Over the past few months, I decided that its time to start correcting several “issues” that I have at this stage of my life (more blogs to follow). My hair has been one thing that has progressively thinned over the years (albeit not the area that I wanted to thin … but hey! Whatevs!) 

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.