ED

Dr. Erkan Demirsoy

Lead surgeon·ARMAMED

Türkiye

Background

The clinic states Dr. Erkan Demirsoy leads the surgical team at Armamed in Istanbul, Turkey 1. It says he has practiced hair surgery about 25 years, starting with FUT before switching to FUE in 2005, though another part of the same homepage gives 19 years 2. It limits itself to one patient's operation per day 2. It separately states it serves over 95% international patients 1. Surgery takes place at what the clinic calls its contracted surgery center 3.

Procedures and techniques

The clinic states Demirsoy personally handles planning, hairline design, graft extraction, and canal opening 2. It says it now uses FUE exclusively, having phased out FUT 4. It says grafts are extracted with 0.7-0.9mm punches, with a choice between manual punch, capped at 1000-1500 grafts a day, and micromotor, which needs careful use to avoid larger scarring 4. A session can cover 2000-5000 grafts, split over two days for higher counts, with graft count decided by examining hair strand thickness and area of requirement 4. Pain under local anesthesia is described as limited to the initial injections 4. Candidates need sufficient donor-area quantity and quality, and those in early-stage hair loss without distinguishable thinning are told to try medical treatment first 5.

Pricing

Armamed does not publish a price list; the clinic says cost varies by graft count and extraction method 3. Its consultation form asks for photos from the front, above, the sides, and behind 2. It says an assessment and quote follow free 3. It also describes arranging hotel booking, transfers, and translation for the visit 3.

Booking and aftercare

The clinic describes a typical Istanbul stay of 2-3 days: airport-hotel transfer, then hospital transfer next day for an operation it says runs 6-9 hours with rest breaks and a translator 3. Patients flying out the day after surgery are told to book flights after 3:00 PM 3. The next day, Demirsoy checks patients himself and the hair is washed, with aftercare information given before returning to the hotel 3. Its FAQ describes this same visit as teaching a gentle washing style and taking about an hour, after which the patient can travel 5.

Credentials and memberships

He is listed in the ISHRS directory as a hair surgeon in Istanbul 6. The clinic's own materials do not state a medical school, graduation year, or board membership.

Sources

What patients say on reddit

60 people shared their experience with Dr. Erkan Demirsoy across 89 reddit threads between 2016 and 2026. Every graft count, price and verdict is linked to the original thread.

  • u/momoreez patient account since 2026
    4,323 grafts surgery 2023
    • organization smooth, WhatsApp communication fast and helpful source ↗
    • donor area healed with no visible scars source ↗
    • chose him for hands-on care, one patient daily source ↗
    • natural result, unnoticeable as a transplant source ↗

    u/momoreez had FUE with Dr. Demirsoy in Turkey (surgery 02.11.2023), estimated at 3500-4000 grafts pre-op, finishing at 4323 (extras unbilled), for about 7,000 EUR covering flight, hotel, and the operation. He chose Demirsoy because the doctor performs the key steps (extraction and channel opening) himself and treats only one patient a day, and described organization and WhatsApp communication as smooth, fast, and helpful throughout. Tracking the result to a 12-month final update, he reported the donor area healed scarlessly, density kept improving past month 6, and the result looks natural enough that no one notices it's a transplant unless told. His final verdict: 'one of the best decisions I've made,' with no complications reported.

    3 threads they wrote in
    1. Mar 2026 FUE (~4300 Grafts) – 1 Year Result | My Hair Transplant Experience with Dr. Demirsoy (Turkey) ↗
    2. Mar 2026 FUE (~4300 Grafts) – Final Result | My Hair Transplant Experience with Dr. Demirsoy (Turkey) ↗
    3. Mar 2026 FUE (~4300 Grafts) – Final Result | My Hair Transplant Experience with Dr. Demirsoy (Turkey) ↗
  • u/Calm_Pepper_4310 patient account since 2023
    3,500 grafts surgery 2022
    • shock loss hit donor and transplant areas source ↗
    • donor looked bad for six months source ↗
    • donor undetectable from month ten on source ↗
    • natural look, no hair wax needed source ↗
    • Istanbul trip well organized, good hotel source ↗
    • very happy with 18-month result source ↗

    u/Calm_Pepper_4310 had FUE surgery with Dr. Erkan Demirsoy in Istanbul in 2022, 3500 grafts, paid 3500 EUR. At week 7 post-op (Jan 2023) they reported shock loss in the donor and transplanted areas, hoping to recover within three months; by the 12-month update (Dec 2023) they said they were 'very happy how it turned out' and that 'without hair wax it looks if i never ever had a HT,' after the donor area 'looked bad for 6 months' before improving. By the 18-month update (June 2024) they were 'very happy about the results,' with donor coverage undetectable from month 10 onward and no further complications mentioned.

    3 threads they wrote in
    1. Jun 2024 18 Months Update ↗
    2. Dec 2023 12 Months Update 🙏🙏 ↗
    3. Jan 2023 1 Year Update Dr. Demirsoy (Turkey) ↗
  • u/fitzuk86 patient account since 2026
    3,700 grafts surgery 2026
    • hairline improved, new hairs emerging source ↗
    • persistent inflamed crown with folliculitis/pimples source ↗
    • treatments tried without lasting relief source ↗

    u/fitzuk86 had an FUE hair transplant with Dr Demirsoy in Turkey on 27 April 2026, totaling 3700 grafts across the front and crown. By 11 weeks post-op (about 2.5 months), they reported the hairline had improved with new hairs emerging, but described a persistent inflamed crown with folliculitis/pimples that a week of cefalexin, topical clobetasol, antihistamines, and various washing routines failed to fully resolve. The surgeon had advised holding off on minoxidil because of the inflammation. They had booked a follow-up appointment, but no outcome update was posted.

    1 thread they wrote in
    1. Jul 2026 11 weeks post FUE hair transplant - persistent inflamed crown with folliculitis/pimples. Anyone else had this and still got a good result? ↗
  • u/jonathan_mil patient account since 2024
    3,007 grafts surgery 2023
    • very happy with the overall result source ↗
    • hairline looks very natural source ↗
    • ended up with fewer grafts than first suggested source ↗

    u/jonathan_mil had a 3007-graft FUE procedure with Dr. Erkan Demirsoy at Armamed clinic in Istanbul, paying 4500 EUR after the doctor's initial estimate of 3500-3800 grafts was scaled back for a conservative hairline; he used finasteride and minoxidil for 10 months afterward. At his 12-month update he said he was 'very happy with the result,' and in a related post about the same procedure he described the hairline as looking 'very natural,' noting shedding had begun around the two-week mark. No complications were reported.

    3 threads they wrote in
    1. Jun 2024 3007 Grafts in istanbul / Dr.Erkan Demirsoy ↗ removed on reddit
    2. Jun 2024 3007 Grafts Fue in istanbul armamed clinic Dr.Erkan Demirsoy ↗
    3. Jun 2024 3007 Grafts Fue in istanbul armamed clinic Dr.Erkan Demirsoy ↗
  • u/Adventurous-Use5150 patient account since 2024
    3,500 grafts surgery 2023
    • chose clinic as "not a hairmill" source ↗
    • 13-month result "dense enough" source ↗
    • confident enough to invite others to see result source ↗

    u/Adventurous-Use5150 had FUE surgery with Dr. Erkan Demirsoy in 2023, receiving 3500 grafts (1300 crown, 2200 front) over about 8 hours, paying 7850 CAD, at a clinic they describe as "not a hairmill." At 13 months post-op they called the result "it is dense enough," while deferring final judgment to the specialist. Months later, commenting on another thread about the same surgeon, they pointed prospective patients to their own result, telling others to "check my result if you haven't done it yet."

    2 threads they wrote in
    1. Jul 2024 Rate my 3500 Grafts Fue / 13 months result ↗ removed on reddit
    2. Dec 2023 Thoughts on Erkan Demirsoy-Armamed? Any recent success stories? ↗
  • u/u/Rawbar patient
    3,500 grafts surgery 2025
    • scabbing fully cleared by day 7 source ↗
    • not much visible growth yet at 3 months source ↗

    u/Rawbar had roughly 3,500 grafts done with Erkan Demirsoy's clinic in Istanbul, paying about $4,600 USD on the 1.2 euro/follicle option, after being put off by Dr. Laorwong's attitude and ~$9000 quote and by a Kuala Lumpur DHI clinic offering only minoxidil for his crown. Nurses handled most of the extraction and implantation while Demirsoy supervised periodically and personally did the final exam and next-morning follow-up. By day 7 he reported all scabbing gone after following the clinic's aftercare instructions. At his latest update, around month 3, he says there isn't much visible growth yet, but considers it too early to judge per the clinic's own 4-6 month timeline, so he hasn't reached a final verdict.

    1 thread they wrote in
    1. Feb 2025 Day 1 Dr demirsoy ↗
  • u/Previous-Hat-2812 patient account since 2024
    male 37 yo 3,850 grafts surgery 2023
    • better than many known clinics in Turkey source ↗
    • told another patient 'you will be in good hands' source ↗
    • shared positive 18-month update source ↗

    Previous-Hat-2812 (37) had 3850 grafts transplanted with Dr. Erkan Demirsoy at Armamed clinic in 2023, paying 5800 EUR, and posted a 12-month results update in May 2024. He rated the clinic highly, saying it is 'much better than many known clinics in Turkey' even though it doesn't advertise. He continued to vouch for Demirsoy afterward, telling another prospective patient 'you will be in good hands,' and posted a further positive update at the 18-month mark.

    3 threads they wrote in
    1. Jun 2024 18 Months Update ↗
    2. Jun 2024 Dr.Erkan Demirsoy or Dr. Bisanga? ↗
    3. May 2024 Dr.Demirsoy armamed after 12 months . ↗
  • u/Mugen904 patient account since 2022
    3,500 grafts surgery 2022
    • really happy, results are 'just a bonus' source ↗
    • donor area looks like he never had HT source ↗
    • minoxidil irritated his scalp source ↗
    • avoided finasteride, fearing side effects source ↗
    • doctor personally performed extractions and incisions source ↗

    u/Mugen904 had 3,500 FUE grafts with Dr. Demirsoy's clinic (Armamed, Turkey) in 2022, paying $5,250, and posted photo updates at 5, 6.5, and 12 months post-op. At 6.5 months he said, 'Anything from now and on is just a bonus, really happy the way it is,' and described his donor area as showing no redness or scarring. He declined finasteride over fear of side effects and stopped minoxidil after it irritated his scalp, using no medication otherwise. No complications were reported, and his 1-year update was photo-only without a new explicit verdict.

    3 threads they wrote in
    1. Jan 2023 1 Year Update Dr. Demirsoy (Turkey) ↗
    2. Aug 2022 6.5 Months Update ↗
    3. Jul 2022 5 months update ↗
  • u/john_c-martin considering account since 2025
    male 34 yo
    • early Sept/Oct start date felt like a red flag source ↗

    u/john_c-martin, a 34-year-old male, was quoted by Demirsoy (Turkey) for 3500-4000 grafts in a first session, priced around 9000 CAD at the 1.5 EUR/graft option, with a start date as early as Sept/Oct 2025 and a planned second session a year later. He was also weighing Dr. Ratchathorn in Thailand, who gave a similar ~4k graft estimate, and as of his last update remained undecided, writing he was 'split between Ratchathorn or Demisroy.' He noted the early availability of a start date might be 'a red flag,' but had not booked or undergone surgery with Demirsoy as of this report.

    1 thread they wrote in
    1. Aug 2025 34 year old Male - Out for estimates! ↗
  • u/ChemicalVehicle8345 patient account since 2024
    male 37 yo 4,200 grafts

    ChemicalVehicle8345, a 37-year-old man with 8-9 years of hair loss, had 4,200 grafts with Dr Erkan Demirsoy at Armamed İstanbul, paying 5,250 euro, and posted photos at 4.5 months and again at 1 year post-op. He reported most of the growth had come in by 4.5 months and that friends who waited to see his results decided to book Demirsoy themselves. His overall verdict: he's 'happy with my result.' In an earlier comment on a separate thread (2023-12-07) he also pointed others to his own results, though gave no explicit verdict there.

    2 threads they wrote in
    1. Mar 2024 4200 grafts with Dr Erkan Demirsoy Armamed İstanbul ↗
    2. Dec 2023 Thoughts on Erkan Demirsoy-Armamed? Any recent success stories? ↗
  • u/Few_Revolution_6288 patient account since 2024
    3,880 grafts
    • team and doctor were friendly source ↗
    • rates the result as perfect source ↗
    • told donor area isn't very well, some sparse spots source ↗

    Few_Revolution_6288 had 3880 FUE grafts with Dr. Erkan Demirsoy in Istanbul, chosen after seeing his results on Hairrestorationnetwork, the German forum alopezie, and Realself. They described the team and doctor as friendly and rated the overall experience and result with the clinic (Armamed) as 'perfect,' though Demirsoy told them the donor area 'isn't very well' with some sparse spots, prompting them to start 0.5mg oral finasteride afterward. When commenters accused the post of being an inauthentic clinic shill, the OP denied any compensation and offered to share personal photos.

    1 thread they wrote in
    1. Jul 2024 Surgery result 3880 Fue Grafts in istanbul ↗
  • u/Ok_Lion_5995 patient account since 2025
    male 3,900 grafts

    Ok_Lion_5995 had 3900 grafts with Dr. Demirsoy and shared results at 5 and 12 months post-op. He called the experience 'excellent from start to finish' and said he was 'very happy with the result.' Later, comparing Demirsoy against three other surgeons (Keser, Pekiner, Gur), he ranked Demirsoy first, though a commenter pushed back that his ranking wasn't objective given he'd had the surgery himself.

    2 threads they wrote in
    1. Aug 2025 Which of these surgeons is best? ↗
    2. Jul 2025 Dr.Demirsoy 3900 grafts 5 months and 1 year result. ↗

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