Just Google “hair transplant in UK,” and you’ll be sure to find a Turkish hair clinic. That’s because many clinics in Turkey get customers from none other than the United Kingdom itself. Since many people believe that healthcare in the UK is better than in Turkey, you wouldn’t expect that to be the case.
And yet, those UK residents who have actually been to Turkey would recommend you to get your hair surgery there instead of in the UK. In fact, according to the head of the Turkish Health Tourism Association (TÜSATDER), about 60% of the patients are coming to Turkey based on the recommendations of others. So, why is Turkey better than the UK when it comes to hair transplants? Let’s find out.
Why Turkish Hair Transplants Are Better Than UK Hair Transplants
The following will help you understand why it’s a far better idea to get hair transplants in Istanbul, Turkey than in the UK.
You’ll Save More
The fact of the matter is that Turkey is far cheaper than the UK. And that’s got to do with the cost of living. While a hair transplant in Turkey would cost you about £1,600. In the UK, the same procedure will end up costing you £4,000-7,000 (on average). In bigger cities like London (and depending on the area in which the clinic is), the price can go as far as £30,000.
And just keep in mind that you shouldn’t expect to get a hair transplant through the NHS. That’s because the public healthcare system does not offer cosmetic surgery. And even if you have private medical insurance, you cannot get a hair transplant on it. So, you’ll have to get the procedure privately.
And when you do a cost breakdown for a hair transplant in the UK, make sure to include the price of consultation, medicines, follow-up and aftercare (Clinics in Turkey offer them with no additional charge.). Also, keep in mind that clinics in the UK usually charge based on the number of grafts. So, if the size of the balding area is large, you’re going to have to pay more.
For instance, if you need about 3,000 grafts at the cost of £5/graft, it’ll end up costing you £15,000. In Turkey, on the other hand, clinics offer the maximum number of grafts for the same price. And even if you include the cost of your flight ticket, you’ll be saving far more than you could in the UK.
You’ll Get The Same Quality
The Turkish Ministry of Health is equivalent to the CQC and GMC in the UK. Rest assured, health services are rigorously regulated. The facilities are also frequently inspected. And your hair transplant will also take place in a licensed clinic (because that’s the only one allowed to operate) by registered doctors who have insurance against malpractice (it’s required by law).
All around the world, the FUE technique (in which individual follicles are taken from the scalp) is preferred over the FUT technique (in which a strip of skin is removed from the scalp).
So, most clinics in Turkey will offer not only the traditional FUE but also its variants like DHI and Sapphire. Additionally, surgeons are more adept at performing these procedures simply because they have more experience. A higher volume of patients (of different ethnicities and ages) is the reason for this.
UK media often criticises Turkish hair transplants for poor quality. There will often be mentions of “technicians” and “taxi drivers.” But here, you must consider that hair clinics in Turkey are hurting the bottom line of clinics in the UK, which might influence their opinions.
You should also keep in mind that there will always be some bad clinics, no matter where you live. But you can find the good ones if you do your research (which you should do whether you’re getting a transplant in the UK or Turkey).
Language Isn’t An Issue
Most people in Turkey speak Turkish, but again, that shouldn’t deter you from getting a hair transplant here. This is because, as far as your surgery is concerned, the language barrier won’t be an issue.
Considering that the client base of many clinics is English-speaking, it’s a given that everything’s communicated in English. Clinics have translators accompanying patients so that there’s absolutely no problem when it comes to the language.
Conclusion
There’s a reason why people in the UK prefer Turkey for hair transplants (over their own country). They get a good deal, and the quality doesn’t suffer.
Just remember, whether you’re looking for a hair transplant clinic in the UK or Turkey, make sure you do your research first. Read the reviews, look at the website, and speak with past patients of the company to get a better idea of them. That way, you’ll be on track to finding a good hair transplant clinic.
