Australians pay just one-sixth of the cost to have surgery in this historic city than they would pay if they returned to their home country.
A study suggests that drinking soda could increase your chances of going bald. The New York Post reports that researchers from Beijing’s Tsinghua University found a link between drinking sugary drinks and male pattern baldness.
As Turkey’s reputation as a beauty tourism hub grows, Australians are now heading to the country for cheap hair transplants.
Doctors in Istanbul report a 70 per cent increase in Australian men’s demand for corrective surgery, which costs just one-sixth of what it costs back home.
Batuhan Kizilcan, founder of Istanbul’s Esthenove Clinic, said the number of Australians who are aware of their forehead size or who suffer from baldness or alopecia will receive treatment in 2023 compared to the previous year by 73. % increase.
Australians accounted for 7.69% of the clinic’s total patient population in 2022, second only to the US and UK.
Brisbane teacher and actor Tim Cooper paid $5,000 instead of the $30,000 he was quoted in Australia and flew 20 hours to Turkey for 5,000 hair transplants.
Tim Cooper before surgery. Photo: Supplied
6 months after surgery. Photo: Attached
“I started losing my hair when I was 23, I tried Regaine, various vitamins, I kept my hair for a while, then I shaved my head and I no longer recognised myself in the mirror,” said Cooper, 37, a father of three.
“A friend from America told us that Turkey was cheaper and the world leader in hair transplants, so we did some research, prepared a spreadsheet, and went to the estenove (clinic) in July. .
“It has changed my life. I feel more like myself and more confident.”
Simon Everett, a worker from Sydney and Melbourne, also took the plunge.
“I knew it was going to hurt, but it had to be done and it wasn’t as bad as I feared,” the 30-year-old said.
“When I was in grade 11, I had the best hair in school. I was always popular with the girls, but when I lost my hair, I lost my confidence. Now I’m feeling strong again. , I regained my confidence.”
According to the International Society of Hair Reconstruction Surgery in the US, 87% of people undergoing hair transplants worldwide are men and 13% are women.
Mr Kizilkan said he treats about 4000 patients a year, more than 200 of whom are Australian.
Batuhan Kizilkan, founder and CEO of Estenove Clinic. Photo: Attached
“Everyone wants to look good, so getting a hair transplant is no longer something to be embarrassed about,” he said.
“Most of the cases are men aged 18 to 64 from Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and the Gold Coast, and women in their 40s who have lost their hair due to hormonal changes.”
He said that as part of Turkey’s Committee for Foreign Economic Relations, a trade body, he and other clinic owners had lobbied for direct flights from Australia.
“Turkish Airlines now flies direct to Australia and we and our patients call it the Turkish Hairline because Australians are coming to Turkey for a new hairline.” he said.
Fabian Cortiñas, Chairman of the Communication Committee of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, said that Turkey aims to attract 1.5 million health tourists in 2023.
He warned elderly patients and those with heart disease or high blood pressure not to travel abroad for surgery to avoid complications.
“Although this surgery is inexpensive in Turkey, which offers world-class technology, people with diabetes, heavy smokers, and high blood pressure should not travel abroad for this procedure in case they require hospital intervention.” he said.
