Hi. I am sure this has been covered, but there are almost 800 pages of topics-  way too much to search through.  I am MTF transgender, 1.5 years on HRT, and 1 month post FFS surgery.  I still have a slightly receded hairline, and a bald spot on my crown.  Hair transplants in the US are so expensive!!!!!  Staggeringly expensive.  I was curious if anyone had good experiences in other countries.  I have heard Turkey is very affordable.  I was thinking Mexico may be too.  But I'm a little nervous travelling outside the country.  I would love to hear about some other people's experiences.  Thank you so much in advance.

Quote from: brie1978 on August 22, 2024, 07:05:19 PMHi. I am sure this has been covered, but there are almost 800 pages of topics-  way too much to search through.  I am MTF transgender, 1.5 years on HRT, and 1 month post FFS surgery.  I still have a slightly receded hairline, and a bald spot on my crown.  Hair transplants in the US are so expensive!!!!!  Staggeringly expensive.  I was curious if anyone had good experiences in other countries.  I have heard Turkey is very affordable.  I was thinking Mexico may be too.  But I'm a little nervous travelling outside the country.  I would love to hear about some other people's experiences.  Thank you so much in advance.

Hi Brie,

I have no experience in this area, but I have also heard that Turkey is affordable and the results are very good. I know that here in the States, @Jessica_Rose had a very good result with Dr. Lam. I will let her chime in on her experience. I hope you find someone that can do the job at a good price.

Lori

Well, since Lori called me out I guess I have to respond. 

Yes, hair transplants are expensive. I've heard they are cheaper in other countries, but I would be concerned about the possibility of complications (which are rare) and travel for follow-up appointments. I had a bad experience with the TSA several years ago, so I prefer to drive if at all possible.

I had a great experience with a hair restoration procedure by Dr. Lam in Plano, TX. I probably could have found someone closer, but two friends of mine had hair restoration procedures by Dr. Lam, and they were both very happy with the results. I posted about my experience here: https://www.susans.org/index.php/topic,247292.msg2263389.html#msg2263389

I had approximately 3000 grafts using the FUT (Follicle Unit Transfer) method. Some grafts were single follicles, while others may have had as many as four or five follicles. I was not required to shave or cut my hair prior to or during to the procedure. It took about six weeks for the skin discoloration to fade away. I can't see any odd growth patterns in the transplanted areas. The procedure was nearly painless, except for the price, which was $15,000.

I hated seeing the receding hairline every time I washed my hair, and the scar from a scalp advance I had several years ago was always visible. Now my hairline looks normal again, and I can't see the scar anymore. Yes it was expensive, but it was a good investment for my mental health.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

Thank you so much for sharing!  I live really close to Plano, so I'll definitely check them out.

I had my wife type up her experience below:

"I had ~4500 FUE grafts in Spring 2016 in Istanbul (I think the clinic was called Aesthetica or similar).

Their prices at the time were £1500 for unlimited grafts. With my flights and incidentals my total was around £2k.

I flew out on a Friday, had the procedure on Sat, a follow-up on the Sunday morning, then flew home.

I worked remotely the following week, then returned to the office.

I presented male at the time (pre-transition)

Very happy with outcome."

Quote from: Jessica_Rose on August 22, 2024, 08:31:33 PMWell, since Lori called me out I guess I have to respond. 

Sorry. You were the first to come to mind with a great result from a stateside procedure. I should have asked you first. My apologies.

You took that the wrong way Lori, I'm not upset! If I were trying to hide, I wouldn't be here. Since I have a thread detailing my experience, it's obvious I'm trying to help others know what to expect from the procedure. I probably should have phrased it differently.

Love always -- Jess

Quote from: Jessica_Rose on August 23, 2024, 01:08:09 PMYou took that the wrong way Lori, I'm not upset! If I were trying to hide, I wouldn't be here. Since I have a thread detailing my experience, it's obvious I'm trying to help others know what to expect from the procedure. I probably should have phrased it differently.

Love always -- Jess

I saw the grin emoji so I figured you were okay with it. But it never hurts to apologize just in case. 

Thank you for the information Devlyn and Jessica.  Its all very helpful.