Written by Menswear Style in Hair on the 18th November 2020

Until relatively recently, the concept of getting a hair transplant sounded like something from science fiction, but advancements in techniques and the increased demand have made it more viable than ever. Furthermore, as the market has evolved, certain countries have risen to prominence as the places to go for anyone who wants the best service quality and end results. Here is a look at what a hair transplant involves and why Brits are frequently choosing to visit clinics in Turkey to get this procedure.

The basics 

As the name suggests, a hair transplant involves taking hair from one part of your body, known as the donor area, and moving it to the recipient area. To ensure complete compatibility, only your own hair can be used in this process, so of course you need a suitably dense donor area from which the hairs can be transplanted. Furthermore the recipient area will become hairless, since the follicles are transplanted wholesale. It will take around eight hours for a hair transplant to be completed, and it only requires local anaesthetic, rather than general, which makes it comparatively safe and painless.

Why Turkey? 

The Turkish capital of Istanbul has become a hotspot for health tourism in recent years, and given the more affordable hair transplant cost in Turkey, in combination with the sheer quality of the service available, it explains this boom. In comparison, patients would have to pay a lot more for similar procedures if they stayed in the UK or travelled to other parts of the world where the market for this process is developed, such as the US. Furthermore, it is worth pointing out that getting to Turkey from the UK is incredibly easy; flights to conveniently located airports within spitting distance of top hair transplant clinics can take as little as three and a half hours, and because millions of tourists flock to the country for their holidays each year, the air travel costs are also minimal.

The advantages 

The reasons why modern hair transplants carried out in Turkey are so appealing is that they can deliver the most natural-looking results out of any of the options that those suffering from hair loss have available to them. Wearing a wig is not ideal, and using hair regrowth treatments is only effective so long as you use them perpetually, which has ongoing cost ramifications for patients. In comparison, people who are balding can rely on hair transplants to leave their hair looking its best in whatever style they prefer, without giving the game away to others that any work has been done whatsoever. It is no surprise that major celebrities from different backgrounds have had hair transplants and also been open about undergoing the procedure, paving the way for more men and women to consider this approach. And with the low cost and high quality of services in Turkey, it looks likely that this industry will continue to expand as UK residents seek treatment there.

We discuss why Britons are going to Turkey for hair transplant procedures and explain the typical costs and how they work.