Finding a trustworthy clinic for a hair transplant requires serious research, especially in Turkey where there are countless clinics and an overwhelming number of suspicious reviews. I thought I was being cautious, but I now realize how badly I was misled.
The clinic I chose was originally called Gold City Hair Transplant, which has since changed its name to Acıbadem Saç Ekimi – Acibadem Hair Transplant. This rebranding appears to be a clear attempt to escape the growing number of negative experiences and protect their image. But no name change can undo the damage they caused to me and likely others.
Their Instagram was filled with impressive before-and-after photos, reviews seemed good, and their pricing wasn't cheap. Naturally, I assumed that paying more meant I’d receive better care. I was wrong.
The reality is that this clinic operates like a mass production line. They run several surgeries at once, handled primarily by young, minimally experienced technicians, with only one doctor overseeing the entire process. The doctor only performs the grafting, while the technicians are responsible for the rest — including critical steps like extracting grafts. While the staff were polite, that does not make up for the lack of care or professionalism.
I had two hair transplant sessions: one in November 2021 and another a year later. Over 8,250 grafts were transplanted in total. The first session produced poor results, which I reported to the clinic. They promised the second would correct everything. Unfortunately, the second session left me with permanent, visible damage.
I strictly followed all aftercare instructions. Despite that, the clinic later tried to shift the blame onto me — even after multiple doctors (including their own) admitted something had gone seriously wrong.
Now, more than a year after the second transplant, it’s clear that the damage is irreversible. My donor area is severely overharvested, leaving patches of thinning hair and visibly damaged skin. Redness persists constantly and worsens with sun or saltwater exposure. Hair density in the transplanted area is still shockingly low despite the high graft count.
After it became obvious that the results were far from what was promised — and considering the written warranty they provided — I formally requested a refund. Unsurprisingly, that request was completely ignored. The warranty turned out to be meaningless. They were happy to promote it before the surgery, but refused to acknowledge it afterward when things went wrong.
When I initially raised concerns, the clinic dismissed me with generic advice like “apply lotion.” Once I shared my experience publicly, they tried to manipulate me into deleting my review in exchange for “help,” warning that any improvement would take “at least six months” — a tactic clearly meant to delay and discourage accountability.
I traveled back to Istanbul for a final consultation. They admitted that the damage could not be reversed and performed a stem cell treatment — while clearly stating it would not help. Their proposed “solution”? A tattoo to camouflage the scarring. That was when I realized the so-called warranty they offer is worthless.
Even worse, the clinic paid for a stay at the cheapest possible accommodation, despite the fact I had purchased their top-tier treatment package — twice. That says a lot about how they value patients, especially those harmed by their own procedures.
Please be aware: if you’re researching clinics and come across Acıbadem Saç Ekimi, know that this is just the new name for Gold City Hair Transplant. Don’t let the rebrand fool you. No change in name can hide the reality of what happens behind closed doors.
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