M
Mdgn
member
Hi everyone, I’m 30 years old. I first noticed significant hair loss at 25 when I shaved my head to a buzz cut after a long time. My hairline looked like a Norwood 3-3a, so I started using Minoxidil spray and Xpecia to slow down the hair loss. For the first 2-3 years, these products actually helped increase the density and cover some thinning areas, but over the last two years, their effectiveness faded. Eventually, my hair got worse than before, and after receiving comments from people around me about my thinning areas, I decided it was time for a hair transplant.
At the end of November, I visited Dr. Ilhan Serdaroglu’s clinic on Bagdat Street, Kadikoy, Istanbul. I had several concerns in mind: whether my seborrheic dermatitis would affect the procedure, if my Minoxidil use was masking the real extent of my hair loss, the potential progression of future hair loss and how the transplant could be planned to account for that. Dr. Ilhan answered all my questions in detail and explained everything in a way I could easily understand. I also mentioned wanting to transplant hair into the upper parts of my sideburns, where the thinning was noticeable. However, Dr. İlhan honestly told me that while it is possible, it might look unnatural since the transplanted hair from the donor area is thicker and coarser than the existing fine hair in that region. He prefers a natural aesthetic look, which I really appreciated. I think his background as a plastic surgeon plays a big role in his emphasis on natural results. Up until December 27th, 2024, I used Trixowell Advanced supplements, and I also quit using my e-cigarette a week before the procedure.
On the day of the transplant, I arrived at the clinic around 9:30 AM. After signing some forms, they took pre-op photos and shaved my hair. Around 10-10:30 AM, Dr. Ilhan started the local anesthesia injections. Surprisingly, they weren’t as painful as I expected. He made sure to thoroughly numb every area of my donor site. Once the area was completely numb, Dr. Ilhan began extracting the grafts himself. Honestly, the only pain I felt during the entire procedure was during the initial injections and the intensity of that pain was not high at all . After that, it was completely painless. During the extraction, they let me watch TV for a bit, but I ended up chatting with Dr. Ilhan instead, which made the process more enjoyable. After the extraction, we took a break for lunch and I had time to use the restroom. Around 1 PM, we started the implantation phase, which was also very comfortable. By 3:30 PM, the procedure was finished. Post-op, I felt great—much better than I had expected. There was no pain, bleeding, or swelling.
From the first night, I started sleeping on my back, and I didn’t experience any major issues. However, on the second and third nights, I accidentally scratched my scalp while asleep and once bumped the transplanted area with my nails. There was some minor bleeding, but Dr. Ilhan reassured me that the grafts were intact and there was no significant damage. Aside from those self-inflicted accidents, the recovery process has been smooth so far. I just hope I didn’t unknowingly touch the area again while sleeping! On the third day (December 30th), I went back to the clinic for my first wash. They showed me how to wash my hair properly in the following days and did regular check-ups. I tried to explain my experience as thoroughly as possible, but if anyone has additional questions, feel free to ask! I’ll also share some before-and-after pictures of my hair. Some were taken at the clinic, while others are from my own gallery.
Photos before hair transplant, some were taken at the clinic and I took some of them from my gallery:
The second day after the transplant:
Third day photos, taken after the first hair wash at the clinic:
At the end of November, I visited Dr. Ilhan Serdaroglu’s clinic on Bagdat Street, Kadikoy, Istanbul. I had several concerns in mind: whether my seborrheic dermatitis would affect the procedure, if my Minoxidil use was masking the real extent of my hair loss, the potential progression of future hair loss and how the transplant could be planned to account for that. Dr. Ilhan answered all my questions in detail and explained everything in a way I could easily understand. I also mentioned wanting to transplant hair into the upper parts of my sideburns, where the thinning was noticeable. However, Dr. İlhan honestly told me that while it is possible, it might look unnatural since the transplanted hair from the donor area is thicker and coarser than the existing fine hair in that region. He prefers a natural aesthetic look, which I really appreciated. I think his background as a plastic surgeon plays a big role in his emphasis on natural results. Up until December 27th, 2024, I used Trixowell Advanced supplements, and I also quit using my e-cigarette a week before the procedure.
On the day of the transplant, I arrived at the clinic around 9:30 AM. After signing some forms, they took pre-op photos and shaved my hair. Around 10-10:30 AM, Dr. Ilhan started the local anesthesia injections. Surprisingly, they weren’t as painful as I expected. He made sure to thoroughly numb every area of my donor site. Once the area was completely numb, Dr. Ilhan began extracting the grafts himself. Honestly, the only pain I felt during the entire procedure was during the initial injections and the intensity of that pain was not high at all . After that, it was completely painless. During the extraction, they let me watch TV for a bit, but I ended up chatting with Dr. Ilhan instead, which made the process more enjoyable. After the extraction, we took a break for lunch and I had time to use the restroom. Around 1 PM, we started the implantation phase, which was also very comfortable. By 3:30 PM, the procedure was finished. Post-op, I felt great—much better than I had expected. There was no pain, bleeding, or swelling.
From the first night, I started sleeping on my back, and I didn’t experience any major issues. However, on the second and third nights, I accidentally scratched my scalp while asleep and once bumped the transplanted area with my nails. There was some minor bleeding, but Dr. Ilhan reassured me that the grafts were intact and there was no significant damage. Aside from those self-inflicted accidents, the recovery process has been smooth so far. I just hope I didn’t unknowingly touch the area again while sleeping! On the third day (December 30th), I went back to the clinic for my first wash. They showed me how to wash my hair properly in the following days and did regular check-ups. I tried to explain my experience as thoroughly as possible, but if anyone has additional questions, feel free to ask! I’ll also share some before-and-after pictures of my hair. Some were taken at the clinic, while others are from my own gallery.
Photos before hair transplant, some were taken at the clinic and I took some of them from my gallery:
The second day after the transplant:
Third day photos, taken after the first hair wash at the clinic:
