From neighborhood barber shops to hair transplant clinics: the art of beards and mustaches in Turkey

A thick and meticulously trimmed mustache above the upper lip, is called a “sünnet”, revealing a pious wearer following the precepts of Islam to the letter. Smaller, cut at one centimeter above the lip, one is then a fan of President Erdogan, and his Islamo-conservative party. As for the ultra-nationalist “grey wolves” of the MHP, they can be recognized by their hanging mustache, slightly pointed on the sides, like wolf fangs…

And since there is a style for everyone, the nostalgics of the Ottoman Empire wear a bacchante whose points end in a frieze, like the one worn by the main actor of the TV series “The Magnificent Century”, who plays Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent… The only notable exception in this virile picture is Mustafa Kemal Atatürk : the father of the Turkish Nation did not wear a mustache, as a sign of progressivism and in opposition to the conservative Ottoman symbols…

Thus, unlike in most European countries, the barber profession is still flourishing in Turkey, in big cities as well as tiny villages : millions of Turks go, at least once a week, to the barber’s shop on the corner of their street, to be shaved or to have their mustache and/or beard trimmed, hot towels and facial massage included. A trademark so symbolic that beard and mustache transplants have become a specialty of aesthetic surgery clinics in Istanbul, now considered one of the world’s capitals of medical tourism, thanks to the unbeatable quality/price ratio they offer.

A new beard for life

To replenish a beardless face, make a scar or beard holes disappear, remedy hair loss after an illness or hormonal deficiency, treat hair density under the nose or on the cheeks, thousands of patients come from Europe, the Middle East or Central Asia, but also from the United States and Canada, attracted by Istanbul’s hundreds of hair transplant clinics. You just have to pick the best ones… by trusting the experts selected by Body Expert. Using the latest medical equipment and highly qualified and experienced doctors, beard and mustache transplant techniques are the same as those used for hair transplants. They allow you to design a facial hair according to your desires and a style that has brought beards back into fashion: hipster or Viking beard, imperial goatee or horseshoe biker mustache, finely sculpted necklace or simple patch under the lower lip, hair transplant specialists can design the model that best suits your face and your wishes. All in one appointment and one half-day session maximum. And it’s for life.

FUE Technique

With the FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) hair extraction technique, hair follicles is harvested from the patient’s hairy areas (generally the back of the head), to be implanted one by one with a DHI (Direct Hair Implanter) stylet on the areas that need it. The first hairs are thin like hair, but the more they are shaved, the harder they become. Six to twelve months later, the result is spectacular: a dense and regular facial hair allows you to obtain a perfect density, to cut the beard or the mustache of your dreams…

The surgical procedure “FUE+PRP” (follicular extraction and enriched plasma treatment, to boost the regrowth of grafts) consists in defining the donor and recipient areas, drawing the lines according to the physiognomy and the needs of the patients, counting the necessary grafts and harvesting them, one after the other. The transplant requires between 1000 and 4000 grafts for a beard, 500 to 1500 for a mustache, and 500 to 600 grafts for a goatee. Then comes the alignment and counting of the grafts, the opening of the canals in the recipient area, and the positioning of the bulbs according to the desired density of beard. The entire operation, painless, takes between 3 and 5 hours, performed with the latest techniques “FUE+PRP” with sapphire blades or DHI implantation styli, ensuring a successful transplant and rapid healing.

DHI Implantation

The Direct Hair Implantation (DHI) stylet technique is certainly more expensive, but offers the advantage of better density, with closer grafts. The follicle is thus implanted in the receiving area, without the need for incision channels. Thanks to a local anesthesia system without injection needles, this method makes the operation more comfortable for the patient. The graft remains outside the body for a very short time, ensuring a safer implantation and shortening the incision and bleeding time of the implanted area. Each implanted follicle follows a specific direction, angle and depth : this is where the dexterity and experience of the surgeon makes a difference.

Sapphire blade implantation

Considered as a top technique in hair grafting, the sapphire blade implantation (from 2090 €) guarantees a better success of the graft, because it allows a better opening of the canal. But if your budget allows it, the Choi DHI stylet implantation offers the best possible density.

PRP care after implantation

To ensure complete success of the transplant and to promote follicle growth, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy is recommended : it refers to the use of plasma enriched with platelets, hormones, leukocytes and cytokines. A blood sample is taken prior to implantation and then placed in a centrifuge to separate the plasma-rich platelets from the other blood components, before being micro-injected into the recipient area. The process takes between 30 and 45 minutes, and can be repeated within six months to a year to obtain a perfect regrowth.

The steps of the beard transplant

Before your appointment with your specialist, certain rules must be followed. Cigarettes and alcoholic beverages will be banned for a week before the operation, as well as spices and coffee three days before.

The appointment begins with a thorough interview with the hair surgeon, who will analyze your skin and hair system and design the implantation area according to your wishes. A local anesthetic precedes the extraction of the follicles from the donor area, which are harvested by a micro-punch stylet, and deposited in a solution. The grafts are then analyzed and sorted to keep the most prolific ones. Finally, comes the grafting by DHI, or manually with prior opening of the reception channels with a sapphire blade.

Must follow postoperative precautions

The grafted area is then covered with a healing gel (Betadine), usually applied for three days, and without the face being cleaned. After 7 to 11 days, the implanted area returns to its natural appearance, while the donor area will be restored after about two weeks. After 6 to 8 months, the new beard will have taken on its natural appearance, and will be as thick as desired after 12 months.

During the first two weeks, to protect the new grafts, it is mandatory to sleep on your back. Any activity that provokes sweating is forbidden, especially intimate relations, for one month. For six weeks, you should not wear any headgear that could damage the grafts, and avoid the sun. For the following six months, shaving with a clipper on the grafted area is prohibited, and it is recommended to use a protective sun cream. Cosmetics, shaving and cleaning with soap should be avoided during the month following the beard transplant.

If the right diagnosis is made and if the surgeon is competent and uses the best techniques currently available, the success rate of beard implants is close to 100%. Provided that the face is entrusted to an experienced specialist, that the right post-operative care is taken, and that the patient is confident… and shows patience.

Complications are possible (fevers, pimples, ingrown hairs), but very rare, provided that the medical and post-operative hygiene recommendations of his surgeon are followed to the letter.

Comparative price of a Beard transplant in Turkey versus world?

Note: at Body Expert in Turkey the price does not vary from 500 to 5000 grafts. For other destinations the price may vary depending on the number of grafts implanted.

What is included in The beard transplant offer in Turkey by body expert?

Included in the 2090€ offer by Body Expert:

• The assistance of a French speaking interpreter
• Your beard or mustache transplant by FUE method from 500 to 5000 grafts
• Transfers by private driver
• A PRP treatment
• Accommodation in a 5 star hotel with breakfast
• Advice and post-operative follow-up
• The certificate of Guarantee of 10 years

Before/After beard and mustache transplant

Testimonials of beard transplant in Turkey at Body Expert