Full update
As most will know, I wasn’t happy with my result with the Hair Dr. Despite being offered a 2nd surgery (for the hairline only), I wasn’t confident or trusted they would achieve an optimal result, and knew I needed to be careful, particularly considering graft numbers are not infinite.
I’ve had several consultations since my first surgery, both online and in person, with; Dr Bisanga, Dr Feriduni, Dr Bicer, Dr Michalis (to name a few). On objectively assessing my donor area, my in person consultations confirmed it had been over harvested/damaged - one of the things I was concerned about, as well as agreeing the growth being poor. It was therefore really important I found a surgeon who was skilled enough to work with the donor I had left, and mitigate any further damage as much as possible.
I first came across Dr Michalis on
@loui thread, whose result was fantastic, (check out his thread to see how good his result is). Following his journey. and learning more about Dr Michalis (trained by Dr Cole, his really experienced tech/assistant team, his long tenure in the industry, as well as his competitive prices), I was keen to approach the clinic for a consultation. I actually visited Cyprus on holiday a few months ago, and drove to Nicosia from Paphos to meet with Dr Michalis. Having met him and having my hair assessed, he felt confident he was able to get a result I’d be happy with but was clear about needing to be careful to harvest my donor, as it was more limited. Another important factor was Dr Michalis can do unshaven FUE. I didn’t want to go through another head shave so it was definitely a massive plus!
As
@loui has said on his thread, the communication with Dr Michalis is directly with him via email, which definitely helps with getting to know him and building some rapport. We’d spent months discussing plans and eventually got myself booked in. I had so many questions and just wanted to make sure I chose the right surgeon and clinic. Dr Michalis was very patient, very helpful and was never pushy, which I really appreciated.
The estimate on the grafts was 1500-1800 for both the hairline and top/crown. Only up to 2000 could be safely harvested to due to over harvesting of my first surgery. But we said we’ll review this when the procedure is done.
The cost was €2 per graft with all expenses included; flights, 2 x nights at a hotel, and an escort/driver. It can be cheaper if you choose to pay for your flights and accommodation yourself at €1.5 per graft. I was picked up by a driver who was ready and waiting for me in a Mercedes and taken to my hotel. The hotel I stayed in was really nice and I had breakfast included.
The morning of the procedure, the driver was waiting for me on time. We went straight to the clinic, and we first started with having a COVID test, checking blood pressure. as well as taking a blood test. Once you’ve got the all clear, it’s straight in the surgery room. Christianna was the tech working that day, who is one of the experienced and established members of Dr Michalis’s team. The other experienced technician Ionna, was on leave so Dr Michalis had a more active role, working with Christianna throughout the procedure.
I firstly had my anaesthetic, which is the most painful part. Once that kicked in, Dr Michalis then started the harvesting of my grafts. Unlike my first surgery, Dr Michalis used a manual tool for the incisions. When I asked why does he use a manual tool over a drill, he said he has more control and can limit the possibility of damaging grafts. I could sense he was carefully taking his time and not rushing. The harvesting of the grafts was done in sections. Once one area was done, Christianna would then extract the grafts out. Once all the grafts were out around 12-1ish, we took a lunch break. The clinic ordered me some food which was included as part of my expenses.
Following having more anaesthesia in the recipient area, Dr Michalis, began doing the punches for the implanting of the grafts. Whilst he was doing this, Christianna was sorting through the grafts that were harvested (I’ve not got a full break down of how many doubles, triples, and singles just yet, but the full amount implanted was 1,956). Important to note, Dr Michalis confirmed I had very good and desirable hair characteristics - something I was previously told I didn’t have.
Once the punches were done, both Dr Michalis and Christianna worked together implanting the grafts, initially doing the hairline and working their way back. The ratio density was 70/70 at the front, and 50/50 behind. It took around 10-11 hours in total, from the initial tests done to the final grafts being implanted. I actually slept through a lot of it, which was recorded on my Fitbit.
Once the procedure was done, Dr Michalis sat down with me and went through the aftercare I need to follow over the coming weeks and months. I was going to fly back today, but last month I decided to book a separate hotel for another 2 nights so I could allow some more time to rest and let my grafts settle. The clinic have arranged for their driver to take me back to the airport for when I head home later this week.
Overall, my experience has been brilliant. I would 100% recommend Dr Michalis. Obviously, for the result, I need to give it time and work hard to protect my grafts, but I’ve got a good feeling about the progress that’s to come.
. No, I was very impressed with him. Early growth, hard to say really. I did retain quite a lot of implanted hair and have seen growth on the hairline. Much less in the crown, but that's to be expected l.
