My Recommendation; Belgrade, Serbia

[twiteresce]

After an unsuccessful consultation at London's Harley Street (they couldn't even be bothered to give me a price estimate), 4 years ago I went to Belgrade.

I'm close to '50s. The first time when I freaked out that I'm going bald, I was around 24, so decided to shave off my hair. Kept it shaved for 7 years until my future wife told me either to let it grow or to let her go. Anyway, it was still there (my forehead was kind of higher, but it was ok) all until I was 44. Within 3 or 4 months I lost a lot from the top. Just around that time my friend had a procedure done at Harley Street and he recommended them. I went there, didn't like it and another friend suggested Belgrade.

1st procedure went fine. A lady doctor and her 2 assistants. Very friendly and professional. Did around 2000 grafts.

2nd procedure, 10 months later, another 2000 grafts.

She told me that my donor area is not very good, but at the same time, transplanted hair looked very natural.

3rd procedure, did it in August last year. I could get away with the amount what I had but small bald patches bothered me and that's why I went there for the 3rd time. Did another 2000. My donor area is still good, you can't see that I had any procedure but I don't think I'll do it again as I think that she already harvested the best grafts that were available.

Why I'm writing this? I can see that you all consider mostly Turkey. My other friend went to Turkey and he was butchered over there. Last year he went to see my doctor in Belgrade and will go again.
I'm not paid by her or will have any benefits by recommending her. I know how important is this for anyone planning a hair transplant, and I know how difficult is to make a decision where to go, especially if you go abroad. So, from my experience, I can recommend her and her team, and I'm confident whoever choose her, won't be disappointed. Actually, you'll thank me for writing this.
Her name is Dr. Maria Balkovic. MBC (medical beauty center), is the name of her surgery.
If you have any questions, I'm happy to answer them all. (If I can figure out how to post pictures here, I'll do that)

 

[Rudy23]

How much did you pay for your procedures? Was she the one doing the whole surgery by herself?

 

[twiteresce]

Yes, she is doing the whole surgery by herself and she has two assistants. Her surgery looks very professional and there are no people coming in or out during the procedure. They just concentrate on you for the whole day (at least that was my experience) I think you have to contact her and send her your pictures (I did before my first procedure) and she'll give you her opinion and an estimate. I paid a little over 2000 Euro per session (always around 2000 grafts). I live in the UK, so with a plane ticket and the 2 nights accommodation, I was paying all together around 2500 e.

 

[Rudy23]

Got any before and after pictures?

 

[twiteresce]

Picture 1 was made a few months after the first procedure. The last picture is the latest, after the third procedure.

 

[Rudy23]

This is quite good considering it wasn't done by a popular surgeon. If they are being consistent in producing good results, they should definitely work more on their marketing.

 

[Rocknroutlaw]

Thank you for this genuine review based on personal experience. There are indeed waaaaay too many clinics in Turkey, and it's a sad state of affair that they dominate the market due to their affordability. Often potential customers are stuck between paying high Western Europe/USA/Australia prices or Turkey with lots of landmines to jump thru.
It is reassuring to hear that there are other affordable options. I hope such lesser known clinics get more exposure in future via genuine testimony, as opposed to the many fake posts by 'new' forum members with no posting history clearly touting for their unknown Turkish clinic that can't compete with the well-established names.

 

[twiteresce]

My impression was that they don't need any marketing. Dr. Maria appears to be a very respectful surgeon, so I guess they get enough business as it is. She mentioned that she has patients coming from all around Europe, even as far as America. For my first procedure I was waiting, I think around 2 months. I can't recommend her enough.

 

[Rudy23]

I am strogly considering this doctor and I've filled the online consultation form on their website but still haven't received a reply. I'm guessing they are busy.

@twiteresce So in the first session you've had only your hairline done? Have you had any hair transplanted on the top of your head/vertex?

 

[twiteresce]

I am strogly considering this doctor and I've filled the online consultation form on their website but still haven't received a reply. I'm guessing they are busy.

@twiteresce So in the first session you've had only your hairline done? Have you had any hair transplanted on the top of your head/vertex?

Here is their mail address; mbc.ordinacija@gmail.com Maybe it's better if you contact them by email. Their approach/correspondence may look a bit nonchalant (they don't sugar coat words and phrases as you would expect from the Western clinics) but don't be discouraged by that, once you walk in their clinic, it's all very professional. For example, I booked my 1st session over an email, probably 2 months in advance, we agreed on everything and they never contacted me in the meantime. I came on an arranged date, they were ready and everything went fine. I asked afterward how come they never contacted me in the meantime (somehow I would expect them to do so) and they just laughed, something like "we arranged everything in advance, why would we bother you..."
I have not done the top. She didn't think that I needed any. If my hair grows a little, then it covers everything so for the moment I'm fine in that area. All my procedures were done on the front.
If I can be of any help, let me know...

 

[twiteresce]

Very nice results, quite cheap also, congrats.... I don't want to sound rude but did i understood correctly from your post that your future wife threatened you with breakup if you don't let your hair grow ? If so, that's a yikes from me, i imagine myself hearing that and still taking her as a wife, but maybe that's only me....
Do they have a site or something can you post a link please if that's not to much of a bother ?

Hehe, it wasn't that bad as it may sound. I guess when you are young, a shaved head is ok, although, it never suited me and she thought that I'm being paranoid and don't need to shave it.
Here is their website
https://www.mbc.rs/en

 

[twiteresce]

Thank you very much, and also that second pic is post op ? When you have your front red ? If so, looks very good, minimum invasive... Do they use a microscope and single grafts for hairline or she just took from the back and implanted it randomly ? What's her technique, look very good but i would really like to see some photos from the front before and after if you have and if it does not bother you in sharing them... Thanks again

Ok, pick 1 is from Nov 2015, the day after my first op. the next picks are within a few months. The last picture is Dec 2018. Unfortunately, I don't have pick right before an op. Also, pictures can be misleading due to position and lighting. For example, pick 4 looks perfect but in real life, it's ok but not as good.
14 days after my 2nd op, I went to visit my friends and my lady friend asked me discreetly if I had a hair transplant done (I didn't tell anybody about it). That's when I found out that her husband had it done in Turkey. She was impressed with the look of mine while he couldn't believe that I had any transplant. He said that when he came back from Turkey (he did 4000 grafts - but it was done badly so nothing is left) his head was red and swollen for over 1 month. Now, I don't know is it because of my Doctor technique or that I was lucky that everything went well.
Yes, she takes it from the back-donor area and puts it on the front. I didn't get the impression that she implanted them randomly, there is a technique where to put them in order for it to grow naturally, she was explaining it to me how it works but... I fully trusted that she knew what she was doing so wasn't listening...

 

[twiteresce]

I just remember something and I'd like to ask forum members who already done a transplant. Have you had PRP (platelet rich plasma ) therapy? After my first op my scalp was red for some time, but the second op, I asked the doctor to use PRP ( I never heard about it the first time when I went there but later on I read about it somewhere), so after my second and third procedure, the recovery was much smoother. What they do is very simple, they take your blood and put it somewhere (looks like a small freezer or something) and by the end of the session, they injected back to your scalp.
I don't know if other doctors are doing this, but I would recommend this to anyone who is doing a transplant. I can't remember how much extra you have to pay for that, but from my experience, it's well worth it.

 

[BigOl'BaldingHead]

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Ok, pick 1 is from Nov 2015, the day after my first op. the next picks are within a few months. The last picture is Dec 2018. Unfortunately, I don't have pick right before an op. Also, pictures can be misleading due to position and lighting. For example, pick 4 looks perfect but in real life, it's ok but not as good.
14 days after my 2nd op, I went to visit my friends and my lady friend asked me discreetly if I had a hair transplant done (I didn't tell anybody about it). That's when I found out that her husband had it done in Turkey. She was impressed with the look of mine while he couldn't believe that I had any transplant. He said that when he came back from Turkey (he did 4000 grafts - but it was done badly so nothing is left) his head was red and swollen for over 1 month. Now, I don't know is it because of my Doctor technique or that I was lucky that everything went well.
Yes, she takes it from the back-donor area and puts it on the front. I didn't get the impression that she implanted them randomly, there is a technique where to put them in order for it to grow naturally, she was explaining it to me how it works but... I fully trusted that she knew what she was doing so wasn't listening...

Great results! Could you provide us some pics with wet hair? Because that would really show the result of the hairtransplant.

 

[twiteresce]

Great results! Could you provide us some pics with wet hair? Because that would really show the result of the hairtransplant.

Will do, give me a few days. I wash it once (or sometimes twice) a week.

 

[Rudy23]

How is your donor area? Any visible signs of hair transplant?

And as far as I understood, with the first procedure, you defined your new hair line, and with the other two procedures they merely added more density in the front part of the scalp? Was the hairline even more lowered or flattened in the second and third procedure or was it left intact?

 

[twiteresce]

How is your donor area? Any visible signs of hair transplant?

And as far as I understood, with the first procedure, you defined your new hair line, and with the other two procedures they merely added more density in the front part of the scalp? Was the hairline even more lowered or flattened in the second and third procedure or was it left intact?

My donor area is literally like in the last picture, there are no visible signs. After my first op it was visible both, at the back and the front, for about 3-4 weeks. After the second and third, it was hardly noticeable after one week. I put that down to the prp (see above) but it doesn't have to be.
Yes, my new hairline was the closest to the original I had and I never wanted to have it any lower, so the second and the third procedure were just adding new hair. The simple truth is, you can do your hair transplant and the new hair should stay for a lifetime, but your original hair may keep on falling depending on your age, genes etc. I needed second and third. I'm hoping now the pace of falling is finished, that all the hair that planned to fall have fallen already , as it would be nice to stay as it is.

 

[Rudy23]

Are you on any medication such as finasteride or dutasteride?

 

[twiteresce]

Are you on any medication such as finasteride or dutasteride?

No, and I never used any medications for hair growth. I remember that Dr. Maria recommended using Regain foam for the first two months (you get her post-op instructions) but that was it.

 

[Rudy23]

If I was you I would get on finasteride to stop or at least slow down the hair loss. Male pattern baldness is progressive and you are no exception. Just a friendly advice.