AEK Hair Clinic Review

I waited nine months after my hair transplant to provide an unbiased review of my experience with Dr. AEK’s clinic, and unfortunately, it was extremely negative.

Initial Impressions and Decision-Making

I did some research and initially thought this was a boutique clinic offering a more personalized experience, as opposed to a “factory” clinic. Dr. AEK’s videos heavily influenced my decision. In these, he often criticizes other surgeons and clinics, positioning himself as the best while claiming others are unskilled or reckless. However, he doesn’t seem to offer any unique techniques or innovations and appears to rely solely on disparaging competitors to market his services.

Pre-Surgery Issues

One major red flag was the lack of any consultation with Dr. AEK before the surgery. Upon arrival, they began extracting grafts without giving me the opportunity to speak to the doctor. It was only after a significant number of grafts were removed (around 3,000) that he finally met with me for a brief consultation. At this point, I felt trapped—my grafts were already extracted, leaving me no room to reconsider or request changes.

During the consultation, Dr. AEK was dismissive, condescending, and unapproachable. He communicated in a way that left me feeling humiliated, and any questions I asked were met with an aggressive tone. By this point, I had already invested significant time, money, and effort, so I felt I had no choice but to proceed.

Dr. AEK’s arrogant demeanor and dismissive attitude towards patients were deeply unsettling.

Surgical Process and Quality:

Dr. AEK’s involvement in the actual procedure was minimal

(maybe 10 mins). The technicians handled most of the work, and their approach during implantation was careless and unprofessional. I observed them using basic tweezers to implant the grafts, with no signs of advanced techniques or tools. Dr. AEK openly dismisses modern technology in his practice, comparing hair transplantation to cooking—stating that talent is more important than tools. This analogy felt absurd and inadequate for such a precise and technical medical procedure.

Despite my explicit request for a natural-looking, irregular hairline, Dr. AEK ignored my preferences. He created a harsh, zigzag hairline that looks unnatural and immediately reveals that I’ve had a transplant. Additionally, I had specifically asked not to have double or triple grafts implanted in the hairline, but he completely disregarded this and defended it with vague and unconvincing explanations.

Results and Aftermath:

The outcome of the procedure has been deeply disappointing. Out of the 3,000 grafts extracted, I estimate that only about 40% successfully grew. This low success rate seems to be a direct result of the technicians’ lack of attention to detail during implantation.

Dr. AEK’s arrogance was evident throughout the process. He repeatedly dismissed my concerns, treating me with disrespect and a lack of empathy. Despite his claims of being the best in the industry, my experience and results tell a very different story.

Final Thoughts

Overall, my experience with Dr. AEK’s clinic was awful. His overconfidence, dismissive attitude, and subpar results make it clear that he does not live up to the claims in his promotional materials. The clinic’s availability for appointments was also suspiciously open, which could indicate a lack of clientele.

I strongly urge anyone considering this clinic to look elsewhere. Don’t be misled by flashy advertisements or empty promises—this was one of the worst decisions I’ve ever made.

Dear future patient – I should have listened to the last two reviews (both 1 stars) and I hope you do instead!

Once the clinic have lured you in, you’re forced to pay before you have the design session with Dr K. AT NO POINT, do they ask what you are looking for – the Dr immediately draws his design on your head and any alterations you might suggest are swiftly called a mistake. The Dr makes you feel like he can’t wait for the session to be over and paces around the room, making you feel quite uncomfortable. His English comprehension also isn’t good enough (misunderstanding several of my questions) – and by the way, he truly does have zero bedside manner. You feel steamrolled into choosing his design given you are in such a vulnerable and pressured position.

The next day I plucked up the courage to make a minor alternation, but truly was not comfortable asking for more following the design session with the Dr the day before.

By the way the Dr is in the 6-8hr procedure for only a fraction of the time, the nursing team do 90%+ of the surgery!

I tried to explain that I felt I was steamrolled into making a decision by the clinic – I wanted to come back in a year (so I could have an actual consultation where my aspirations are captured), but they refuse to acknowledge any wrongdoing in the process or even to accept the feedback on their end.

It’s truly a business that focuses on money over customer satisfaction – go somewhere else!

The reason for this review is that after 8 days of my surgery, once all the swelling subsided, I noticed significant gaps in the transplanted hair. I decided to consult a doctor in the UK, who revealed that only 3000 to 3500 grafts were transplanted. This is the number typically done in a single day. I had paid extra for a two-day surgery, expecting up to 7000 grafts, harvesting from the back of my head, beard, chest, and back. Despite having enough hair on my chest and beard, a limited number of grafts were harvested, resulting in poor-quality transplantation.

I did extensive research to ensure I selected a reputable clinic for my hair transplant surgery, aiming specifically for a doctor’s clinic rather than a dubious establishment. I chose AEK Hair Clinic because it is owned by Dr. Ali Emre Karadeniz, who is certified by the ABHRS and a fellow of ISHRS. However, my experience was far from what I expected, and I am deeply disappointed.

Despite choosing a doctor-led clinic, Dr. Ali Emre Karadeniz showed minimal interest in my procedure. He spent less than two minutes discussing the process with me. He arrived after the harvesting had already begun, said a few sentences, and drew lines on my head. During those two minutes, he told me it was impossible to achieve maximum coverage due to my advanced hair loss and recommended only covering two-thirds of my scalp. He was convinced that no matter where the hair was harvested from, more coverage was not feasible. This was a stark contrast to the initial consultation with the sales representative, who assured me that due to my advanced hair loss, a mega session over two days would be performed, including FUE with body hair transplant.

During the surgery, Dr. Karadeniz mentioned he would only take hair from my beard, not my chest. I had to request him to include hair from my chest, explaining this was my last chance after two previous surgeries. He reluctantly agreed to harvest a small portion from my chest as a favour. After those two minutes, Dr. Karadeniz did not check on me or the progress of the surgery, even on the last day. His interest seemed to vanish once the payment was made.

What was supposed to be a two-day surgery turned into only 1.5 days, as they did not maximize the available hair harvesting. It appears Dr. Karadeniz instructed the technicians to limit the hair harvested. While I have no complaints about the technicians, who were kind and helpful, Dr. Karadeniz’s involvement was less than 1%—limited to drawing four lines on my head and nothing more. This made me feel that choosing an expensive clinic like AEK was pointless, as the doctor’s role was negligible. It would have been better to choose a clinic with experienced technicians at a lower cost.

In my previous surgery in India, although technicians performed most of the work, the doctor was still involved in critical tasks like making channels for insertions. Moreover, Dr. Karadeniz claimed that chest hair is not sustainable for transplant. If that is the case, why was I promised FUE + body hair transplant beforehand, and why does their website state they perform BHT with FUE for patients with limited donor areas? It felt like once the payment was secured, Dr. Karadeniz lost interest in my surgery and rushed to complete it, possibly because two more surgeries were scheduled on the same day. This clinic operates more like a money-making business with little regard for patient care.

Lastly, I was told they would use the DHI technique for my surgery. However, during the procedure, I found out they were performing a standard FUE technique because DHI is not recommended for body hair transplants. This discrepancy should have been communicated to me beforehand, as they knew it would be a two-day surgery with BHT. They charged me for the more expensive DHI technique but only performed the cheaper FUE procedure.

In conclusion, my experience with AEK Hair Clinic was extremely disappointing. Dr. Karadeniz’s minimal involvement and the clinic’s misleading practices have left me feeling deceived and dissatisfied. I would not recommend AEK Hair Clinic to anyone considering a hair transplant. Save your money and go to a clinic where the doctor is genuinely involved, or opt for experienced technicians at a more affordable price.

Very Good Experience

Very Good Experience

While doing research for hair transplantation, I saw the Youtube channel of AEK Hair Clinic.

ABHRS certified surgeon Ali Emre Karadeniz’s narration impressed me a lot and I decided to choose this clinic to have a hair transplant.

I had a hair transplant surgery by choosing the package including hotel and VIP transfer. Today is day 14 and I am so excited to see the results.

I would like to thank the whole team and Ali Emre Karadeniz.

Very Good Experience

While doing research for hair transplantation, I saw the Youtube channel of AEK Hair Clinic.

ABHRS certified surgeon Ali Emre Karadeniz’s narration impressed me a lot and I decided to choose this clinic to have a hair transplant.

I had a hair transplant surgery by choosing the package including hotel and VIP transfer. Today is day 14 and I am so excited to see the results.

I would like to thank the whole team and Ali Emre Karadeniz.

Very Good Experience

While doing research for hair transplantation, I saw the Youtube channel of AEK Hair Clinic.

ABHRS certified surgeon Ali Emre Karadeniz’s narration impressed me a lot and I decided to choose this clinic to have a hair transplant.

I had a hair transplant surgery by choosing the package including hotel and VIP transfer. Today is day 14 and I am so excited to see the results.

I would like to thank the whole team and Ali Emre Karadeniz.