My Hair Transplant Trip to Turkey – A Korean’s Experience

Before I get into the details, let me share a little about myself.

I’m a 56-year-old Korean (57 in Korean age), completely bald to the point where one surgery can’t cover everything, and with plenty of gray hair. I’d never taken hair loss medication, and I’d been wearing a wig for about five years.

Last month, right before my retirement, I finally decided to fly out for a hair transplant in Turkey. As a Korean, I’d heard so much about how Turkey is the global hotspot for this kind of surgery, but I just never had the time. So, I booked my flight, treated it as a retirement gift to myself, and combined it with a bit of travel.

 

 

Here’s how my trip went:

• Sep 2 – Flew Asiana from Korea to Istanbul.
• Sep 3–5 – Did some sightseeing around Istanbul: the historic old town, Balat district, modern downtown, and even the Asian side. Honestly, if you’re Korean like me and only come for a short three-night trip just for the surgery, you’ll regret not exploring more of the city.
• Sep 5 (late night) – Checked into the clinic’s partner hotel.
• Sep 6 (surgery day) – Pickup at 7:30am, then off to the clinic. With the help of a Korean translator, I went through pre-checks, set my hairline, and started the procedure.

My Hair Transplant Trip to Turkey

A Korean’s Hair Transplant Experience

Turkey travel for hair transplant

The donor hair extraction was intense—felt like 30–40 shots of anesthesia. Never had that many injections before, but once the numbing kicked in, I didn’t feel pain. Just heard the buzzing sound of the drill. By lunchtime, that part was done, and then in the afternoon they implanted the grafts. Two doctors worked on me at the same time. By 4:30pm, I was finished and went back to the hotel.

• Sep 7–10 – I visited the clinic daily for washing and aftercare. On the 10th, I had one last checkup, then flew back to Korea on the 11th (Thai Airways via Bangkok). I purposely chose business class to keep things a bit more discreet after surgery—best decision ever.

 

What I learned as a Korean getting a hair transplant in Turkey:

1. Don’t just plan a quick 3-night stay. Give yourself extra days after surgery so the grafts settle better, and it’s easier for the flight back to Korea.
2. Sleeping on your back the first night helped me more than trying to sleep upright.
3. After the second day, don’t overprotect the donor area. Just use towels and pads, and rest normally.

 

What to bring (especially if you’re Korean and picky about food like me):

• A few button-up shirts (easier to wear after surgery).
• A large towel (to protect pillows).
• A neck pillow (clinic gave me one, but extra helps).
• Instant noodles or Korean food. Trust me—after surgery, I stayed in the hotel for four extra days, and finding local food that satisfied me was tough. Cup ramen saved me.

Turkey hair transplant price

 

 

 

Update (Sep 12, Korea time):
Most of the scabs on the donor area have fallen off—about 70%. The transplanted area is starting to flake a little. Not too itchy, but when it is, I put a cold, damp towel on my head. Shampooing once a day as instructed.

I’ve got photos from Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, and Day 7 post-surgery (in order as best as I remember).

 

 

To wrap up, I want to say this: as a Korean who went to Turkey for a hair transplant, I can see why so many people around the world choose Turkey. The professionalism, the support (including Korean translators), and the results so far have been worth it.

I’ll share more updates as the months go by. Huge thanks to my translator Noah, Dr. Eyup and his medical team, and even the driver (who just had a baby girl two days before my surgery!).

 

Korean hair transplant

 

 

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