Over the past few years, I have been considering doing something about my thinning hair. As you can see in my previous blog, I joined some forums to understand the different treatment options and decided on the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) hair transplant method. Before the pandemic, I decided to go to Turkey to avail myself of the treatment as it would be cost-effective with well-known and skilled clinics. Fast-forward to 2023, I found that Academic Istanbul, a Turkish clinic, has set up a branch in Manila, Philippines.

As part of my quest to improve my appearance, I booked myself a few months ago to undergo some cosmetic procedures to correct areas that have bothered me over the years (more blogs to follow). I have four weeks’ leave and wanted to minimise downtime and consolidate any recovery time (as organised as this sounds, it made it challenging).

Preparation

Prior to the procedure, I got reminder messages from the clinic on what I should and should not do in preparation for the hair transplant. I was advised to cease cutting my hair for a month before the surgery, as this allows the hair to grow and gives a clear view of where the donor and transplant areas will be. A week before, I was advised to cease drinking coffee and other meds that can cause issues with bleeding.

So … what was it like?

I arrived at 9 am Centuria Medical Centre, a large hospital building in Makati City and the location of Academic Istanbul Manila. The hospital was impressive, with various medical professionals’ clinics in the centre. Turkish clinics are well known for having excellent outcomes with hair transplants, and I was comforted to know that the clinic I chose has that Turkish experience.

I was greeted by the owner, Mr Ertug and Yigit, the general manager, together with their medical team two. They clarified what I could expect for the day, and since this is our first face-to-face meeting (outside our zoom call), we had an opportunity to clarify any concerns.

An obvious question from me was if the 3000 grafts would be enough. They clarified that they do not count the grafts; instead, they focus on the areas and the outcomes required. As a minimum, it was 3000, but I later found out that mine was more like 4000 grafts transplanted. Winning!!!

My blood was drawn for tests, and I was cleared to continue with the procedure in a matter of minutes. They drew and discussed my hairline options with me until we settled on the placement that I was after. Their advice was crucial in finding a natural-looking hairline. Once this was settled, my hair was cut to a number 1 clipper-cut in preparation for the procedure. After this, I went into the procedure room to commence at about 9:30 am.

Anaesthetic

Before injecting the anaesthetic, they used a tool that felt like a rubber band being flicked in various places around my head. They explained that this tool was brought from Turkey and was designed to reduce pain, and it must have worked because there was minimal pain during the whole procedure.

There were areas around the temple that were tender when the anaesthetic was applied. There may be another two spots in the head with similar sensitivity. Apart from this, most of the sensation was bearable.

Harvesting

The “donor” area was harvested of hair roots to be transplanted. I was face-down on the procedure table where one medical staff concurrently opened channels in my scalp whilst the other harvested each graft and prepared them in a Petri dish.

Breaks

I was advised that we could take as many breaks as I needed during the day. I faced different directions during the procedure and sometimes wanted to break from certain positions.

Earlier, we anticipated that the procedure would take about 4 hours, but with the number of grafts I needed, it took the whole day. Knowing they were meticulous and did not rush the procedure was comforting.

I wanted to listen to music to help the time pass, but this was only possible during the second transplantation stage, as earphones would be in the way of harvesting. The time passed well, and I may have even napped in some parts!

We all took a 30-minute break for lunch as it is essential to keep energy and fluids up.

Implants + PRP

The second part of the procedure is to individually implant the grafts into the donor area, ensuring that the anaesthetic is still effective and topped up in the relevant areas.

The clinic also includes Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injections during the procedure to stimulate hair growth.

This was pretty uneventful, with me spending most of my time lying on my back as the grafts were transplanted.

Aftercare

We finished the day at 5:30 pm, where they presented me with aftercare instructions. This was where I felt the clinic excelled. I received clear instructions on what to do and watch out for over the coming days and weeks. It is an excellent start in helping me care for my grafts.

Above this, I was asked to send daily photos to Yigit daily to receive advice on how it is healing, ask any questions, and, importantly, instructions on what I need to be doing.

Sleeping

This would be the most challenging aspect of the procedure. I was advised to sleep on a lounge chair (which was not available in the hotel I had organised).

I was required to sleep mainly in a seated position using a neck pillow, careful not to come into contact with any surface. This was for a week. Since we have daily check-ins with photos, the clinic advised me to allow sleeping flat on a bed by day 6. The first two nights were the most difficult! But you get used to it after that.

First Day Wash

The day after the procedure, I returned to the clinic to go through the procedure for washing my hair. They supplied two products: an antiseptic foam softening the scalp and a special shampoo for 14 days.

10 Day Wash

Ten days after the procedure, I returned to the clinic for my day 10 wash. This is to remove the scabs that form after the transplant.

PRP

I was advised that because my hair strands are pretty thin, I would benefit from Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injections when I return to Sydney. Since I was in the Philippines for 4 weeks, the clinic performed the first two of these injections (included in the package), and I plan to continue 4 months (one per month) upon my return.

Final thoughts

I understand the procedure is available in a trip as short as 3 days!!! This would have been a good option for me as recovering at home may be more comfortable. However, as I bundled my recovery time with other plastic surgery procedures, this was not an option.

I can’t wait to see the progress of my hair transplant over the next few months. I know that the grafts will fall off over the next two months before they finally grow again permanently. I plan to provide further updates in the coming months. So far, I am pleased with the procedure and am very impressed by the aftercare, as they have been very responsive.

This Post Has 5 Comments

Paul B March 14, 2023 Reply

Dare I ask where ‘The “donor” area’ was? 😳
1. admin March 14, 2023 Reply
  
  🙂 the “donor” area is the side and back of the head. These hairs are resilient against male pattern baldness.
Jake April 18, 2023 Reply

what is the final outcome? any blog update
1. admin April 24, 2023 Reply
  
  It’s still in its shedding and growing stage. But it’s growing!! I’ll post pics soon 🙂
Matt July 5, 2023 Reply

It’s been a few months now. Are we likely to see some recent pictures please?

Turkey – THE Hair Transplant destination

Pre-pandemic, I planned to go to Turkey as it is a popular destination for hair transplant surgery. The country has a long history of hair transplant surgery, and Turkish surgeons are considered among the best in the world. The cost of hair transplant surgery in Turkey is also generally less expensive than in other countries.

Many forums discuss hair transplant journeys, and I have been watching silently over the years on people’s success stories. All in all, I would say that Turkey is well known for good outcomes for hair restoration.

Hair Transplant in the Philippines?

The Philippines is known for its medical tourism but is not well known for hair transplants. While planning my other plastic surgeries (blog to follow), I came across Academic Istanbul – a Turkish hair transplant clinic – that recently launched a branch in Manila, Philippines.

Sweet! With my scheduled plastics, I could have my hair transplant and bundle recovery all in one period! With only four weeks of vacation up my sleeve, I planned to maximise this recovery period with all the procedures I planned to do.

The Philippines is a popular destination for medical tourism and has a well-established healthcare system and a growing number of qualified and experienced hair transplant surgeons. Additionally, hair transplant surgery in the Philippines is generally less expensive than in other countries. Academic Istanbul Manila offers extensive hair transplant experience, which is pain finding a hair transplant clinic. They have been established in Turkey for a long time with many success stories.

Things to consider

When researching hair transplant clinics, it’s important to consider the qualifications and experience of the doctor or surgeon performing the procedure, as well as the overall reputation of the clinic. It may also be helpful to read reviews and testimonials from past patients. Additionally, it’s important to have realistic expectations and understand the potential risks and complications associated with the procedure. It is also important to consider the quality of post-operative care and follow-up. The surgeon you choose should be available to answer any questions or address any concerns you may have after the procedure.

For overseas treatment, make sure you know and understand the laws and regulations of the country you decide to have your hair transplant.

Treatment options I considered

Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)

The first and most common hair transplant procedure is Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT). This procedure involves removing a strip of hair-bearing skin from the back of the scalp and dissecting it into individual hair follicles – so having my hair short, I was concerned about a visible scar from the donor area – so thanks but no thanks! These follicles are then transplanted to the areas of the scalp that are thinning or balding. The FUT procedure is considered a more invasive option and requires a longer recovery time – which is why I didn’t choose this option. However, this method allows a larger number of hair follicles in a single session.

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)

The second hair transplant procedure is Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). This is the option I chose. This procedure involves removing individual hair follicles from the back of the scalp using a small punch tool. These follicles are then transplanted to the areas of the scalp that are thinning or balding. The FUE procedure is less invasive than FUT but typically requires more sessions to transplant the same number of hair follicles. I would consider my hair loss low to moderate, so the Academic Istanbul Manila procedure targeted 3000 grafts (edit., but as I will explain later on, it was more like 4000 grafts as they are focused on outcomes than the number of grafts).

Direct Hair Implantation (DHI)

Another hair transplant procedure is Direct Hair Implantation (DHI). This is similar to FUE but involves implanting the hair follicles directly into the scalp using a special tool called a choi pen. This method allows for more precise placement of the hair follicles and can also be less invasive than FUT. However, I found this to be significantly more expensive, and I felt the same outcome could be achieved with a good Hair Transplant clinic using FUE.

Scalp Micro Pigmentation (SMP)

Lastly, Scalp Micro Pigmentation (SMP) is a hair restoration procedure that involves tattooing the scalp with pigments that mimic the look of hair follicles. This non-surgical option can create the illusion of a full head of hair and is suitable for people with a small bald patch or diffuse hair loss.

Honestly, after shaving my head before the procedure to about a number 1 clipper-cut, I felt I could pull this off. But needless to say, this will not give you the option of having longer hair if you choose to.

What about Finasteride?

Finasteride, or Propecia, is a medication commonly prescribed to men to treat male pattern baldness. It is a type of 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor, which means it blocks the production of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone responsible for hair loss.

One of the main pros of Finasteride is its effectiveness in treating male pattern baldness, and studies have shown that it can help to stop hair loss and even promote regrowth in some men. It is also a relatively safe medication, with few side effects reported.

Another pro of Finasteride is that it is a long-term treatment. Unlike some other hair loss treatments that need to be applied daily or weekly, Finasteride is taken orally once a day, making it convenient to use.

However, Finasteride also has its cons. One of the main cons is that it is not effective for everyone. Some men may not experience any improvement in their hair loss, while others may only see a minimal improvement. Additionally, the medication only works as long as you take it, so if you stop taking it, your hair loss will likely return.

Another potential con of Finasteride is that it may cause side effects. The most common side effect is sexual dysfunction, such as impotence, decreased libido, and difficulty in achieving an erection. These side effects are usually temporary and disappear once the medication is discontinued. However, in some cases, they may be permanent.

For women, Finasteride may cause birth defects in a developing male fetus.

As for me, I haven’t seen my baldness progressing over the years – thus, I do not need to ‘slow’ it as such. For me, a hair transplant would be a better option to provide me with a thicker head of hair in the coming months that should see me through my goals for the coming years.