Turkish hair mills are becoming notorious for delivering poor results for patients who get a hair transplant in Turkey. While some Turkish hair restoration clinics are trustworthy and reputable, many take advantage of patients’ low self-confidence with the promise of cheap prices and too-good-to-be-true results.
With almost 50 years’ experience in the hair transplant industry, we’ve seen many clinics come and go. That’s how we’ve learned to recognise the red flags of hair clinics in Turkey that all prospective patients should look out for.
Here, you’ll learn all these red flags, plus the risks of heading to Turkey for a hair transplant.
Hair transplants are one of the best hair loss treatments for men. However, procedures can be expensive — so the main draw for Turkish hair clinics is the cheap pricing. Our research found that a 2,000-graft hair transplant costs £1,464 on average in Turkey, compared with £4,820 in the UK.
It can be cheaper to get a hair transplant in Turkey than the UK, thanks to:
Many clinics also include perks like transfers, airfares, and hotel stays in the cost of their hair transplants. Realistically, these costs don’t add up to much: return flights from London to Istanbul can cost just £70, while two nights in a five-star hotel can be booked for as little as £80. So research how much you’re actually saving beforehand.
Cheap hair transplants aren’t usually all they’re cracked up to be, whether they take place in Turkey, the UK, or elsewhere. But there are greater risks if you get a hair transplant in Turkey, due to [1]:
All these risks can ultimately end up in a hair transplant that goes wrong and requires you to have a repair transplant at a reputable clinic. This will cost you more in the long run — so it’s best to choose a trustworthy clinic from the start.
While we normally advise getting a hair transplant in your home country (so you have easy access to any aftercare and support you need), the low costs of getting a hair transplant abroad can be enticing. If you’re considering a procedure overseas, here are all the red flags you should look for when choosing your hair transplant clinic in Turkey.
Promising to harvest “unlimited” or “maximum” grafts from your scalp is never a good thing, so don’t be swayed by this. In fact, ethical surgeons will only take as many grafts as they need to ensure you get good results. They won’t pressure you into having more grafts than you need.
Massive price reductions are one thing in your local supermarket, but entirely another when it comes to scalp surgery. If a clinic is offering significant discounts straight off-the-bat, ask yourself why — are they desperate for patients? And what corners are being cut to offer you these discounts?
Limited-time offers are also a red flag. You should never feel pressured into getting a hair transplant; it’s important that you take time to consider your options and make the right decision for you.
Knowing who will perform your hair transplant is important, so you can research their credentials and check their qualifications and experience. If a website doesn’t list a surgeon — and won’t tell you who performs their procedures when you ask — this is a major red flag.
If most clinic reviews are from a few weeks after the surgery, it’s unlikely the patients have seen their final results yet. So when browsing before and after hair transplant photos, make sure you know how long it took to achieve the results and avoid clinics that don’t show long-term outcomes.
Good hair transplant surgeons will turn you away if you’re not a good candidate for a hair transplant for your own safety. This includes people who:
Accepting anyone who requests a hair transplant shows an unethical approach to the procedure — which isn’t what you want from your clinic.
Some clinics are desperate to get you in the chair. To this end, consultants can be very pushy, with some patients describing negative experiences before they even set off for Istanbul.
In a YouTube video of his experience at a Turkish hair transplant clinic, one patient recounted the clinic’s response when he had to reschedule due to a flight cancellation:
“They weren’t happy. There was a language barrier with the person I was originally talking to, so they didn’t fully understand, but I thought we had come to an understanding. I guess we didn’t, because ten minutes later I got another call from a guy and a woman. I’m on speakerphone and they’re both talking to me, asking me why I’m not coming. I was a little confused and taken back about why they were so upset and the level of aggression they had towards [the situation]. ”
All prospective hair transplant patients should be advised of all the treatments available, especially if you’re in the early stages of hair loss. In some cases, it’s possible to restore your hairline with non-surgical treatments like Finasteride and Minoxidil alone.
A hair transplant should be a last resort. So any clinic that tries to get you to book an appointment for a surgical procedure without discussing non-surgical options is a major red flag.
Clinics that are keen to get you in quickly should ring alarm bells. Good clinics typically take less than four patients per day, so they can give each patient the care and attention they need. Plus, good clinics often have waiting lists.
You should also discuss other treatments and give this time to work before booking in surgery. So it could be a red flag if your clinic is able to book your hair transplant at short notice.
Claiming a recent cancellation has allowed them to squeeze you in sooner than expected is a tactic used to create the impression of a sought-after, reputable clinic. But it’s not always true — so watch out for this classic red flag used in some Turkish hair transplant clinics.
Not even the best clinics can guarantee hair transplant success. So promising to guarantee your satisfaction or a specific amount of coverage is a strong red flag.
There’s often limited information available about the warranty beforehand, which gives clinics a chance to find a loophole should you want to actually use it.
Donor area management is a key part of hair transplant surgery, as you may need further procedures in the future. Harvesting too many follicles in your first procedure could mean you don’t have enough grafts left for future transplants.
Instant quotes and one-size-fits-all packages aren’t a good sign. While it can give you an indication of hair transplant costs in Turkey, top clinics will want to examine your hair and scalp to give you a proper diagnosis before prescribing a hair transplant.
Patient advisors are there to listen to your concerns, and then offer impartial advice on the best course of action for you.
If you don’t feel heard by your advisor, doctor, or surgeon, don’t be pressured into a hair transplant at their clinic.
Third-party review sites like Trustpilot are a good way to find out if a clinic has a good track record with its patients.
Make sure to double-check any claims on the clinic’s website against the third-party site. It’s very easy to put a five-star badge on a website, but not quite as simple to trick review site algorithms.
You can also check out sites like Reddit and YouTube for impartial reviews and patient experiences.
Some people find there’s always a helpful contact on WhatsApp when you’re planning your hair transplant appointment. But after your surgery, if you need support, it’s much more difficult to get hold of them.
Before booking your appointment, try to find out as much as you can about their aftercare service. Ideally, they’ll have a UK aftercare clinic you can visit if needed, so you don’t have to travel back to Turkey (or find a new clinic) in case of complications.
Hair transplant surgery is a semi-invasive procedure that inevitably leaves some scarring, especially if you opt for an FUT procedure. So don’t be fooled by promises of scarless surgery.
Even FUE can leave minimal scarring, especially if your donor area is overharvested. Hair transplant scars may be hidden by your hair, but it’s important to manage your own expectations in terms of scarring and understand that no surgery is truly scarless.
There are undoubtedly some excellent hair transplant clinics in Turkey. But for UK residents, it’s often safer to pay more to get a hair transplant in the UK.
It means you get better access to aftercare and check-ups, a higher chance of compliance with clinical safety standards, and the opportunity to meet your surgeon in advance of your procedure.
At the Wimpole Clinic, we offer fair pricing and hair transplant finance packages so our patients can access safe, high-quality FUT and FUE procedures.
Book a consultation with our patient advisors for a free, friendly, impartial discussion about your hair loss and other potential treatments in the UK.
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