The top clinics for FUE hair transplantation surgery in Turkey have average prices of 2,000€ for 4000 hair grafts, and 2,500€ for 5000 grafts. Turkey is an emerging clinical destination for hair transplants in Europe with Istanbul at the forefront. With over 60,000 annual tourists coming just to treat hair loss, the number of available clinics has skyrocketed in recent years.
In this article, we discuss the procedures for hair transplants, transplant costs, high success rates, procedure benefits, and many reasons why to get a hair transplant in Turkey.
What is a Hair Transplant?
Most hair transplantation procedures are quite simple that only require two steps. First, hair is taken from healthy areas and then transferred to bald areas.
In simple terms, a hair transplant operation is a redistribution process that takes hair from dense areas of growth and repositions them in hair loss areas. Typically, the back of your head is used as a donor site, where hair follicles or grafts are taken, and then transplanted to the recipient site where you are experiencing hair loss.
By migrating healthy hair from one part of your scalp to another, this surgical procedure can place growing hair where there once was nothing. If you’ve ever moved plants around in your garden, you’ll find hair transplantation to be a very similar process.
Procedure Cost
You’ll find hair transplant prices in Istanbul and throughout Turkey vary based on:
- Reputation and fame of your hair transplant surgeon
- Needs for living and medical services, clinics, and hospitals
- However many grafts you require
- Quality of service and pampering your desire
The average hair transplant cost in Turkey for FUE procedures in good clinics with top surgeons will cost around 2,000€—3,000€. In comparison, when choosing similar hair transplant operations in the US, the UK, and many other European Union countries. the same FUE procedure can cost upwards of 9,000€—13,000€.
If you desire a DHI hair transplant, do note that the cost in Turkey is roughly %20-25 higher than the FUE method and will cost you around 2,500€—3,750€.
4000 — 4500 Grafts
You will find this procedure costs roughly 2000€–2500€, including the special medicines, shampoo, lotion, and two nights of accommodation.
5000 — 6000 Grafts
Prices typically range from 2500€—3000€, including post-operative consultation and online assistance, interpreter, medication, accommodation for a couple of nights at a 4 or 5-star hotel.
What to Expect
If you’re looking to get a hair transplant in Turkey, do note they have become one of the top choices in the world for hair treatments and operations. The hair transplantation methods and technology used by Turkey’s experienced doctors and surgeons are the same as found elsewhere.
In Istanbul, and throughout the country, you’ll find world-class surgeons and hair transplant prices that are often 1/3 of their counterparts around the world.
Turkey also has a great healthcare system with more than 30 Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited hospitals, and more than 1,500 plastic surgeons having board certificates and members of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS).
Recovery Process
Both FUT and FUE procedures can last between 4 and 8 hours total. Usually, FUT surgery takes less time than FUE, but the recovery period can be longer. After surgery, the patient is placed into a recovery room, at least for several hours.
Once the sedative and anesthesia effects wear off, you’ll be discharged. This is generally the same day, but you will still have to stay in Turkey for at least 2 to 3 days.
Timeline
Generally, within 3 to 5 days after the hair transplant surgery, patients can return to their daily activities or jobs. However, the doctor will advise you against heavy exercises or intense activities, during the first month after the surgery. These could lead to increased scarring, or delay the recovery.
To see the final results of your hair transplant, you will need to wait at least 6 months, and in some cases, 9 to 12 months.
Post Operative
On your second day, you’ll need to return to your clinic for a post-op check-up. The surgeon will examine the transplanted areas and provide you with further recovery instructions if needed. You’ll have to apply a special hair wash technique from now on, and will learn about your aftercare.
Aftercare
Several days after surgery you could have some unpleasant soreness in the recipient and donor areas. Thus, the doctor might also prescribe you some medicines to ease this unpleasant feeling.
Medications
You will receive adequate medication in the form of antibiotics against infections, anti-inflammatories, as well as drugs that stimulate hair recovery and growth, such as Minoxidil, or Finasteride.
Benefits
A hair transplant can offer you a great, full mane. The benefits of undergoing this procedure include a high success rate and permanent natural-looking results which often result in increased self-esteem.
High Success Rates
There is a great success rate after this surgery. It is the most efficient hair loss treatment. No other treatment will bring you these effects, neither the prescribed medicines nor over-the-counter lotions or supplements. Practically with the hair transplant procedure, your hair could be completely restored. The success rate of the surgery is quite impressive. The transplanted areas need around three to four months to recover. Whereas the recovery rate of the transplanted area goes from10% to 80%.
Permanent Results
Hair transplant provides permanent results and may only require a single surgery. This is not the case with other types of treatments, like oral or topical. They usually offer certain results only in the case of thinning hair, and they don’t last too long.
Natural Looking
After decades of improvement and technology upgrades, nowadays, the hair transplant procedure delivers a very natural look. The results are so impressive that people around will not even notice you had an intervention.
Increased Self-esteem
The surgery will provide such a huge amount of hair so that the appearance gets younger and more attractive. Actually, many of those that request hair transplants, are usually quite unsatisfied with their appearance. Obviously, it is a great way to increase your self-esteem and acquire greater success in life.
Risks
Though the probability is very low, even a simple medical procedure like a hair transplant implies some risks. The tiny puncture holes where hairs are inserted will cause minor bleeding, but can also produce allergic reactions to either the substances or medication used.
Wherever your skin integrity is broken during surgery, soreness, swelling, itching, inflammation, infection, as well as visible scarring is possible. Pus drainage is also expected in the recipient and donor areas.
Depending on the location of your donor area, it may produce an unnatural way of blending between the old and the new hair. Despite these risks, however, hair transplants in Turkey are incredibly sought. By choosing certified specialists and clinics, you’ll greatly reduce your risks and increase your probability of success.
Why Turkey
Hair transplant clinics in Turkey of the same procedures, medical standards, hair restoration techniques, and quality of service as found elsewhere. So, it should come as no surprise that medical tourists view hair transplant operations in Turkey as one of their top 3 choices in the world.
Over 60,000 people a year undergo a hair transplant procedure in Turkey making it one of the most popular hair clinic destinations in the world. The prices are very affordable, and their well-trained surgeons who use state-of-the-art equipment make it a lot more desirable than other countries with lower standards.
Top Clinics
One of the more popular hair transplant teams in Istanbul, the Smile Hair Clinic, was founded in 2018 by Dr. Gokay Bilgin and Dr. Mehmet Erdogan. They are very well-known hair restoration surgeons in Turkey who have dedicated many years to developing FUE hair transplant techniques. In total, they’ve helped over 15,000 patients from numerous countries around the world.
Success Rates
The rate of successful hair transplants in Turkey is 98%. That means that only 2 out of 100 patients might have failed procedures, and generally, these can be fixed with secondary surgeries. The reasons behind this great success rate are the highly qualified and experienced surgeons and clinic staff, along with the latest hair transplant technology they use.
Very Affordable
Due to an upswing in medical tourism, the prices for these highly-ranked hair transplant services are very attractive compared to their worldwide counterparts. In countries like the United Kingdom and the United States, only a few can afford a hair transplant. Hair transplant clinics in Turkey have considerably lower prices, which allows many to have their surgeries performed while meeting a specific budget. The advantageous prices combined with the lovely weather are one of the main reasons for thousands of people to fly here to get their procedure performed.
Well Trained Surgeons
The success of this procedure is depending on the surgeon’s abilities and experience. The good news is that Turkey has numerous great professionals who have decades of experience. They are acknowledged all over the world, as some of the best-trained practitioners within the health tourism industry. There are surgeons with decade-long careers and tons of satisfied patients.
The high qualification level is not their only asset. They have also developed the aesthetic skills required for amazing natural results. Even the best among them constantly upgrade their knowledge with the most recent discoveries and technologies. However, the task of choosing a suitable surgeon is yours. You could ask for recommendations or just compare different offers. We advise you to research and communicate with several surgeons before your operation. Analyze their style, their achievements. You have the option to compare the before and after photos, and only afterward decide which one best suits your needs.
State-of-the-Art Equipment
Turkey offers a wide range of hospitals and clinics that provide high-class transplant procedures. Here you will find the greatest number of certified hair transplant centers in the world (by JCI – Joint Commission International). Istanbul is the city where you will find the majority of these centers with no less than 350 clinics.
Due to this competition, the advancement in this area, as well as the quality’s improvement in health tourism services in recent years make Turkey a wise choice. You will find a vast amount of high-level services both medical and regarding traveling to Turkey, like accommodation, interpreter, airport shuttle. Thus this medical procedure transforms into a satisfying experience. The medical equipment is top of the line. Turkey also produces high-class medical equipment, so they have fast access to the latest technologies.
Expert Staff
Teamwork can help ensure hair transplant surgeries are performed successfully and you’ll find clinic of hair transplant surgeons in Turkey work in sync with each other. In FUT hair transplants, teams will work faster to place your grafts than a single specialist.
Exciting Tourism
Many transplant patients generally stay a few days longer to allow for a little tourism during their recovery period. Especially if you opt for a hair transplant clinic in Istanbul, you could easily walk around famous attractions like Hagia Sofia, Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern, the Blue Mosque, and the Hippodrome.
Procedure Types
A hair transplant is a fast solution against baldness or hair thinning. It involves surgery, and takes some of your already existent hair and moving it on the affected area. However, this is considered an easy surgery. Recovery doesn’t take longer than a couple of days. The grafted hair usually comes from another part of the head, where the hair is dense, or from another part of the body. Thus, there will be a donor area and a recipient area, where the graft is relocated.
This medical procedure is performed on people with health issues, like permanent baldness or severe injuries that prevent hair from ever growing again. However, hair transplants became famous for aesthetic reasons. It is a popular surgery for those who just want to improve their look and increase attractiveness. It is performed both on men and women, no matter the race. Yet, not everybody can get this procedure. First, you need to comply with the requirement of having some hair growing on your head, maybe on the sides or in the backside, that shall be donor areas. Before engaging in this surgery, you need to understand the entire process and keep your expectations real.
FUE
Follicular Unit Extraction or FUE is slightly different from FUT in that it consists of extracting hair follicles directly from the scalp, then migrating them to the bald area.
Surgery
First, you’ll receive local anesthesia and/or sedatives, and then the hair from both the donor and recipient areas gets prepared. Both areas will be trimmed up to 2 mm. Then the surgeon starts removing each follicle one by one, directly from the extraction area, with a micro tool. On the bald area, tiny incisions will be made with a microneedle. Each graft is inserted in its place, in a natural-looking pattern. Finally, the area is cleaned, and bandages are applied.
ARTAS Robotic System
Many hair transplant clinics in Turkey offer patients leading technology in the form of the ARTAS robotic system, which replaces the manual FUE procedure. The surgeon is still required to operate the ARTAS robot, which increases the surgery precision by removing human error margins.
Scarring
FUE will only leave tiny scars in some of the hair insertion areas, which will generally fade away in time. The scar area is quite small when compared to FUT, which ensures will not leave a hair-plug look.
FUT
Follicular Unit Transplantation, or FUT, is also named Follicular Unit Strip Surgery, or FUSS. This procedure is recommended for men who suffer from male pattern baldness, or androgenic alopecia, and for women with Ludwig pattern baldness.
The procedure consists of harvesting a portion of skin and then extracting follicle from it. The follicles, or hair grafts, are then inserted one by one on the scalp area affected by baldness.
Surgery
Together with your surgeon, you will first decide on your new hairline, called the recipient area. Then you’ll decide where the donor area for graft extraction will be. In most cases, the clinic will take before and after photos of your scalp. Then the actual procedure starts with the local anesthesia or the sedative.
The hair in the donor area gets prepared for harvesting by trimming it up to around 2 mm. Then a thin portion of your skin is cut off, and the follicle extraction starts, one by one. The follicles are repositioned on the scalp, using a pattern that resembles your natural hair. Then the surgeon sutures your scalp and applies bandages and antibiotics.
Scarring
The donor area in the FUT process will unfortunately have a permanent scar. In time, the scar will diminish bit by bit, but generally, it will never disappear completely. The scar, however, can be easily covered by other rows of hair after they reach a certain length.
FAQ
Below you’ll find answers to our most frequently asked questions about hair transplant procedures in Turkey.
Hair Transplants
Though a surgical procedure, hair transplants are relatively easy and only involve two steps. First, the surgeon takes hair from your healthy areas and then transfers it to the bald ones. The best areas for hair extraction, are in the back of your head. If that’s not possible, the doctor will then focus on retrieving hair follicles from other parts of your body.
Telogen Effluvium is a rare condition that is generally caused by numerous external factors. You will need to see a surgeon who specialist who can diagnose the root causes of your condition in order to ensure a successful hair transplant.
Yes. Low-quality hair grafts are generally the cause of limited donor areas or inexperienced doctors. Be sure you get a qualified evaluation and select a certified hair transplant clinic to reduce this risk.
Yes. Improper post hair transplant care can also cause hair loss, so be sure to follow your doctor’s directions to the letter during the recovery process.
A small percentage of graft rejection is expected after a hair transplant. This loss is permanent due to the body’s immune system rejecting the transplant. The ARTAS Robotic System helps reduce this possibility, as does booking with a certified hair transplant clinic.
Shock hair loss is caused by the trauma of hair transplant surgery and usually occurs within 1-5 weeks after your procedure. This is only a temporary condition though and your hair will grow back in a normal cycle.
There are three main causes of hair loss after transplants that are due to shock, graft rejection, and post-transplant hair care. Two other causes are low-quality donor grafts, and telogen effluvium.
Yes. The transplanted hair will conform to the same shedding cycle as normal hair, which consists of the three stages; anagen, catagen, and telogen phases. Aside from this, there will hair loss specifically related to the transplant, which can consist of shock hair loss, graft rejection, and improper hair transplant aftercare.
The answer to this question depends on the size of the bald/ hair thinning area. Each hair transplant session means the extraction of around 3000 – 4000 hair grafts. If it’s a large area that requires more grafts, then one surgery might not be enough. Two, even three hair transplant procedures might be required if you require 6000-8000+ hair grafts.