Choosing a hair transplant in Turkey is a major step toward restoring your hair — and your confidence. At IdealofMeD, we specialize in delivering natural hair restoration results. On this page, we guide you through the entire hair transplant procedure: from your initial consultation to post-operative care once you return home.
Over 60% of all hair transplants each year are performed in Turkey. Whether you are just starting your research, or have already decided to book a hair transplant in Turkey, you really should read this guide. We love what we do; we help people become (and live) their ideal me. Maybe we can help you too.
We know that the trip to Turkey probably feels a bit inconvenient, but being situated in Turkey allows IdealofMeD to offer you 3 hair transplant packages of unrivalled quality, while still being able to pass on the substantial cost savings on the hair transplant to You. In fact our trademark Ideal Combination Surgery (Ideal ICE FUE Sapphire/ Ideal ICE DHI Surgery) with up to a 8 person surgery team, would probably not be possible to do anywhere else.
With 1000’s of treatments a year, our hair restoration process is tried and tested for the best results – in the most comfortable way. For you, it’s new, exciting and you are wondering what to expect from it all. We want to make sure you have an ideal experience. On this page, you can read exactly what to expect from your hair restoration process with IdealofMeD. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to book a free consultation.
Before we go into details, let’s start with why Turkey is such an ideal choice for your hair restoration.
Did you know that over 60% of all hair transplants in the world each year are performed in Turkey? Over 500,000 a year!
Yes, you read that correctly.
Turkey is home to over 500 hair transplant locations. Traditionally, many Europeans choose to have a hair transplant in Turkey, but in recent years many patients from Canada, the US and Asia have followed. It is expected that Turkey will perform 65% of all hair transplants globally by 2023.
Get answers from other hair transplant patients.
If your first thought was hair transplant cost, you are correct!
Because of the lower hair transplant costs, the cost of a hair transplantation in Turkey is also much lower for you. At the right places, this creates a positive loop. This is why Turkey performs over 60% of all hair transplants a year.
So the real reason to choose a hair transplant in Turkey is that you get a better result.
Not enough reasons for you?
Turkey is also a great holiday destination. With sun all-year-round, plenty of sightseeing, culture and history you will be spoilt for choice on your rest day (or days if you choose our premium packages).
Hi, my name is Helene. If you would like to know more about us and our hair transplant procedures in Turkey, I encourage you to arrange a free consultation with one of our patient consultants at IdealofMeD.
Our dedicated experts are known for their friendly and accommodating demeanor, and they take immense pride in providing exceptional assistance. They are eager to share their knowledge and aid you in exploring tailor-made treatment options that suit your specific needs.
While our most common procedures are hair restorations are dental procedures, we offer all types of plastic surgery, eye laser procedures and medical checkups. Let us introduce ourselves and what makes us different.
With over 35 years of experience in Turkey, we have our roots in the Nordics. In our management and execution, we always aspire to combine:
What does that mean for you:
A great team:
Perfectionism:
Hospitality:
Curious about our aftercare? Check the full practical guide or download the aftercare app to check it out for yourself. Also, check out our exclusive line of IdealofMeD products.
Start by picking one of our treatment packages. Not sure what to choose? Book a free consultation where we help you.
With your reservation made, you will receive our Hair Restoration Box within a week. The products in this box will prepare your transplantation area for the best result. It includes serums, shampoos and vitamins specifically designed to nurture your scalp and strengthen your existing hair. These products significantly improve the results of your procedure.
Based on your situation and preference, we also schedule up to two pre-operational online consultations. In these consultations, one of our senior specialists can guide and advise you about your hair loss, general health and which products – such as shower filters – can help your hair health.
A week before your surgery, your dedicated host will contact you to arrange for your pick up at the airport and to assist you with anything that you might need for your journey. We will also request some information from you that we need in order to prepare for your arrival and procedure.
This includes a survey about your medical background, used during your medical consultation at the hospital.
A week before you travel to Turkey, you will get a detailed information package with things like:
From the moment you exit the baggage claims area at the airport, you are met and accompanied by one of our hosts. You will be picked up and transported by our VIP transfer service during your stay.
Your ride from the airport to the hospital takes approximately one hour, a drive that we have tried to make as enjoyable as possible for you and your co-travellers with a complimentary mini-bar, free WIFI and of course the possibility to play your favourite songs.
In order for you to be relaxed on surgery day, depending in landing times, some patients will have a short stop at the hospital on your way to your hotel. Check in to the hospital and taking the blood samples will take around 15 minutes. This also gives you the opportunity to see the hospital where you will have the hair restoration procedure the following day.
After the stop at the hospital, it’s less than 15 minutes drive to your hotel where you will be dropped off.
Depending on your package, you either stay in a 4-star or a 5-star hotel to make sure you are comfortable during your stay with us.
Your hair transplantion will either be planned for the morning or the afternoon and takes 6-8 hours. All-in-all, it’s a long day, and you will spend the majority of it laying down on the operating table. You can watch Netflix or listen to a podcast though!
Here’s what to expect on your operation day:
Your hotel serves a great Turkish breakfast. We suggest you start off with a light breakfast. Your itinerary shows when the driver will be ready to pick you up at the lobby to go to the hospital. Any co-travellers can accompany you, or they can explore Istanbul by themselves.
At the hospital, you will be greeted by one of our senior patient consultants who will guide you the entire day at the hospital. You can ask them any questions you have.
Time to meet the medical team! You will be asked some questions to make sure your expectations are aligned with our restoration plan and we’ll examine your scalp and grafts.
Well before you arrive at the hospital, the medical team assesses your pictures, background survey and wishes and comes up with a plan. Because each transplant area is unique, however, we can’t be exactly sure what can be done until we meet in person.
We take time to plan your hair transplant in detail, where we aim to satisfy your expectations, within what is medically possible.
The next steps will help us determine this together.
Using a digital microscope, the medical team looks at the donor to determine:
Based on these two variables, we can determine the grafts we need, and can transplant to the recipient area. The average person has between 120-140 roots per cm2, but 1 root rarely contains just a single hair. This is why the number of grafts does not necessarily represent the denseness of your hair.
We don’t want to deplete your donor area but give you the best transplant possible, that’s why we take time during the medical consultation to plan everything in detail.
But, more about this when we discuss different hair transplant methods that combat baldness, hair density or both.
One of, if not the most, important steps today, is to draw your new hairline. We use a laser tool to draw a symmetrical hairline that aligns with your:
Once you and the team agree, we move on to the next step. Don’t hesitate to ask questions and give your opinion.
Now that your new hairline is determined, your medical team will reconfirm the final planning with you. This includes:
We want to make sure that you are well aware of all the details of the upcoming procedure.
When you have agreed and planned everything with the medical team, we have to sign the final papers. These include the number of grafts, the transplant method and that you acknowledge the risks of the procedure. And then you have your well deserved short break!
Standard package:
For our Standard Package, our hairdresser will shave your hair completely for Ideal ICE FUE Sapphire. You can select to either do an Ideal ICE FUE Sapphire or an Ideal ICE DHI. The Ideal Combination Surgery is extra or is included in the premium packages.
After your haircut, you will be given one of our (not so) fashionable (but practical and effective) surgical gowns to wear. The 8-person medical team (premium) will be ready for you in the operation room. You will be monitored with a finger-tip monitor at all times.
Who will all be there?
After you are settled into the surgical chair, the first step will be to disinfect the donor area where the follicles will be extracted from. As this is an operating room, it might be a bit chilly at times. We can provide you with blankets when you get cold.
Next, we apply local anaesthesia. Your scalp will be partially numb and then, based on your feedback, we continue adding local anaesthesia to ensure a painless operation.
To extract the hair follicles, micromotor punches are used. Each extracted follicle is placed in a petri dish to analyse and count. This way we know exactly how many grafts will be placed for your and our records.
Each petri dish will hold up to 200-250 grafts. Whether you have high or low density in your donor area, we always extract the optimum number of donor follicle units, without over harvesting or harming the donor site.
The end goal is to ensure an even density of hair across your scalp.
Depending on the number of grafts, the extraction can take up to 2.5 hours.
Each hair follicle is unique in size and shape. To give the most natural result, several steps are followed for each extracted follicle.
First, they are classified based on the number of hairs.
Then we classify the follicles based on the diameter of the root for an even result.
By doing this we can place the follicles in the correct places during the transplanting phase.
All of this will lead to the most natural result.
Generally after the incision part, there is time for a short lunch. Most patients feel good enough to move around freely without assistance. You are provided catered food directly at the hospital.
The break is limited to 15 to 20 min.
After having lunch, you will come back to the operating room for the final stage of your hair transplant, which is the actual planting of the grafts.
When the extraction is done, local anaesthesia is applied to the hairline and top. This takes around two minutes. Then, based on the operational method agreed, the procedure continues.
The different hair transplant methods are:
Most of the time, we decide on using a combination of different methods.
When we use the FUE Sapphire Method: Completely bald patients or where baldness is severe. It is also the ideal method to use in completely bald areas of the scalp.
How it works: Micro incisions to place follicle units are created by using a Sapphire Blade, which leaves virtually no scarring that can be seen with the bare eye.
The FUE Sapphire Method should not be confused with the standard FUE Method where scalpels are used instead of sapphire blades. The standard FUE method is a more invasive surgery, with a tool that is much less sharp. This can create severe discomfort, lengthens the healing process and causes visible scarring. For this reason,
IdealofMeD does not use the standard FUE Method at all.
The micro incision part of an FUE Sapphire surgery is one of the most important stages of this type of hair restoration and it demands significant skill, expertise and experience.
The angle in which the micro incisions are done, and the density planned, will determine the success of the entire hair restoration. The micro incisions can take up to 1 hour to plan and execute. Every single incision done by the medical team is accounted for and noted in the surgical report.
When we use the DHI Method: The DHI Method is the best method to increase density for patients who lack hair density.
How it works: The method is similar to the FUE Sapphire Method when it comes to follicular unit extraction from the donor area. Where it differs, is when it comes to insertion of the follicular units.
The follicle units are not inserted into micro incisions created with a sapphire blade. Instead the follicle units are inserted into a so-called Ideal Choi Implanter, which is then used to insert the follicle units between existing hair units, without damaging the surrounding area with micro incisions.
IdealofMed is one of the places where you can get combined Ideal ICE FUE Sapphire and and Ideal ICE DHI Method surgery in one treatment.
When we use the Ideal Combination Surgery: With the Ideal ICE FUE Sapphire Method, being the best method for completely bald areas, and the Ideal ICE DHI Method for low density areas areas, we can address two problems in the same surgery.
How it works: We combine both procedures in a single operation. For example if you have a bald crown, but low density in the top and hairline.
If possible, we always aim to help you long term, avoiding short term solutions requiring you to come back for additional surgeries. As such sometimes our treatment plan would be Ideal Combination Surgery, giving you the best of both worlds.
What is different about our Executive Surgery is that you are with us for a longer stay. Typically, the executive surgery treatment combines Ideal ICE FUE Sapphire on crown, whilst increasing frontal density with Ideal ICE DHI Method. You stay with us in Istanbul for up to 10 days, where we include:
For executives, extra care is taken to ensure that any traces of the procedure are invisible and ‘representable’ when you leave, usually by a hair cut with short hair in the neck and long hair on top of the head.
Similar to the executive surgery treatment, the female surgery normally entails either solely density increasing measures, or combined methods if required, and a stay of up to 10 days in Istanbul. Also here, we include:
For a female hair transplant, we take extra care to assure that any traces of the procedure are as invisible as possible and ‘stylish’ either with a new “Rihanna-look” or by making sure that the shaved donor area is fully covered by hair.
It’s time to start inserting the grafts!
The medical team will insert the follicle units into the micro insertions that have been made.
All the follicle units are planted one by one, in a fast pace, to avoid too much contact with open air.
This part of the procedure takes around 2 to 4 hours depending on the number of grafts.
After the insertion stage, the medical team will do their final check after which a bandage will be put on the donor site for 36 hours.
Once all checks have been completed and you feel good, you can leave the operation room.
Finally, the medical team and your Senior Patient Coordinator will evaluate the process with you.
After the post operational consultation, our VIP Transfer Service will be ready to take you back to the hotel so that you can rest.
We are always available if you have any questions or concerns, to make sure everything goes well the first day after the procedure. The hotel has restaurants and room service available at times. We recommend patients to rest the day after their hair transplant.
While our most common procedures are hair restorations, we offer all types of plastic surgery, dental procedures and medical checkups. Let us introduce ourselves and what makes us different.
Founded on the seven hills and geographically located on two continents, Istanbul is a unique city. Being like a bridge between The East and The West, travelling for a hair transplant in Turkey is convenient and affordable.
Having had the honour of being the capital of the Byzantine and the Ottoman Empire, Istanbul has always been attractive for travellers. It is rated a top destination for foreign visitors both during the warm summer and the mild winter months, particularly due to its many historical sights and its breathtaking nature. The country is also one of the largest centres for healthcare and plastic surgery globally, and hosts hundreds of skilled institutions, specialised in various types of plastic surgery procedures.
Helpful Links:
While we advise you to take it easy, going to Izmir for a day can be very relaxing. Only a one-hour flight from Istanbul, Izmir is located at the Aegean coast.
Helpful links:
If you have selected our standard package, this will be your last day with us in Istanbul. Before you leave we make sure your bandages can be removed and that you are all set to go.
After one day at the hotel (or out and about), you are taken to the hospital on the fourth day of your stay for another checkup.
What will happen today:
Because of the hair transplant methods we use, your bandages will always be removed before you leave Istanbul. During the first hair wash, we will record how this is done with an explanation so that you can do it yourself for the next couple of days when you arrive home.
In the premium package, you go to your hotel and can enjoy Istanbul for one extra day. On day 5 you are picked up for a trip to the hospital, where our nurse will start with washing your hair, but you will also have other treatments.
Besides the joy of holidaying in Istanbul – really getting to know the city or any other of our beauty or anti-ageing treatments – you will get picked up by your car each morning and be transferred to the hospital for a half day that starts with washing your hair, but most importantly hyperbaric chamber and some mesotherapy (non-surgical vitamin boosters). The extra days will also allow you to recover from redness and for the crusts to fall off before you go back home.
When the treatment and the final check-up have been completed, you are ready to be transported to the airport and fly home at your convenience.
Some patients opt to take advantage of our facilities and have additional procedures or post-operational treatments while in Turkey. Post operational procedures. Your contact can tell you more about this.
This is our hair restoration process, from beginning to end. We hope it answers your questions and takes away some of the hesitations you might feel. We’re always here to answer any questions you have.
Feel free to book a free consultation, and we hope to see you in Istanbul soon!
Helene Törnqvist
The information on this page is checked by Helene Törnqvist. She’s a medical writer and an expert on hair health.
We’re you’re number 1 destination for a hair transplant in Turkey. Don’t forget to check out our pages about hair transplant results, hair transplant treatments, and see the hair transplant prices.
