Traveling to places like Thailand, Hungary, and Turkey for hair transplants has been a growing trend in recent years. With attractive savings for surgeries performed abroad, it can seem like a no-brainer – but don’t let those low prices cost you more in the long run.
Berman Skin Institute, the longest-serving provider of the ARTAS® robotic hair transplant procedure in the world, encourages you to do your due diligence and make an informed decision before booking your out-of-country cosmetic procedure.
5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Travel Internationally for Hair Transplants
1: Ongoing Care Needs: Hair loss and its treatment is a complicated medical issue. Since hair loss is a lifetime challenge, treating it is a continuous process with no one-and-done solution. Even hair transplants, which offer the most permanent results, require continued non-surgical treatment and maintenance before and after the procedure.
It is common for a hair transplant patient to undergo 2 to 4 procedures in their lifetime, which requires long-term planning by your surgeon and care team. This is why it’s so important to have a team you know and trust that can provide the continuous care you need for optimal results. Getting hair transplant surgery in Turkey can seem like a great option because the costs tend to be lower, but without access to ongoing care, your results may be less than ideal.
2: Expertise
The Berman Skin Institute is the longest-serving provider of the ARTAS® robotic hair transplant procedure in the world. Our founder, Dr. David A. Berman acted as the principal investigator for clinical studies on the prototype robot for hair transplantation. He has performed over 25,000 transplants since 1993 and trained hundreds of other transplant surgeons in using this advanced, minimally invasive technology – including our lead surgeon, Dr. Kourosh Kojouri.
Dr. Kojouri was hand-picked by Dr. Berman to join the iHair team and continue his legacy, bringing over 30 years of expertise as a general and organ transplant surgeon. He has also trained extensively at the ARTAS labs to ensure the highest quality care for all hair transplant patients.
“Our hair can play a significant role in our self-image and confidence,” Dr. Kojouri states, “Because hair follicles are fragile, limited, and require expert precision for harvesting and successful transplantation, it’s important to prioritize knowledge and experience over low costs.”
3: Traveling Abroad = Less Regulations
The United States has some of the world’s strictest health and safety standards for cosmetic surgeries. Through independent governing boards like the American Board of Surgery, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, standards of practice are regulated and monitored to ensure the safest possible experience for each patient.
Many foreign countries have different standards of care than those found in the United States. While the rise in medical tourism, including hair transplants and other cosmetic surgeries, has motivated additional safety precautions, it is important to do your due diligence and research.
4: Complication Risks
All cosmetic surgeries come with some level of risk. This is true for hair transplants as well, even if they are less invasive than other procedures like breast implants, BBLs, or mommy makeovers.
Being abroad in the case of a medical emergency or post-surgery complication can make recovery even more challenging. As we touched on before, lower standards of medical care can leave you dealing with more significant issues than when you started. Some risks include:
- Infection
- Hair transplant graft rejection
- Allergic reaction to medications
- Significant scar tissue
- Nerve damage
While we certainly hope your hair transplant goes as smoothly as possible, it’s important to have medical care you can trust if things go wrong. Getting adequate medical care while traveling abroad can be costly, especially if you don’t have travel health insurance. This could cost you many times more in the long run than choosing a board-certified surgeon in the United States in the first place.
5: A Personalized Approach
Each patient has unique challenges and factors contributing to their hair restoration journey. Having the care and attention of passionate, dedicated hair transplant specialists like the team at Berman Skin Institute helps to ensure you have the best experience possible.
Our dedicated hair restoration team is with you throughout your entire procedure and beyond, providing the support and guidance you need to optimize your hair regrowth results. Our regular post-surgery check-ins include a progress assessment and any necessary adjustments to your treatment plan to help you reach your goals.
Where traveling abroad for hair transplant surgery can feel like a ‘one-and-done’ experience, our personalized approach to hair restoration helps ensure you’re in the best possible hands.
If you’re ready to start your hair restoration journey, don’t book a flight to Turkey. Instead, trust the experts at Berman Skin Institute.
Schedule your consultation today.
