’s almost 2 years now that I took the decision of having a surgery, but didn’t find the time to do it until now.
I chose Hattingen clinic in Switzerland, because I saw their results, which I found excellent and really impressive. I also live in Switzerland, and it was also more convenient and reassuring for me.
My previous consultations (in person, skype and telephone) with Dr Muresanu only comforted me in my choice. He’s friendly and always attentive to one’s needs. The clinic has a lot of experience with very large sessions.
I have a Norwood 5-6 baldness on a rather important surface, and it was decided to go for a FUT (for budget and efficiency reasons) of 5500 FUs.
The surgery took place on the Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 of May, over 2 days. The reasons they switched to doing large surgeries over 2 days are that they do not want to be under any time stress, and want to concentrate on every detailed aspect of the surgery. Dr.Muresanu said that after years of doing 2 large surgeries per day, he realized that at some point everyone on the team gets tired and that hair transplant surgeries are not the domain where speed and maximum number of patients are the main objective. He compared it to fine craftmanship, artisan slow food, basically something that requires time.
First day:
I’m arriving by train at 7:00AM. I took the train since I live at 40 minutes away. However, to be more comfortable, I would recommend taking a hotel nearby, it’s much less stress.
I’m being taken to the operating room, where pictures are taken, then I’m being given a sedative and paracetamol.
And here we go : I get lidocaine injections on the back of the head in order to anesthetize the donor area. I hate injections normally, but it was quite tolerable. Dr Sever & Laura Muresanu then take the first sample. I didn’t feel anything, neither the cut, nor the suture. They mentioned how amazing my laxity is and that we would probably get more then expected.
The assistants then remove the prepare the grafts under microscopes. Meanwhile, Dr Muresanu anesthetize the recipient area and starts with the preparation of the recipient sites. As soon as the recipient sites are finished the implanting of the grafts start.
Some small breaks, one lunch break, and round 2 of the implanting. I don’t feel anything and the sedative is very efficient, I think I slept most of the time.
End of the day, and we get the verdict : 3800 grafts in the first sample !
I’m going home the same day by train. We’ll start again tomorrow at 7am.
First night :
The lidocaine is still effective a few hours after the surgery, and I fall asleep without any major problem. However, around midnight the anesthesia vanishes gradually but quickly, and the pain becomes stronger, a pulsating pain. I’m taking the Tramadol all the paracetamol that was left, but it has little effect. Sleeping is difficult, but at least I can keep the transplanted area moist and I pass the walk in circles the apartment.
Second day :
I’m arriving at the clinic for 7am. Dr Muresanu enquires about the night. He suggests that I stay in Schaffhausen the next night and not to hesitate to call him if necessary.
Same as the day before, sedative and paracetamol, and then lidocaine injections, which help immediately, all the pain disappears, it is a huge relief! I couldn’t sleep the night before, so it doesn’t take long until I fall asleep. I’m waking up a few moments later, while the suture is being done. No pain whatsoever.
Later in the afternoon, the lidocaine effect vanishes during the surgery and new injections are necessary. As I can’t feel the pain anymore, I fall asleep again, while the surgery goes on.
End of the day, I’m really tired but it’s finished. Verdict: 4300 additional grafts today !
I’m heading to the hotel that Dr Muresanu booked for me and try to sleep. Before I leave the clinic, I get a few lidocaine injections so I can sleep.
Second night :
I fall asleep without pain. Around midnight however, I’m woken up by a pain in the back of the head, which intensify. I’m trying to find a position comfortable enough to be able to sleep, but it’s impossible. I’m taking the Tramadol. No effect at all. I’m taking the rest of the paracetamol but it’s useless.
I’ll hesitate for a few minutes, but, a bit before 1am, I’m calling Dr Muresanu. He suggests meeting at the clinic in a few minutes. 20 minutes later we are at the clinic and I get new injections to help me sleep. This time I get Bupivacaine, which is supposed to last longer.
I’m going back to the hotel and get back to bed and fall asleep. A while later the discomfort slowly starts to reappear, it is better then the night before but still not a great night.
Third day :
No surgery today, but the scars will be cleaned today. Dr.Muresanu asked if I want to do new injections, which I’m very glad to do. A few moments later I’m free from pain again. Dr. Muresanu comments that I am one of very few, extremely rare patients that seems to metabolise anesthetics very fast.
Both donor and recipient areas are cleaned up thoroughly. Dr Muresanu suggests to use paracetamol + ibuprofen simultaneously, and gives me bromazepam to sleep at night.
I have a big oedema that starts to appear, which will go away after 4 days.
I’m having a walk in the city before leaving, the pain slowly reappears but the walk helps focusing on something else. As I go back home by train, the pain starts to vanish gradually, and won’t come back.
The next 2 nights will be difficult, mostly discomfort because of the sleeping position (on the back). It will then only get better and better.
Wrap-up :
Haircount: FUT
Grafts: Hairs:
1. 895 895
2. 3583 7166
3. 3142 9426
4. 523 2092
Total: 8143 19579
Rate 2,40
What I liked particularly :
- As soon as we arrive, we are taken care of in a personalized manner. We have the impression that the whole staff is taking care only of us on that day (they only do one case per day, or over 2 days) and is there for you.
- Dr Muresanu consistently makes the extra mile to provide the best service and find solutions if something doesn’t work as desired.
- I could call Dr Muresanu in the middle of the night and got lidocaine injections at 1:30am to relieve the pain !
- The steady follow-up allowed to ensure everything works as expected
In summary, a very experienced medical team, and high-level service. You really feel considered.
If someday I need to do another hair transplant, I won’t look further.
I always heard very good things about Hattingen and I wasn’t disappointed at all.
The pictures :
Pre-op
1st day post-op
3 days post-op
6 days post-op (after removal of the scabs)
3 weeks post-op (starting to going back to initial situation )
I am 40 and I lose my hair since I'm 25. Very discrete at the beginning, I managed to hide it for several years using a concealer, but lately it became very difficult to conceal it any further, which pushed me to do that surgery.
I’m posting this testimony about my hair transplant, which I will feed with updates until M+12.
It’s almost 2 years now that I took the decision of having a surgery, but didn’t find the time to do it until now.
I chose Hattingen clinic in Switzerland, because I saw their results, which I found excellent and really impressive. I also live in Switzerland, and it was also more convenient and reassuring for me.
My previous consultations (in person, skype and telephone) with Dr Muresanu only comforted me in my choice. He’s friendly and always attentive to one’s needs. The clinic has a lot of experience with very large sessions.
I have a Norwood 5-6 baldness on a rather important surface, and it was decided to go for a FUT (for budget and efficiency reasons) of 5500 FUs.
The surgery took place on the Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 of May, over 2 days. The reasons they switched to doing large surgeries over 2 days are that they do not want to be under any time stress, and want to concentrate on every detailed aspect of the surgery. Dr.Muresanu said that after years of doing 2 large surgeries per day, he realized that at some point everyone on the team gets tired and that hair transplant surgeries are not the domain where speed and maximum number of patients are the main objective. He compared it to fine craftmanship, artisan slow food, basically something that requires time.
First day:
I’m arriving by train at 7:00AM. I took the train since I live at 40 minutes away. However, to be more comfortable, I would recommend taking a hotel nearby, it’s much less stress.
I’m being taken to the operating room, where pictures are taken, then I’m being given a sedative and paracetamol.
And here we go : I get lidocaine injections on the back of the head in order to anesthetize the donor area. I hate injections normally, but it was quite tolerable. Dr Sever & Laura Muresanu then take the first sample. I didn’t feel anything, neither the cut, nor the suture. They mentioned how amazing my laxity is and that we would probably get more then expected.
The assistants then remove the prepare the grafts under microscopes. Meanwhile, Dr Muresanu anesthetize the recipient area and starts with the preparation of the recipient sites. As soon as the recipient sites are finished the implanting of the grafts start.
Some small breaks, one lunch break, and round 2 of the implanting. I don’t feel anything and the sedative is very efficient, I think I slept most of the time.
End of the day, and we get the verdict : 3800 grafts in the first sample !
I’m going home the same day by train. We’ll start again tomorrow at 7am.
First night :
The lidocaine is still effective a few hours after the surgery, and I fall asleep without any major problem. However, around midnight the anesthesia vanishes gradually but quickly, and the pain becomes stronger, a pulsating pain. I’m taking the Tramadol all the paracetamol that was left, but it has little effect. Sleeping is difficult, but at least I can keep the transplanted area moist and I pass the walk in circles the apartment.
Second day :
I’m arriving at the clinic for 7am. Dr Muresanu enquires about the night. He suggests that I stay in Schaffhausen the next night and not to hesitate to call him if necessary.
Same as the day before, sedative and paracetamol, and then lidocaine injections, which help immediately, all the pain disappears, it is a huge relief! I couldn’t sleep the night before, so it doesn’t take long until I fall asleep. I’m waking up a few moments later, while the suture is being done. No pain whatsoever.
Later in the afternoon, the lidocaine effect vanishes during the surgery and new injections are necessary. As I can’t feel the pain anymore, I fall asleep again, while the surgery goes on.
End of the day, I’m really tired but it’s finished. Verdict: 4300 additional grafts today !
I’m heading to the hotel that Dr Muresanu booked for me and try to sleep. Before I leave the clinic, I get a few lidocaine injections so I can sleep.
Second night :
I fall asleep without pain. Around midnight however, I’m woken up by a pain in the back of the head, which intensify. I’m trying to find a position comfortable enough to be able to sleep, but it’s impossible. I’m taking the Tramadol. No effect at all. I’m taking the rest of the paracetamol but it’s useless.
I’ll hesitate for a few minutes, but, a bit before 1am, I’m calling Dr Muresanu. He suggests meeting at the clinic in a few minutes. 20 minutes later we are at the clinic and I get new injections to help me sleep. This time I get Bupivacaine, which is supposed to last longer.
I’m going back to the hotel and get back to bed and fall asleep. A while later the discomfort slowly starts to reappear, it is better then the night before but still not a great night.
Third day :
No surgery today, but the scars will be cleaned today. Dr.Muresanu asked if I want to do new injections, which I’m very glad to do. A few moments later I’m free from pain again. Dr. Muresanu comments that I am one of very few, extremely rare patients that seems to metabolise anesthetics very fast.
Both donor and recipient areas are cleaned up thoroughly. Dr Muresanu suggests to use paracetamol + ibuprofen simultaneously, and gives me bromazepam to sleep at night.
I have a big oedema that starts to appear, which will go away after 4 days.
I’m having a walk in the city before leaving, the pain slowly reappears but the walk helps focusing on something else. As I go back home by train, the pain starts to vanish gradually, and won’t come back.
The next 2 nights will be difficult, mostly discomfort because of the sleeping position (on the back). It will then only get better and better.
Wrap-up :
Haircount: FUT
Grafts: Hairs:
1. 895 895
2. 3583 7166
3. 3142 9426
4. 523 2092
Total: 8143 19579
Rate 2,40
What I liked particularly :
- As soon as we arrive, we are taken care of in a personalized manner. We have the impression that the whole staff is taking care only of us on that day (they only do one case per day, or over 2 days) and is there for you.
- Dr Muresanu consistently makes the extra mile to provide the best service and find solutions if something doesn’t work as desired.
- I could call Dr Muresanu in the middle of the night and got lidocaine injections at 1:30am to relieve the pain !
- The steady follow-up allowed to ensure everything works as expected
In summary, a very experienced medical team, and high-level service. You really feel considered.
If someday I need to do another hair transplant, I won’t look further.
I always heard very good things about Hattingen and I wasn’t disappointed at all.
The pictures :
Pre-op
1st day post-op
3 days post-op
6 days post-op (after removal of the scabs)
3 weeks post-op (starting to going back to initial situation )