Are Turkey Hair Transplants Good? What You Need To Know

The global hair transplant industry is worth more than $6 billion — and a sixth of this value comes from Turkey [1].

Turkey is a popular hair transplant destination, thanks to its cut-rate hair restoration treatments. You only need to spend a couple of days in the centre of Istanbul to see a swarm of bandaged heads buzzing around Taksim.

However, Turkey has a notoriously poor safety record when it comes to cosmetic surgery — including hair transplants. A 2021 survey by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons found that 100% of complications following cosmetic surgery occurred in Turkish clinics [2].

While there are some good hair transplantation clinics in Turkey, there are also many unlicensed surgeons offering black-market hair transplants. These fraudsters prey on people with low confidence and low budgets. So it’s essential that you know the red flags of hair transplant clinics in Turkey to look out for.

Ultimately, people who have a hair transplant operation on the black market can end up paying far more. Globally, a staggering 96.4% of ISHRS members reported that up to a quarter of the hair transplant procedures they performed last year were due to a previous black-market hair transplant.

Turkey has become a popular destination for hair transplants in recent years largely due to the lower prices compared to other countries. But are Turkey hair transplants actually good? Here’s what you need to know.

The Good

There are several advantages to getting a hair transplant in Turkey

Lower prices

This is the main reason Turkey has become so popular for hair transplants. Prices can be 50-80% cheaper compared to the UK, USA, Australia etc. The average cost of a hair transplant in Turkey is $1,500 – $3,000, whereas it’s around $10,000 – $15,000 in most other countries. This makes it very appealing for those wanting to save money.

Skilled surgeons

Turkey is home to many skilled and experienced hair transplant surgeons. Top clinics like HLC and ASMED have surgeons who have performed thousands of successful procedures. Many are members of prestigious organizations like the International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons (IAHRS).

Good infrastructure

Turkey has invested heavily in state-of-the-art clinics equipped with the latest tools and technology for hair transplants. This allows surgeons to achieve great results.

Large number of clinics to choose from

With over 350+ clinics in Turkey, you have a huge choice. Competition has driven standards up, and clinics aim to attract foreign patients with quality facilities and services.

Short waiting times

Due to the high number of surgeons and clinics, waiting times for surgery are much shorter than most other countries. You can often book and have the transplant within weeks.

Combined holiday

Many see their transplant as an opportunity to take a holiday in Turkey. The surgery takes 1 or 2 days, allowing plenty of time to recover and see the sights. Hotels and tourism services are high quality and affordable.

The Bad

However, there are also some downsides to be aware of:

Inexperienced technicians

While some clinics employ expert surgeons, others use inexperienced technicians to keep costs ultra-low. Always check the qualifications of who will perform your surgery.

Unregulated industry

Turkey’s hair transplant industry is largely unregulated. This has allowed many sub-standard clinics to thrive, luring in tourists with false advertising and unrealistic low prices. Do your research.

Complications and mistakes

The lack of regulation and use of inexperienced staff has resulted in many botched procedures. This can lead to complications like infections, scarring, poor growth and an unnatural look.

Communication issues

Language and cultural barriers can make it harder to communicate exactly what you want. And aftercare once you return home may be lacking.

Harder to hold clinics accountable

If things do go wrong, it can be much more difficult to get compensation or hold clinics accountable from another country.

Hair mills

Some Turkish clinics are “hair mills” that perform dozens of transplants per day like a factory. The surgeons have less time to design and carry out a customized, quality procedure.

How To Choose A Good Clinic

While risks exist, you can minimize them by choosing an excellent clinic. Here’s how:

Check credentials of the surgeon – are they IAHRS certified? How many procedures have they done?
Only consider JCI accredited facilities – this ensures high standards.
Avoid clinics with prices that seem too good to be true.
Read reviews on impartial forums like hairlossexperiences.com.
Have a consultation call with the surgeon so you can ask questions.
Don’t pay the full amount upfront – pay a deposit only.
Ask exactly who will carry out the procedure and their experience.
Learn about what technology and techniques they use.
Consider clinics affiliated with major hair loss networks like SpexHair.

Top Turkey Hair Transplant Clinics

Some of the best and most reputable hair transplant clinics in Turkey include:

HLC Clinic (Dr Ozgur Oztan)
ASMED Clinic (Dr Koray Erdogan)
Dr Serkan Aygin Clinic
Este Medical Group (Dr Bulent Cihantimur)
Dr Muttalip Keser Clinic
Dr Tayfun Oguzoglu Clinic
Dr Hakan Doganay Clinic
Dr Resul Yaman Clinic

While no clinic is perfect, choosing one of the top tier clinics greatly minimizes your risks and ensures you get great results from your hair transplant in Turkey.

If cost is your main factor, and you do thorough research, Turkey can be a good place to get an affordable hair transplant performed by a skilled surgeon. However, you must be very careful to avoid the many dubious clinics offering unrealistic prices and false promises. Taking the time to find a top quality clinic will ensure you maximize your chances of success.

are turkey hair transplants good

What to consider if you decide to have a hair transplant in Turkey

For many people, getting a hair transplant in Turkey is the right choice. They find licensed clinics with scrupulous health and safety measures and get a quality, lasting hair transplant. But to ensure this is the best decision for you, there are a few questions to consider:

What are the health and safety standards like? Safety should be the top priority for you and your surgical team. Check patient reviews and conduct thorough research to be certain the clinic follows high health and safety standards.
How keen are they to get you in the chair? In our research, one clinic was so eager for business that they offered to pay for our flights. This is a cause for concern, as clinics must be cutting costs somewhere to pay for these added extras.
Who’s assessing your hair loss, and how? It’s difficult to properly assess hair loss on a video call or photographs alone. So the number of grafts you’re quoted may not be accurate, especially if your consultant is inexperienced or unqualified.
Are the added extras really worth it? All-expenses-paid trips may sound luxurious. But in reality, hair transplant packages aren’t all that cost-effective. A taxi ride from the airport to the centre of Istanbul will set you back about £15. Accommodation is also reasonably priced, with a 2-night stay at a 4-star hotel costing around £100.
What can they do to fix your transplant if it goes wrong? From infections to grafts that don’t take, hair transplants can go wrong. When you have surgery at an overseas hair transplant clinic, you can’t go back for advice or aftercare, so you may end up paying a UK hair transplant clinic to fix it for you at a higher price.
What action can you take against the hair transplant clinic if your transplant goes wrong? In our research, 19% of emails sent to hair transplant clinics in Turkey bounced — almost a fifth of the total. Clinics open and close very quickly, which leaves you with little to no recourse if they botch your hair transplantation surgery.
What kind of aftercare will you receive? Hair transplant recovery is a long process, and many patients have questions and concerns throughout. An overseas surgeon will be unable to examine your transplant if you have concerns about your recovery.
Will there be communication barriers? When it comes to your health, communication is everything. You’ll probably have a lot of questions for your hair transplant consultant, so you need to be sure that you’re understood, and that you understand how the surgery will work.
What happens if you’re unhappy with your long-term results? The data suggests Turkish clinics tend to harvest more grafts than they need. This may compromise the hair follicles in your donor area for future transplants if needed. You may also see more significant scarring if your surgeon is inexperienced or unlicensed.

Below we have shared a video of ISHRS members discussing (January 2023) some of the dangers of having a hair transplant in Turkey, where they claim there are 300 low-cost clinics – the majority of which do not have a qualified medical professional on-site.

While this can lead to a botched hair transplant that requires fixing (if it can be fixed) it can also sadly be fatal as one hair transplant-related death was reported in Turkey in 2021. Thankfully there have been none in the United Kingdom.

How much does a hair transplant cost in Turkey?

We surveyed 87 hair transplant clinics to analyse the true cost and value of the hair transplant industry in Turkey. Our research focused on clinics offering Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) in Istanbul only, since this is Turkey’s central hub for international tourism.

We wanted to compare the results to the findings of our hair transplant costs UK study, so we requested quotes using the same photographs (male patient with Norwood Stage 2-3) for both studies.

Here’s what our hair transplant research in Turkey shows:

The average hair transplant in Istanbul costs £1,464 / €1,745 / $1,840
The cheapest price we were quoted was £850 / €1,000/ $1,050, while the highest was £2,490 / €3,000 / $3,150
The average price per graft was £0.55 / €0.46 / $0.69
90% of quotes included a minimum of 2 nights’ accommodation
100% of quotes included airport transfers to and from your hotel
On average, surgeons have 12 years of experience in completing hair transplant surgery

19% of the emails we sent bounced without reaching the recipient — suggesting that almost a fifth of the clinics advertising transplants are no longer in operation.

I Went To Turkey For A Hair Transplant

FAQ

Is it a good idea to get a hair transplant in Turkey?

If you have progressive hair loss and need many grafts, traveling to Turkey for your surgery could substantially reduce the cost of your transplant. But the high number of grafts quoted puts you at an increased risk of overharvesting, so you may need more donor hair left if you need future procedures.

How long do hair transplants last in Turkey?

How long does the transplanted hair live? As the harvested hair is taken from the hair between the ears to the back side of the head that has a different gene code (non-loss) , it will remain in its new place for A LIFE TIME.

How much does 5000 grafts hair transplant cost in Turkey?

The cost of 5000 grafts for a hair transplant in Turkey can range from $2,000 to $5,500. Clinics with higher pricing may offer additional services or a higher level of expertise.

How much does 5000 hair grafts cost?

The cost of 5000 hair grafts varies depending on location and clinic. It typically ranges from $10,000 to $25,000, with the United States. Learn more about it here. Are you considering a hair transplant?

Are hair transplants safe in Turkey?

However, countries like Turkey offer high-quality procedures at a much lower cost. Surgery Risks: Although hair transplant procedures are generally safe, they do carry the typical risks associated with surgery, such as infection, scarring, or adverse reactions to anesthesia.

How safe is a hair transplant?

Hair transplantation is a surgical procedure that moves active follicles from the back of the scalp to areas where the hair is thinning. Once transplanted, the hair grows normally. Overall, a hair transplant is very safe. Most importantly, anyone contemplating the procedure needs to know what the process involves and what cosmetic changes he or she can expect.

Why do people visit Turkey for hair transplants?

Let’s take a look at some of the biggest reasons why patients from all over the globe visit Turkey for hair transplants. Affordable prices – Factors such as low labor cost, a high number of treatments, and government incentives make hair transplants super affordable in Turkey.

How successful is hair transplant surgery in Turkey?

However, in general, Turkey is known for having a high success rate with hair transplant surgeries. Many clinics report success rates of around 90-95%. This means that for most patients, almost all the transplanted hair grafts successfully take root and grow hair.