M
markoo87
member
Hello to the community,
A few months after my procedure I have decided to give something back and do a write up of my experience with the Hattingen clinic, owned by Dr. Laura Muresanu and Dr. Sever Muresanu. I am 38 years old and have a NW 5-6, so with such a defect, choosing a right clinic is not easy. I spent several dozen hours on research, e.g. forums, YouTube, etc. The more I learned, the more I realized that there was no point in making hasty decisions and that I had to choose the right clinic carefully. Thank you for all these posts here on the forum, I learned a lot! Since I live in Germany and I was only looking for something for a 1,500 km drive, the choice was not easy and rather limited. Of course, there are many good doctors in Europe, but it is difficult to choose, and waiting times can be long, etc.
Why Hattingen Hair.
If someone tries to do a bit of serious research into the subject of HT, they will come across positive information about Hattingen Hair and doctors Laura and Sever Muresanu. There are many positive and detailed reports on various internet forums, they have their own YouTube channel where you can watch the results of their work without any bullshit, they are also very active on other channels, e.g. "The Hair Transplant Channel" or "Let's Get Hair" (the author himself had a corrective procedure with them). I recommend watching it, you can learn a lot. Honestly, I have not come across a single negative review of their work. Hattingen Hair is famous as one of the few proven FUT specialists. Of course, they also offer FUE and corrections after procedures from other clinics. They undertake difficult cases for high Norwood classes. They have been on the market for almost 20 years. According to popular opinion, they are considered exceptionally ethical doctors.
Preparation for the procedure
I contacted the clinic by email. Very quickly, after a few days, I received a response from Dr. Sever Muresanu himself. He agreed to have an online consultation with me. Of course, I had to send some information, photos, measure my head (which I did wrong), etc. We had a video conversation after a few weeks. My first impression was exactly as described by other patients, Dr. Sever turned out to be an exceptionally nice and ethical doctor, he asked about the history of baldness in the family, whether I had tried shaving my head and coming to terms with the problem, etc. Of course, the most important thing in such a consultation is to look at the head and assess the donor, for example, you can use a USB microscope for this, but I really wanted to show up at the clinic in person. The doctor agreed to see me in person in a few weeks. The clinic is located in Switzerland, in a small town near Schaffhausen and close to the German border. It is a very quiet area, providing discretion, privacy and beautiful mountain views. The best way to get there is by car, but there is also a city bus. The building is new and was specially designed for the clinic. My consultations lasted several dozen minutes. I was seen by Dr. Sever Muresanu, but I also had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Laura Muresanu, who looked into the office for a moment. They both looked at the donor under magnification. If I remember correctly, it turned out that my hair was medium or thick, and the density was almost 100 per cm2, so not that bad. The doctor measured my head carefully and calculated how many grafts were needed, etc. Overall, I received only positive information. Firstly, that despite the large loss, the procedure was possible. The second thing I wanted was to have FUE. Of course, in my case, FUT (or a combination of FUT and FUE) would probably be better because you can get many more grafts (it is also cheaper), but I really wanted to have FUE (because, for example, there is no scar). Thirdly, the matter can be resolved in one visit to the clinic, i.e. two procedures in two days. It is much better in my opinion than one procedure and another one after another 6-12 months. The clinic specializes in such mega and giga sessions, but split into two days. Thanks to this, the team works at normal hours, is not overworked, there is a better work-life balance, etc. The last thing worth mentioning is that the hairline will be natural and something I can grow into as I continue to age, and it will not be a "Turkish line" somewhere in the middle of the forehead We initially set the number of grafts at 4500, the doctor said that this is how many can be safely taken and there should still be something left if some supplementation is needed, for example in 10 years. This number should give a good effect at the front and a slightly worse but acceptable effect on the crown.
Procedure
The waiting time went by very quickly. I had been taking finasteride for a few months and tried to live healthily. Because I already had the opportunity to visit the clinic and meet the doctors and because I had watched many of their podcasts on YouTube, I had basically zero stress because I knew I was in good hands. The clinic is located in a rather remote area so there is not much choice when it comes to accommodation, and Switzerland is an expensive country. However, it is very close to the German border, where the choice of accommodation is greater and the prices are much lower. I found some accommodation on the German side, about a 20-minute drive from the clinic. In general, I wondered a bit whether I would be able to drive after the procedure, but several people and several reports on the internet claimed that I would, so I decided to try. As it turned out later, after the procedure I was in absolutely good shape, 100% able to drive, as after leaving the dentist The planning of the procedure itself took several dozen minutes. First, anesthesia which was surprisingly almost painless. In general, the donor zone was divided into several areas to precisely determine how many grafts to take from where. Additionally, Dr. Laura took a few trial grafts to choose the size of the punch. The procedure started, of course, with the collection of grafts. All of this is done with great concentration and very precisely so that the scars and reduction in density is very discreet and so as not to damage the collected hair. Taking the grafts from the back of the head when you have to lie face down was the only unpleasant stage for me during these two days. Generally, you lie in a strange position, your cheeks and forehead hurt a little from resting your head, and you have your eyes closed so it's dark and boring. I lost track of time and I didn't know how long I was lying there. When I started counting the pricks, time immediately started to fly by faster Taking hair from the side of the head was much better, because then you lie on your side, you can have your eyes open, etc. Generally, the collected grafts were sorted under a microscope on an ongoing basis. I think 2 ladies worked at the microscopes for most of the procedure. On the first day after taking the grafts, the next stage was making incisions. Dr. Laura Muresanu impresses with the precision and skill, because she did it with the speed of a machine gun No pain and the feeling was like someone was scratching my head with a nail. Around 12 o'clock there was a tasty lunch, 2 dishes to choose from. I also got a portion of 2 tablets 3 times a day, one was probably 600 mg of Ibuprofen, the other was something to calm me down. Overall, for the whole 2 days I was very calm and relaxed, I don't know how much of it was because of the tablets, but it was really ok. The last stage was the implantation of the grafts using modified implanter pens. The hair was sorted under a microscope, then placed in the modified implanter pen. The implementation was carried out by 2 people, so it went really quickly. Once again I was impressed by the manual skill, you can see the practice of millions of transplanted hairs On the first day I had hair implanted starting from the front. During the whole day, where I was in the operating room for about 8 hours, I managed to get about 2500 grafts. There were several people working non-stop in the room, their work was going exceptionally well, so I wonder if it is physically possible to transplant many more grafts in one day. After the procedure, the new hair was secured with a gauze dressing sprayed with a saline solution. Generally, it was quite damp. Secured with a bandana from above. I was also given a full bottle of spray and instructions to moisten the dressing every 1-2 hours. After the procedure, I felt really good, I had no problems driving etc. The night passed well, without pain or other problems. Every 2 hours the alarm went off and I moistened the dressing. The second day passed very similarly to the first. About 2,500 grafts were also transplanted, this time on the crown. In total, 5,100 grafts were obtained to cover the entire head. The ratio was 2.42 hairs per graft, which is probably quite good.
After the procedure
I decided to stay in place for another 4 days. The whole time I had a wet gauze dressing on my head and sprayed it every 2 hours, so the new hair was optimally protected. A standard dressing on the donor area, nothing hurt and nothing bad happened. The first wash was quite long and intense, but gentle, and lasted 40 minutes. Then for the next few days it was a bit shorter, and the last wash lasted probably 20 minutes. Each wash consisted of gently getting rid of the scabs, so after those 4 days I basically didn't have many of them anymore (only a little in the line where the hair was packed more densely). After washing I always had a short consultation with one of the doctors, so everything was under control. The swelling was really minimal, a little in the middle of the forehead. I felt good, no pain. The trip back home was still in a dressing.
Impression
Overall, my impressions are 100% positive. The clinic has a very friendly and calm atmosphere. You are basically the only patient, if you don't count those coming for consultations or washing. Dr. Laura and Dr. Sever Muresanu are present in the clinic all the time and every stage is with their participation. The entire staff is mega professional. As for the price, it is currently 5 CHF for a graft for FUE and 3 CHF for FUT. Compared to Turkish clinics, it seems expensive, of course, but when it comes to renowned clinics, this is a standard price, and compared to the States and Canada it is even cheap.
Before the procedure
Before 1st wash
Donor after 4th wash
A few months after my procedure I have decided to give something back and do a write up of my experience with the Hattingen clinic, owned by Dr. Laura Muresanu and Dr. Sever Muresanu. I am 38 years old and have a NW 5-6, so with such a defect, choosing a right clinic is not easy. I spent several dozen hours on research, e.g. forums, YouTube, etc. The more I learned, the more I realized that there was no point in making hasty decisions and that I had to choose the right clinic carefully. Thank you for all these posts here on the forum, I learned a lot! Since I live in Germany and I was only looking for something for a 1,500 km drive, the choice was not easy and rather limited. Of course, there are many good doctors in Europe, but it is difficult to choose, and waiting times can be long, etc.
Why Hattingen Hair.
If someone tries to do a bit of serious research into the subject of HT, they will come across positive information about Hattingen Hair and doctors Laura and Sever Muresanu. There are many positive and detailed reports on various internet forums, they have their own YouTube channel where you can watch the results of their work without any bullshit, they are also very active on other channels, e.g. "The Hair Transplant Channel" or "Let's Get Hair" (the author himself had a corrective procedure with them). I recommend watching it, you can learn a lot. Honestly, I have not come across a single negative review of their work. Hattingen Hair is famous as one of the few proven FUT specialists. Of course, they also offer FUE and corrections after procedures from other clinics. They undertake difficult cases for high Norwood classes. They have been on the market for almost 20 years. According to popular opinion, they are considered exceptionally ethical doctors.
Preparation for the procedure
I contacted the clinic by email. Very quickly, after a few days, I received a response from Dr. Sever Muresanu himself. He agreed to have an online consultation with me. Of course, I had to send some information, photos, measure my head (which I did wrong), etc. We had a video conversation after a few weeks. My first impression was exactly as described by other patients, Dr. Sever turned out to be an exceptionally nice and ethical doctor, he asked about the history of baldness in the family, whether I had tried shaving my head and coming to terms with the problem, etc. Of course, the most important thing in such a consultation is to look at the head and assess the donor, for example, you can use a USB microscope for this, but I really wanted to show up at the clinic in person. The doctor agreed to see me in person in a few weeks. The clinic is located in Switzerland, in a small town near Schaffhausen and close to the German border. It is a very quiet area, providing discretion, privacy and beautiful mountain views. The best way to get there is by car, but there is also a city bus. The building is new and was specially designed for the clinic. My consultations lasted several dozen minutes. I was seen by Dr. Sever Muresanu, but I also had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Laura Muresanu, who looked into the office for a moment. They both looked at the donor under magnification. If I remember correctly, it turned out that my hair was medium or thick, and the density was almost 100 per cm2, so not that bad. The doctor measured my head carefully and calculated how many grafts were needed, etc. Overall, I received only positive information. Firstly, that despite the large loss, the procedure was possible. The second thing I wanted was to have FUE. Of course, in my case, FUT (or a combination of FUT and FUE) would probably be better because you can get many more grafts (it is also cheaper), but I really wanted to have FUE (because, for example, there is no scar). Thirdly, the matter can be resolved in one visit to the clinic, i.e. two procedures in two days. It is much better in my opinion than one procedure and another one after another 6-12 months. The clinic specializes in such mega and giga sessions, but split into two days. Thanks to this, the team works at normal hours, is not overworked, there is a better work-life balance, etc. The last thing worth mentioning is that the hairline will be natural and something I can grow into as I continue to age, and it will not be a "Turkish line" somewhere in the middle of the forehead We initially set the number of grafts at 4500, the doctor said that this is how many can be safely taken and there should still be something left if some supplementation is needed, for example in 10 years. This number should give a good effect at the front and a slightly worse but acceptable effect on the crown.
Procedure
The waiting time went by very quickly. I had been taking finasteride for a few months and tried to live healthily. Because I already had the opportunity to visit the clinic and meet the doctors and because I had watched many of their podcasts on YouTube, I had basically zero stress because I knew I was in good hands. The clinic is located in a rather remote area so there is not much choice when it comes to accommodation, and Switzerland is an expensive country. However, it is very close to the German border, where the choice of accommodation is greater and the prices are much lower. I found some accommodation on the German side, about a 20-minute drive from the clinic. In general, I wondered a bit whether I would be able to drive after the procedure, but several people and several reports on the internet claimed that I would, so I decided to try. As it turned out later, after the procedure I was in absolutely good shape, 100% able to drive, as after leaving the dentist The planning of the procedure itself took several dozen minutes. First, anesthesia which was surprisingly almost painless. In general, the donor zone was divided into several areas to precisely determine how many grafts to take from where. Additionally, Dr. Laura took a few trial grafts to choose the size of the punch. The procedure started, of course, with the collection of grafts. All of this is done with great concentration and very precisely so that the scars and reduction in density is very discreet and so as not to damage the collected hair. Taking the grafts from the back of the head when you have to lie face down was the only unpleasant stage for me during these two days. Generally, you lie in a strange position, your cheeks and forehead hurt a little from resting your head, and you have your eyes closed so it's dark and boring. I lost track of time and I didn't know how long I was lying there. When I started counting the pricks, time immediately started to fly by faster Taking hair from the side of the head was much better, because then you lie on your side, you can have your eyes open, etc. Generally, the collected grafts were sorted under a microscope on an ongoing basis. I think 2 ladies worked at the microscopes for most of the procedure. On the first day after taking the grafts, the next stage was making incisions. Dr. Laura Muresanu impresses with the precision and skill, because she did it with the speed of a machine gun No pain and the feeling was like someone was scratching my head with a nail. Around 12 o'clock there was a tasty lunch, 2 dishes to choose from. I also got a portion of 2 tablets 3 times a day, one was probably 600 mg of Ibuprofen, the other was something to calm me down. Overall, for the whole 2 days I was very calm and relaxed, I don't know how much of it was because of the tablets, but it was really ok. The last stage was the implantation of the grafts using modified implanter pens. The hair was sorted under a microscope, then placed in the modified implanter pen. The implementation was carried out by 2 people, so it went really quickly. Once again I was impressed by the manual skill, you can see the practice of millions of transplanted hairs On the first day I had hair implanted starting from the front. During the whole day, where I was in the operating room for about 8 hours, I managed to get about 2500 grafts. There were several people working non-stop in the room, their work was going exceptionally well, so I wonder if it is physically possible to transplant many more grafts in one day. After the procedure, the new hair was secured with a gauze dressing sprayed with a saline solution. Generally, it was quite damp. Secured with a bandana from above. I was also given a full bottle of spray and instructions to moisten the dressing every 1-2 hours. After the procedure, I felt really good, I had no problems driving etc. The night passed well, without pain or other problems. Every 2 hours the alarm went off and I moistened the dressing. The second day passed very similarly to the first. About 2,500 grafts were also transplanted, this time on the crown. In total, 5,100 grafts were obtained to cover the entire head. The ratio was 2.42 hairs per graft, which is probably quite good.
After the procedure
I decided to stay in place for another 4 days. The whole time I had a wet gauze dressing on my head and sprayed it every 2 hours, so the new hair was optimally protected. A standard dressing on the donor area, nothing hurt and nothing bad happened. The first wash was quite long and intense, but gentle, and lasted 40 minutes. Then for the next few days it was a bit shorter, and the last wash lasted probably 20 minutes. Each wash consisted of gently getting rid of the scabs, so after those 4 days I basically didn't have many of them anymore (only a little in the line where the hair was packed more densely). After washing I always had a short consultation with one of the doctors, so everything was under control. The swelling was really minimal, a little in the middle of the forehead. I felt good, no pain. The trip back home was still in a dressing.
Impression
Overall, my impressions are 100% positive. The clinic has a very friendly and calm atmosphere. You are basically the only patient, if you don't count those coming for consultations or washing. Dr. Laura and Dr. Sever Muresanu are present in the clinic all the time and every stage is with their participation. The entire staff is mega professional. As for the price, it is currently 5 CHF for a graft for FUE and 3 CHF for FUT. Compared to Turkish clinics, it seems expensive, of course, but when it comes to renowned clinics, this is a standard price, and compared to the States and Canada it is even cheap.
Before the procedure
Before 1st wash
Donor after 4th wash
