With 15 years of experience in hair transplantation, Dr. Lefteris Papanikolaou welcomes us to the LP Clinic in Glyfada, which aims to teach you to live beautifully with love for yourself and others.
Dermatologist and venereologist of the southern suburbs, Dr. Lefteris Papanikolaou, who in 2015 became the only Greek doctor to receive an excellent evaluation in hair transplantation from the GMC (General Medical Council) of England, is the founder of LP Clinic in Glyfada—a model dermatology clinic specializing in hair transplantation, while also offering aesthetic medicine services.
NouPou met with Dr. Papanikolaou at his practice and spoke with him about his significant career in dermatology, the philosophy of LP Clinic, and the new collaboration they are preparing to further enhance their aesthetic medicine offerings. How did you decide to study medicine and specialize in dermatology?
Medicine, and specifically pediatrics, was my great passion since high school. I love children and wanted to be close to them. Dermatology came later—it’s a very interesting field. I decided to focus on hair transplantation because it is directly connected to dermatology. I have been working in this area for the past 15 years.
When did aesthetic medicine come your way and how do you evaluate your decision to pursue it?
Aesthetic medicine came later, when I went to England. The managers of the company I worked for recognized that I had both the capability and, perhaps, the talent. Alongside hair transplantation, I also learned other areas of aesthetic medicine, such as Botox, PRP, and fillers.
All of these form part of my training, with hair transplantation being the most significant—it is now my daily activity and my profession.
Would you like to share some important milestones from your career so far?
I will mention DHI, where I worked—a global company with centers in many countries. I had to travel and perform hair transplant procedures by appointment for clients who, over time, began choosing me exclusively. I therefore found myself in countries such as India, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and others, practicing my specialization in hair transplantation. This experience gave me a major boost and broadened my horizons.
It was then that I began thinking more entrepreneurially, seeing the worldwide demand that exists. A milestone in my career was my registration with the British Medical Council (GMC) in 2009, an achievement of high difficulty, as it requires excellent scientific training and multiple stages of evaluation to continue working. You are required to declare your specialty, and the assessment is conducted by several fellow doctors as well as 30 patients, who submit detailed reports with specific questions. Based on the results, your competence to proceed is determined. It was an outstanding experience!
During my time in the UK, I performed transplants for princes, Saudi royals, government officials, and Premier League players. Hair transplantation may be a microsurgical procedure, but it concerns anyone with a relevant issue, regardless of their financial status. The purpose is universal: to improve self-confidence and help people feel good. My contribution to that process gives me great fulfillment and satisfaction. You have 51 professional certifications on your resume. How do you experience this and how important are they to you?
Education for a doctor never stops, but in the early stages, to gain experience, one must attend conferences, seminars, and obtain certifications. This is, of course, just the first step—afterwards, you gain experience and eventually teach others yourself.
As an instructor at DHI for five years, I presented the hair transplantation procedure to colleagues so they could acquire the necessary competence. Seminars and certifications help you stay up-to-date and informed about the ongoing developments in the profession, which are endless.
When did LP Clinic start operating in Glyfada and what services does it provide?
The clinic started in 2018, initially in collaboration with another dermatologist colleague and then on my own. I covered the entire spectrum of dermatology, but gradually I gave more emphasis to hair transplantation. Your site states that “LP could stand for Living Pretty.” It sounds very beautiful and optimistic. Would you like to tell us a little about the philosophy of LP Clinic?
When I was deciding on a name for the clinic, I initially thought of my initials, L.P., for Lefteris Papanikolaou. But over time, I wanted to associate the entire endeavor with an idea, and that’s how “Living Pretty” came about.
It reflects the notion that we want to live beautifully and feel beautiful. We address both the psychological and pathological aspects—there are conditions that can be improved to help a person both visually and emotionally. For example, someone with psoriasis may struggle to enjoy life and experience emotional difficulties, and that’s where we intervene to help. So, feeling good internally and having that reflected outwardly—that is the philosophy of LP Clinic.
You are the only Greek doctor to receive an excellent rating in hair transplantation from the GMC Medical Association of England, while you have also performed thousands of hair transplantation procedures. Tell us about the methods you apply.
The progress over all these years in hair transplantation has been significant. I have contributed to this, along with other colleagues, through expertise and techniques that we develop and apply. From the very beginning, I am honest with my patients—I take the time, often an hour during each consultation, to explain exactly what they need to do, and after that, everything goes smoothly. Do you think hair transplantation is still a taboo subject? How should people view it and what criteria are used to evaluate a candidate?
There’s no longer any taboo—if we say that back in 2007 it was indeed taboo, now only a shadow of that remains. Hair transplantation is becoming very common; people talk about it because they are satisfied, and the procedures are being done correctly. When more people are happy with the results, they share their experiences, and I believe that in the next ten years, it will become as normal as visiting a dentist.
As for who is suitable, it depends on the type of hair loss. If someone has androgenetic alopecia, they are a suitable candidate for transplantation. But if the hair loss is diffuse or total, unfortunately, they are not suitable. Candidate selection also depends on expectations—some people have realistic expectations, while others don’t fully understand what is achievable. My job is to ground them, to give a precise picture, not to promise that they will suddenly regain the density they had at 18.
Even those who are completely bald can still have hair, and I want to emphasize that. The choice is based on the belief that the person wants to improve their appearance, regain lost self-confidence, and cover the area of hair loss with around 70% of the original density. Is it possible to effectively prevent hair loss? What treatments do you use for hair loss?
Global guidelines, as well as my personal experience, show that alopecia is largely determined by DNA. We know that there is a hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is often overproduced. There is a medication, finasteride, that has been available for many years and can suppress this hormone.
What the global dermatology community recommends is DHT inhibition, which can lead to up to 70% stabilization of hair loss—not 100%. Fortunately, in recent years, this treatment is also available as a topical solution without side effects.
My personal approach combines finasteride with PRP (platelet-rich plasma)—a mesotherapy procedure where we draw blood, separate the plasma, and inject it back into the scalp. This method is very beneficial for the hair follicle. The treatment stabilizes hair loss and can even stop it after three sessions. Of course, the results are temporary, so a repeat treatment is needed every six to eight months. As a distinguished scientist, you are high on the list of participating speakers at leading conferences specializing in dermatological issues and hair transplantation. How do you see your field evolving?
Absolutely upward. Over the next ten years, I believe Greece can play a major role in what we call medical tourism, and hair transplant procedures could increase tenfold. Of course, there will always be the challenge of who performs them. There are very few qualified doctors, and training new colleagues is difficult and time-consuming.
Turkey has advanced significantly in this field, but there, many practitioners perform these techniques without proper specialization, which naturally leads to results that are not always successful. It is crucial for us not to hand over such a serious procedure to people who lack the medical expertise. Fortunately, today people are more informed and increasingly seek experienced, fully qualified doctors with proper specialization. Aesthetic Medicine – Dermatology – Hair Transplantation, such a diverse yet related triptych. How do you operate in this context?
These three areas are closely related because they all deal with the skin and its “accessories,” such as hair. Moreover, dermatology encompasses the specialty of venereology. All of this falls under a broader base of knowledge.
Obviously, you specialize in one area, but you can also have insights and relevant knowledge in many others. Personally, I focus only on what I truly enjoy, so that everything I do is high-quality and effective.
Tell us a few words about your new collaboration with Plastic Surgeon Dr. Michalis Mouzakis
Dr. Michalis Mouzakis is, first and foremost, a friend. We met in the UK when he came for training in hair transplantation. Later, he pursued his own path and is now a plastic surgeon excelling in the UK.
I chose Michalis because, with his excellent work, I believe he can bring extra brilliance to LP Clinic. Our collaboration has already begun: for starters, he is present in Athens one week per month, performing plastic surgery procedures.
My vision is for LP Clinic to continue growing while maintaining a high standard, and to invest in future collaborations. In closing, I would like you to tell us how such a busy person spends his free time (if any) and what is your motto for life.
I strive to have time for myself and my family, something I haven’t fully achieved over the past 15 years. I’ve worked—and continue to work—very hard. Being self-made means I invested time and money in founding and running the clinic successfully.
However, once you’ve achieved certain goals, you try to improve your quality of life. For me, quality of life means being able to exercise twice a week. On that note, I started a basketball team in Glyfada called LP Clinic, which I also play on. We compete in a fantastic independent league, and I truly enjoy it.
I also focus on spending quality time with my wife and three children. Beyond that, I love theater, a passion influenced by my father who spent many years at the National Theater, so we attended numerous performances. I also enjoy cinema and reading, especially books related to my field.
It’s important to remember that every moment counts—no day ever comes back—so we must make the most of it. https://www.nou-pou.gr/wellness/pos-o-glifadiotis-dermatologos-dr-lefteris-papanikolaou-egine-o-korifaios-stin-metamosxefsi-mallion-stin-protipi-kliniki-lp-clinic/