DENYS PICHUGIN
Hair Transplant: Real Experience & Consultations
Journal · 6 years after FUE
I'm Denys Pichugin. Back in 2020 I went through FUE in Istanbul, and for 6 years now I've shown what came of it, unfiltered. On this site: my own experience, honest cost figures and help picking a clinic.
Full recovery timeline
FUE, Istanbul, 3500 grafts — every angle, no filters. Click to enlarge.
The journey
The transplant year, day by day
I had the surgery in Istanbul using the FUE method — 3,500 grafts. There wasn't much objective information about recovery out there, so I decided to film the whole process myself: no script, just regular updates.
The channel's main video tracks the result from day 1 to day 365 after surgery — that's the video where everything really started.
Since then I've also filmed my hair at 5, 5.5 and 6 years — tap any mark below to watch that moment right here.
Tap a moment and the video starts from it
Before1 yearThe result's evolution from day 1 to day 365 after surgery · 625,000+ views
About me
I've been through this myself
Real journey, real numbers, real answers — not theory.
- 6 yearson YouTube — 150 videos covering every step from day one
- 3,500 graftsFUE transplant in Istanbul — I went through it, not just researched it
- 625,000+views on the main video. 1,000+ comments — many with questions I answered personally
- Hundredsof people came through my answers — some dodged bad clinics, some found theirs
I'm not a doctor and I don't pretend to be. I'm the guy who walked this path himself, filmed every day, and spent hours answering people about to start. The questions I get over and over are the ones I learned the hard way. One hour with me saves you weeks of forum-scrolling.
What people say
Real comments under the journey video
Three of 1,000+ comments under the main video on YouTube. Each card links to the source — verify any of them in one click.
Большое тебе спасибо за это видео. Сделал неделю назад пересадку. Твоё видео очень успокаивает морально, когда я вижу, что ты прошёл те же этапы.
EN: "Thank you so much for this video. I had my transplant a week ago. Your video calms me down when I see you went through the same steps."
Делал пересадку в Турции 6 месяцев назад, результатом доволен на все сто. Долгое время боялся лететь в Стамбул. Но поверьте, оно того стоит... Спасибо автору видео за его, так сказать, поддержку, постоянно открывал его ролик, сравнивал.
EN: "Had my transplant in Turkey 6 months ago — 100% happy with the result. I was scared to fly to Istanbul for a long time. Trust me, it's worth it. Thanks to the author for the support — I kept opening his video and comparing."
Спасибо! Несмотря на полное отсутствие слов в видео, оно самое информативное, что я видел на эту тему! Лучше один раз увидеть! Результат огонь!
EN: "Thank you! Even without a single word, this is the most informative video I've seen on the topic. Seeing it once is worth a thousand words. The result is fire."
Articles
Read more
8 min readHair Transplant Month by Month: What Happens From Month 1 to 12
What's normal at each stage: pink skin, shedding, first hairs, density by a year — with photos of one patient and when to call the clinic.
Read the article →
9 min readPRP After a Hair Transplant: My 6-Year Experience
Five sessions in the first year, how it feels, what I noticed and what the research honestly says.
Read the article →
8 min readHow to Choose a Hair Transplant Clinic in Turkey: A Checklist From My Own Experience
Who performs the operation, licence, photos after a year, the number of grafts and red flags: what I checked and what I'd ask before paying.
Read the article →
8 min readVitamins After a Hair Transplant: What I've Taken for 6 Years
Biotin, Saw Palmetto and shampoo: ingredients, prices, my routine and what the research honestly says.
Read the article →
Should you book this
This call is for you if…
The cost of a wrong choice
What could be on the line. This isn't scare tactics or statistics — these are situations people write to me about in DMs.
- Re-do transplantanother $3,000–6,000
- Donor area damagemay be irreversible
- Time lost on the wrong pathmonths or years
- Unnatural hairlinehard to fix
- Taking medication without a clear planfor years
One hour with me costs €49. A good review before choosing a clinic helps you avoid some of these pitfalls. Treatment decisions are always made together with a doctor.
Calculator
A quick guess by stage
Pick the stage closest to yours (top view, forehead at the top). A rough guide based on public clinic data.
Tap your stage — see where the grafts would go and how many you need
The exact number depends on your donor area, hair density and the result you want. This is not a medical assessment.
Review my case — €49Full calculator →1-hour consultation
Walk away with a clear plan for your transplant
Not "30 minutes of general talk". A focused call where I share what I learned the hard way — so you don't repeat my mistakes. Here's exactly what you get:
- Help choosing a clinic in TurkeyWhich clinics I'd consider in Istanbul today, how to read reviews and before/after photos honestly, and how to go through the answers clinics have already sent you.
- A ready list of questions for the doctorThe exact questions to ask before you pay a deposit — about technique, graft count, anaesthesia, donor area and guarantees.
- A review of your specific situationWe go through your hairline, donor zone and realistic expectations — together, on the call.
- What to take before and afterWhat I took (vitamins, PRP, Saw Palmetto), what helped, what was useless — and what I'd skip if I did it again.
- Recovery — week by week, for your caseWhat's normal, what's a warning sign, when to call the clinic, and how to make the first month survivable.
How it works
Three simple steps to your consultation
Write me on Telegram or WhatsApp
Click the button, briefly describe your situation. I reply within 24 hours.We agree on a date and you pay
We pick a convenient time. €49 by bank transfer or crypto.FAQ
What people usually ask
Where and with what method was the transplant done?
In Istanbul, using the FUE method — no linear scar, follicles are extracted one by one.
How many grafts were transplanted?
3,500 grafts in a single operation.
How much did it cost?
My trip in 2020 came to about $2,900: surgery $2,500 (3,500 grafts, hotel and transfers included) + flights about $200 + aftercare kit $200. Details in my real receipt.
How long until you see results?
For the first few months hair goes through a "dormant" phase, active growth becomes visible around month 4–6, and the final result by month 12.
Do you take any growth treatments?
I do PRP (plasma) 2–3 times a year and take vitamins, but no minoxidil or finasteride — details in what I take after a transplant.
How long is the recovery?
The visible part — redness, scabs, swelling — fades within 10–14 days. From around day 14 you can be in public without anyone noticing. Final result settles by month 12.
When can you go back to work, the gym, or get a haircut?
Office work — from day 3–5 if you don't mind a cap. Gym (light) — after 3 weeks, full load after 4–6 weeks. No sauna, pool or sea for 4 weeks. First haircut with scissors — after 1 month, clippers — after 3 months.
Is this medical advice?
No — this is personal experience. Always consult a doctor before your own procedure.
Will I get a recording of the call?
No, I don't record the calls.
What if I can't make my time slot?
Free reschedule if you let me know at least 24 hours in advance. After that the slot is held — but I'm flexible if life happens, just tell me.
Can I ask follow-up questions after the call?
Yes — short follow-up questions in WhatsApp are included for 7 days after the call. For a fully new situation (e.g. months later, post-op) book a new call.
Are conversations confidential?
100%. Clinic names and your situation — never shared, never used in content. The call exists only between you and me.
Follow along
YouTube, Instagram
Personal experience — not medical advice. I'm not a doctor. This page and my channel share my own hair transplant journey: what I did, what I'd change, what I'd warn a friend about. It is not a diagnosis, treatment plan or recommendation. Always consult a licensed doctor or specialist before making any decision about your own procedure, medication or recovery.
Privacy & data
This page does not require an account. If you book a consultation, I store the minimum needed to run the call: your name, contact handle (WhatsApp / Telegram) and the messages you send. Nothing is shared with third parties, used in content, or sold. If you want everything deleted earlier, ask me — same channel, same answer within 24 hours.