The illegal medical trade is booming in Turkey, with many tourists flocking to the country to benefit from low-cost procedures. The hair transplant market has particularly seen a huge increase in demand. However, what tourists don’t realise is they are often being treated by illegal, black market operators.
The number of illegal clinics in the country is rising significantly, with middlemen constantly bringing in new clients for commission. While most foreign patients travel to Turkey from the Arabian Gulf, there are also a lot of British men recognising the opportunity of getting an affordable hair transplant abroad.
Hair transplant packages are too tempting to pass up
In the UK, undergoing a hair transplant is a fairly non-eventful process. You go into the clinic, have the procedure, then go home. However, in Turkey, illegal clinics offer their patients an all-inclusive package. This includes transporting the patient to and from the clinic in a luxury car and booking a reservation with a central hotel close to the clinic.
The health minister of Turkey has revealed over 200 hair transplants are carried out each day. This is largely blamed on prices being up to 50% lower than in other countries like the US and UK.
Unfortunately, very few patients do their research before undergoing the procedure and they often end up needing further treatment to correct the many things that can go wrong.
What are the risks?
The majority of illegal hair transplant operators in Turkey are not qualified. This means there isn’t just a big chance the procedure will fail, but it’s also extremely dangerous. Infections are particularly common and while the clinics promise to help you achieve the look of your dreams, the results often leave much to be desired.
Overall, it’s no secret hair transplants are expensive. So, you may find yourself tempted to save money and go abroad. However, the likelihood you will receive the results you are expecting are really low and you could end up developing a nasty infection, along with unsightly scars.
