Hair Transplant Risks in Turkey

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Turkey is increasingly becoming a popular destination for those seeking a hair transplant procedure.

Black Market Hair Transplant Procedures

Whilst there are many good clinics in Turkey that offer hair transplant procedures, there is an overwhelming number of unlicensed clinics performing what is known as black market hair transplant procedures.

These clinics often draw people in with cheap hair transplant offers but in reality, patients are likely to end up spending more to fix the results of a poorly performed hair transplant procedure. Many patients are often given no aftercare or medication required to help ensure a successful hair transplant procedure.

International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) and Hair Transplant Repairs

The ISHRS are the world’s leading medical authority on hair loss treatment and restoration.

96.4% of ISHRS members reported that around a quarter of hair transplant repairs they performed last year were a result of a previous black market hair transplant. [1]

Percentage of hair transplant repair cases due to a black market hair transplant — 96.4% of ISHRS Members reported that 0-25% of their hair transplant repair cases were due to a previous black market hair transplant.

The ISHRS has also launched a patient awareness campaign to warn people of the illegal hair restoration practices that operate in many different countries including Turkey. The campaign titled ‘Fight the Fight’ aims to help potential hair transplant patients avoid becoming a victim of a fraudulent illicit clinic. Many of our hair transplant surgeons are members of ISHRS and are helping to campaign with the same messaging. You can find out more here.

UK Government Guidelines for Medical Treatment Abroad

In 2022, The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) updated their guidance warning against medical travel to Turkey after 17 British nationals have died following treatment in Turkey in recent years. The FCDO urges UK citizens looking to travel to Turkey for medical treatment, elective surgery, and dental procedures to undertake detailed research before travelling. [2]

Is a Hair Transplant procedure worth the risk in Turkey?

Hair Transplants are expensive and so if the possibility of getting one cheaper was to be offered, then we understand the appeal. A cheap procedure along with a short trip to a European city does sound attractive, so what are the risks of having a hair transplant in turkey?

Some of the main risks of having a hair transplant in turkey include:

Lack of Regulation

Many clinics operating in Turkey are unlicensed which often means health and safety standards are not being followed. Some are performing multiple procedures a day leaving little to no time to ensure clinic is cleaned in-between.

Clinics in Turkey performing hair transplant procedures should be registered with the Turkish Medical Association or Ministry of Health, but this is only very lightly regulated.

In the UK, clinics should be registered with the Care Quality Commission which regulates clinical practices and surgical safety.

Poor Technique and Results

Hair transplant procedures in Turkey are not always performed to the highest standard. They often have many procedures to perform in the same day meaning they are carried out quickly. Sometimes they are not even performed by a hair transplant surgeon, and instead unqualified staff are making incisions into the scalp.

Hair transplant surgery in Turkey must be carried out by a qualified hair transplant surgeon by law but many clinics choose to go against this. Some clinics have a hair transplant surgeon to front the clinic and carry out consultations, but the actual procedure is performed by someone different.

In the UK, our GMC registered hair transplant surgeons are the only ones to perform hair transplant procedures in our clinics.

Overharvesting Leaving No Grafts

We have found Turkish hair clinics quoting for an unnecessary number of grafts to be extracted. It is very rare that someone would need 3000 hair grafts or more and taking that many in one procedure can damage the donor area which is known as overharvesting.

If your donor area has been overharvested then any future hair transplants required are going to be very difficult, if not impossible to perform due to the lack of hair quality remaining in the donor area.

Find out more about hair grafts here.

No aftercare

Once the patient leaves the clinic, they often don’t hear from anyone again regarding aftercare or follow-up appointments. The aftercare of a hair transplant is very important to ensure you get the best results.

When you have surgery at a clinic in Turkey, you usually can’t go back for advice or aftercare.

At our UK-based clinic, we offer patients regular follow-up appointments with our surgeons. This allows them to check on the progress of the hair transplant results and advise on any further care required to help the patient achieve the best results.

Summary

Deciding where to have your hair transplant procedure is a personal decision. You should not feel obliged to book following a consultation. Hair transplant procedures in Turkey are often desirable because of their costs but they do come with risks.

All hair transplant procedures will come with risks, whether they are performed in the UK or further abroad. The risks of a hair transplant procedure in Turkey, could also relate to risks surrounding hair transplant performed in the UK. The difference is that our health service is highly regulated with surgeons undertaking regular audits and clinics undergoing regular checks.

In Turkey, whilst there are still rules and regulations that should be followed, these are followed very lightly and unfortunately, patients can fall victim to black market hair transplant procedures that need repairing.

To find out more about Hair Transplants in Turkey, please see our other blogs

Hair Transplants at The Private Clinic

Our Hair Transplant surgeons are highly experienced and have decades of experience, book a consultation to find out more about our hair transplant procedures and find out how many grafts you require to achieve your desired result.

The Private Clinic prides itself on ensuring you have the best quality and most comprehensive care.
FUE is a minimally invasive treatment, meaning there is no cutting of a strip.
Procedures are carried out under local anaesthetic. Many patients either watch TV or even fall asleep during the procedure.
You won’t require any stitches after your treatment.
The recovery time is reduced when compared to Strip surgery (FUT). Find out more about hair transplant recovery here.
We use the finest instruments, resulting in as minimal trauma to your scalp as possible.
There will be no linear scarring across the back of your head. You’ll be free to wear your hair long or short.
We choose the best follicular unit (a group of hairs). This ensures that only the strongest, healthiest grafts are used for your hair transplant procedure.
Your results will look natural, with denser packing. The hair is implanted in the direction that matches your hair growth. We select healthy follicular units, the treated area will look densely filled.
Our surgeons are able to offer Unshaven Hair Transplant (U-FUE). Ideal for those who prefer not to shave beforehand.
Scars resulting from injuries or previous surgeries can also be corrected. This could be a previous bad hair transplant, or we can cover linear scars caused by FUT hair transplants.
24 hour patient helpline to ensure you are always in the best of hands.
As many post-operative care and appointments with your Hair Transplant surgeon and nursing team as required.
Comprehensive patient information, every step of the way.
Outstanding clinic facilities.
Our excellent reputation for patient safety and satisfaction, honest advice and outstanding care means your journey with The Private Clinic will be an exciting experience to a new hairline.