A British patient who underwent a hair transplant in Turkey has died after falling ill following the surgery.
The 38-year-old man flew to Istanbul and had the cosmetic procedure on Monday at a private clinic called CINIK in the city’s Besiktas neighbourhood, Turkish news outlet OdaTV reports.
Shortly after the surgery, which lasted five hours, the Brit became unwell and was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The British tourist’s body was taken to the Forensic Medicine Institute for an autopsy, and an investigation was launched into the incident, with the police looking at his death as a possible ‘reckless homicide’.
Clinic staff, including the surgeon who performed the hair transplant, the anaesthesiologist and nurses have been interviewed by police, it is understood.
Following the autopsy, the Brit’s body was repatriated back to the UK, according to local media.
An FCDO spokesperson told Daily Mail: ‘We are supporting the family of a British man who died in Turkey and are in contact with the local authorities.’
Turkey has become a popular destination for hair transplants, representing nearly 60 per cent of the global hair transplant tourism market thanks to its affordable, high-quality procedures.
A British patient who underwent a hair transplant in Turkey has died after falling ill following the surgery. Pictured: The outside of the Istanbul clinic where the Brit had the operation
Shortly after the surgery, the Brit became unwell and was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Pictured: Stock image of a male patient receiving a hair transplant
The Turkish Healthcare Travel Council reports over 1 million people travel to Turkey annually for hair restoration treatments, and according to Dr. Serkan Aygin Clinic, the country is expected to receive 1.1 hair transplant patients in 2025.
His death comes after a British mother who made a ‘last minute decision’ to have plastic surgery in Turkey died from a mystery illness.
Anne Towlson, 58, was found dead at home with open wounds to her armpits and triceps after they did not heal properly from arm tuck surgery weeks earlier.
Shortly after the procedure, Mrs Towlson’s hand was said to have ‘swelled up like a balloon and was seeping a clear liquid’ and was admitted to hospital three times before eventually returning to the UK nine days after the surgery.
But the problems persisted and in the days before she died, Mrs Towlson complained that the pain in her arm was ‘killing her’.
She also sent a video to the Istanbul hospital that carried out the surgery showing her ‘weeping and swollen’ arm and was told it would be shown to a doctor – but she never received any help.
Following her tragic death last year, a coroner has issued a stark warning to Brits about the ‘dangers’ of travelling to Turkey for cosmetic surgery.
At an inquest earlier this year, assistant coroner for Rutland and North Leicestershire, Isobel Thistlethwaite, said Mrs Towlson had travelled to Turkey in April 2024 where she underwent a pre-planned tummy tuck and liposuction.
When she arrived at the Green Park Hospital in Pendic, Istanbul, she was told she could have an arm tuck surgery as well, and agreed to the procedure in a ‘last-minute decision’, her inquest heard.
Immediately after her surgery, Mrs Towlson complained that her ‘right arm was hurting’ and her ‘compression garments were too tight’. Her right hand was said to have ‘swelled up like a balloon and was seeping a clear liquid’, the inquest was told.
She stayed in hospital for three days before returning to a hotel where she found she was leaking a ‘yellow and slightly odorous fluid’ from her arms which would ‘stain the hotel pillows’, the inquest heard.
Mrs Towlson, who was using WhatsApp to communicate with the Turkish medics, returned to the hospital twice where she was given antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, painkillers and a cream to take with her, the inquest was told.
She flew home to Manchester Airport on May 3, nine days after the surgery.
From May 4 to the time she died, her internet search history included ‘infected stitches symptoms’, and ‘armpit yeast infection symptoms’, the inquest heard.
On May 7, she sent a video of her arm and armpit with a ‘sticky yellow and white pus present’ to the hospital.
‘They responded saying that they would show the video to a doctor, that was the last WhatsApp communication received from the hospital,’ the coroner’s report said.
On May 11, Mrs Towlson was seen by her neighbour and was said to be communicating with her daughter. She told her daughter her ‘tummy was ok’ but her arm was ‘killing her’, the inquest heard.
Six days later, the mother was found dead at her home.
