Istanbul’s Hair Transplant Industry Boosts Tourism
People with hair loss who are on the lookout for a cut-price solution are unwittingly helping to solve a major problem in Istanbul namely a drop in tourist numbers.
As city-breakers stay away because of ongoing uncertainty about safety levels in Turkey, where terrorist attacks have increased over the past few years, visitors to Istanbul who come in search of a bargain-basement hair transplant are helping to redress the balance.
According to Singapore’s Business Times, 5,000 foreign patients come to the city every month to have one, despite many warnings against medical tourism.
Most of them are men and they come looking for a solution to Male Pattern Baldness, the genetic thinning condition that affects the top of the head and hairline in half of all men by the time they reach 50. Hair restoration procedures in the UK come with a price tag that can easily be in excess of £5,000. In Istanbul, writes the Business Times, a visitor can enjoy three days in the city and pay for a hair transplant for a total spend of just over £1,000.
The article states that there are now more than 300 hair transplant clinics in Istanbul, which would likely make it the hair transplant capital of the world. Many clients come from the Middle East and the Gulf, but the lure of a cheap-fix for European customers is also strong.
Taksim Square, states the Business Times article, has such a high concentration of hair restoration centres that is is “hard to miss the men wandering around with shaved heads and bandages” following their operations. Apparently, residents have joked that a man with a bandaged head could become a new logo for the city.
Male Hair Loss treatment using clinical, as opposed to surgical, techniques is a preferred option for many men both in the UK and overseas, as it is less invasive/painful and is well-proven following numerous clinical trials. The only MHRA licensed and FDA approved men's hair loss drugs, finasteride 1mg and minoxidil, can provide encouraging results when used consistently as directed.
The oral DHT inhibitor, finasteride 1mg, and topical applications of high strength minoxidil which is particularly helpful when treating stubborn areas of hairloss, such as a thinning crown or a receding hairline as they open up potassium channels, promoting accelerated hair growth, can be used together or individually. Anyone unsure as to which approach is best for their specific situation, including any lifestyle or health concerns, would be best advised to speak with a hair loss specialist who can guide them through the options and recommend appropriate solutions for their consideration.
In western clinics treatment of this nature also often forms an integral part of a hair transplant package: surgeons regularly tell men to follow a pharmaceutical treatment course for at least six months before surgery so that they have more to work with. Following this six-month period, some men decide they are happy with the regrowth results they are experiencing and go on to cancel their operation, choosing to continue with their hair loss treatment course instead. Those men who do continue down the surgical route are usually advised to carry on using pharmaceutical hair loss medications on a rolling basis so that the hair surrounding their newly-implanted grafts doesn’t fall out.
Here in the UK, an esteemed hair loss clinic and a reputable hair transplant surgery may sometimes work together to provide exemplary levels of care, both before and after a man's procedure. Whether or not this can be replicated in Istanbul is subject to debate though one surgery owner in the city claims that the quality of treatment is "very high". But can cut-priced clinics in Turkey, where English is not the main language and after-care and on-going support may not be of the same standard - or as easily available - really offer a similar level of service for such a low price?
If you are losing hair and confused about the slightly bewildering number of options that are available, a professional hair loss consultation may be the best way to start.
As city-breakers stay away because of ongoing uncertainty about safety levels in Turkey, where terrorist attacks have increased over the past few years, visitors to Istanbul who come in search of a bargain-basement hair transplant are helping to redress the balance.
According to Singapore’s Business Times, 5,000 foreign patients come to the city every month to have one, despite many warnings against medical tourism.
Solutions for Male Pattern Baldness
The article states that there are now more than 300 hair transplant clinics in Istanbul, which would likely make it the hair transplant capital of the world. Many clients come from the Middle East and the Gulf, but the lure of a cheap-fix for European customers is also strong.
Taksim Square, states the Business Times article, has such a high concentration of hair restoration centres that is is “hard to miss the men wandering around with shaved heads and bandages” following their operations. Apparently, residents have joked that a man with a bandaged head could become a new logo for the city.
Male Hair Loss treatment using clinical, as opposed to surgical, techniques is a preferred option for many men both in the UK and overseas, as it is less invasive/painful and is well-proven following numerous clinical trials. The only MHRA licensed and FDA approved men's hair loss drugs, finasteride 1mg and minoxidil, can provide encouraging results when used consistently as directed.
The oral DHT inhibitor, finasteride 1mg, and topical applications of high strength minoxidil which is particularly helpful when treating stubborn areas of hairloss, such as a thinning crown or a receding hairline as they open up potassium channels, promoting accelerated hair growth, can be used together or individually. Anyone unsure as to which approach is best for their specific situation, including any lifestyle or health concerns, would be best advised to speak with a hair loss specialist who can guide them through the options and recommend appropriate solutions for their consideration.
Integral aftercare concerns
In western clinics treatment of this nature also often forms an integral part of a hair transplant package: surgeons regularly tell men to follow a pharmaceutical treatment course for at least six months before surgery so that they have more to work with. Following this six-month period, some men decide they are happy with the regrowth results they are experiencing and go on to cancel their operation, choosing to continue with their hair loss treatment course instead. Those men who do continue down the surgical route are usually advised to carry on using pharmaceutical hair loss medications on a rolling basis so that the hair surrounding their newly-implanted grafts doesn’t fall out.
Here in the UK, an esteemed hair loss clinic and a reputable hair transplant surgery may sometimes work together to provide exemplary levels of care, both before and after a man's procedure. Whether or not this can be replicated in Istanbul is subject to debate though one surgery owner in the city claims that the quality of treatment is "very high". But can cut-priced clinics in Turkey, where English is not the main language and after-care and on-going support may not be of the same standard - or as easily available - really offer a similar level of service for such a low price?
If you are losing hair and confused about the slightly bewildering number of options that are available, a professional hair loss consultation may be the best way to start.
The Belgravia Centre
The Belgravia Centre is a world-renowned group of a hair loss clinic in Central London, UK. If you are worried about hair loss you can arrange a free consultation with a hair loss expert or complete our Online Consultation from anywhere in the world for home-use treatment.
View our Hair Loss Success Stories, which includes the world's largest gallery of hair growth photos and demonstrates the level of success that so many of Belgravia's patients achieve.
