Articles

The difference between a hair transplant in Sweden and Turkey

Author: Jacob Lagercrantz

Published: 2021-12-17

Over the years, Istanbul has become the “Mecca” of hair transplantation. It’s well known that many people go to Turkey to get their hair back – but what’s the real reason?

The combination of a good price, aggressive online marketing and long experience makes the destination popular all over the world. In this article we will go through the pros and cons of doing your transplant in Turkey and at home.

Turkey

The main reason why many people go to Turkeyfor their hair transplant is the low price. In Europe and the US, a hair transplant of 2500 grafts can cost between 40 000 – 150 000 SEK. In Turkey, the average cost of the same procedure is between €6,000 and €25,000 (depending on what is included in the package).

These hair transplant packages usually include transfers to and from the airport, a number of nights in a hotel and transport to and from the clinic. This requires relatively little planning on the part of the customer.

High competition is the underlying reason for the low price level of hair transplants in the country. The industry has created a mindset among clinicians that puts the quantity and number of transplants performed before the quality of their workmanship.

New clinics are being established almost all the time and many of them are willing to go to great lengths to keep costs down. For example, clinics hire under-qualified people to compete in the market.

With an increased number of active clinics comes shorter waiting times. There are enough clinics in Turkey to get a transplant within a few days. While in Sweden you may have to wait for several months.

We can see that there are clinics that have both a low price level and good results. But the big challenge for you as a customer is to know who these clinics are. Cheating with before/after photos and reviews on Google is not uncommon. At the same time, skilled expertise and individual doctors often bounce between many different clinics, so results can vary depending on who is working in the clinic that day.

Sweden

The main argument for having a hair transplant in Sweden is the average quality of the resultsand the clinics’ commitment to customer satisfaction. In Sweden, we also have a regulated practice around aesthetic procedures which means that they are held to a higher standard.

In Sweden, transparency around the intervention is a priority. It is important that the customer knows what to expect. If you would like to have a hair transplant at Nordic Hair Clinic and we consider after a consultation that the result will not live up to your expectations, we advise you not to proceed with the procedure. It’s all about quality over quantity – we’d rather have onefully satisfied customer with good results than threehalf-satisfied ones with half-good results.

Accessible and thorough aftercare is essential to make the outcome and customer experience as good as possible. Being able to easily get to the clinic where you had your transplant is a reassurance that many people find essential.

Physical follow-ups and genuine care from your clinic can be the difference between a good experience and a bad one. For example, Nordic Hair Clinic always includes four PRP treatments and three follow-up sessions spread over 12 months.

All of the above is of course reflected in the price. In Sweden, a hair transplant costs between 39 000 – 57 000 SEK. However, it is important to realise that you get what you pay for.

Different aesthetic preferences

Aesthetic preferences also differ between countries. Despite using the same technique, there are different opinions on what a hairlineshould look like. The natural hairline is usually asymmetrical and curved. This is the look we want to achieve in Sweden, while in Turkey they prefer a more artificial and unnatural hairline.

In Turkey, having a hair transplant is prestigious – which means you want it to be seen. This has led to the Turkish standard of hairlines having a noticeably unnatural shape. For example, angular temples, straight lines and a low hairline are very common.

It also happens that the hairline is set so low that it sits in the forehead muscle, causing the whole hair to move when grimacing or talking.

In order to achieve a natural appearance of a transplanted hairline, it is common practice to place hair follicle graftswith one hair follicle in the front of the hairline. In Turkey, however, it is not uncommon for groups of 2-3 hair follicles to be placed along the entire hairline. This creates the sharp, angular look they’re after.

At our clinics in Sweden, we often meet people who think they have made a “killing” by going down to Istanbul and getting a hair transplant at a low price. Unfortunately, it is often the case that the client has become dissatisfied with their hairline because it has become too sharp or has been attached too low.

What do you value the most?

So there are several upsides and downsides to having your transplant in both Sweden and Turkey. The main difference lies in the price and the practicality of the procedure.

You have to ask yourself: is the trip to Turkey itself plus the lack of aftercare, PRP treatments and quality worth a significantly lower price? Or is the comfort of doing the transplant in Sweden with a (probably) better result and access to aftercare, physical support and PRP worth the higher price?

In the end, it comes down to what you value most.