The Latest Hair Transplant Technology Innovations Driving Medical Tourism In Turkey

Turkey is a leading destination for medical tourism, especially for European patients. A key driver is the country’s hair transplant services business, which accounts for about 35 percent of all medical tourists coming to Turkey. 

However, the global healthcare tourism market is very competitive, forcing Turkish hair surgery clinics to innovate continually. According to Meltem Senturk, a dermatologist at Antalya’s DK Klinik, such innovation combines technical advancements as well as offering competitive, affordable hair transplant pricing packages to customers.

In this article, we explore the latest hair transplant technology driving the success of Turkish clinics like DK Klinik.

1. Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)

The follicular unit extraction (FUE) technique is one of the latest advancements in hair transplant technology. The method is less invasive compared to alternative hair follicle surgery techniques. With FUE, individual hair follicles are extracted from the donor area and reinjected into the recipient area. Follicular hair transplant is popular because its results appear more natural, cause minimal scarring and the recovery time is shortest. 

2. Direct Hair Implantation (DHI)

The direct hair implantation (DHI) technique is a modified version of FUE. Like FUE, DHI is also very popular for its advantages for patients. The method uses a specialized pen to implant individual hair follicles directly into the recipient area without incisions or sutures.

The less intrusive approach makes DHI an effective hair restoration surgery technique. Unlike in FUE where surgeons manually create channels in the patient’s scalp for implanting the hair graft follicles, DHI surgeons use a specialized pen-shaped tool to achieve both simultaneously. The recovery time is even shorter as a result.

3. Trichoscopy

This method uses a trichoscope to evaluate the patient’s scalp and enable the surgeon to achieve precise planning and hair follicle placement during transplantation. The trichoscopically assisted hair transplant method is best suited for hair growth surgery for patients suffering partial hair loss in multiple places.

Thanks to precise planning and hair follicle placement, trichoscopy is minimally invasive, boasts a short recovery time, and can be used with different scalp types. It derives its popularity from diverse uses, with surgeons often using trichoscopy for diagnosis even if the eventual surgery applies a different technique.

4. Sapphire FUE

The sapphire FUE method is an alteration of the follicular unit extraction technology. This technique uses a sapphire blade, rather than a steel one, to make the incisions that allow for hair grafts to be transplanted. Dr. Senturk notes that sapphire blades are much sharper and more durable, reducing the trauma on the scalp and improving the healing process. 

Sapphire FUE hair grafts produce a permanent solution to varied hair loss problems. Besides the durability of sapphire blades, this method is credited with inflicting tiny, precise incisions that make less scarring. Sapphire FUE is the preferred technique for hairline transplant surgeries and in cases where the donor areas are not as thick with hair.

5. Automatic Follicular Implantation (IFA)

Also called a robotic hair transplant, this hair restoration method relies on a robotic aide to extract and transplant hair follicles. The robot uses artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technology to support surgeons in mapping out and selecting suitable hair follicles. However, the surgeon will then implant follicles in the recipient areas manually.

Using artificial intelligence robot optical readers means IFA only uses the healthiest hair follicle roots from the donor area for transplant. The follicles are also collected in line with their direction of origin, creating fewer lacerations during extraction. The robot is then used to make microscopic channels in the recipient area, where collected hair follicles are transplanted.