Turkey is the world’s leading country for hair transplant procedures, with business worth $1 billion in 2014 alone. The average cost of a hair transplant procedure in Turkey is between $1,700 and $2,000, while the same procedure in the UK or US can cost up to $25,000.
Around 5,000 patients flock to the country for hair transplants every month, with around 3,500 of them coming from Arab countries (mainly the Gulf States and Saudi Arabia). Photojournalist Emanuele Sartori moved to Istanbul in 2015 and began observing the large number of health tourists flocking to the country. The lure of low costs for major surgeries, especially hair transplants, has made the country a major centre for foreigners looking for affordable cosmetic treatments.
The fact that Arabs make up a large proportion of the total number is due to several factors: the hot, dry climate of Arab countries, the habit of covering the head, and the use of purified sea water for personal hygiene can all contribute to the weakening of hair. Also, in Arab culture, strong hair is considered highly desirable for men.
The technique used is known as FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) – around 4,000 follicular units are harvested from the back of the scalp and carefully transplanted one by one wherever they are needed, following a pre-determined density and pattern.
Most of the Arab patients take this opportunity to stay in Istanbul with their families for four or five days.
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