Section 1
Why do Turkish clinics need different checks?
The GMC and CQC registers only cover the UK, so they cannot tell you anything about a clinic in Istanbul. The NHS also notes that standards and regulation abroad may differ from the UK, and that it can be harder to find out whether a surgeon is fully trained in the procedure you want.
Turkey has some excellent hair transplant clinics and some very poor ones. The difference is rarely visible in the advertising, which is why the checks below matter more than the price.
Section 2
Which licences should a Turkish clinic have?
Ask for the facility's licence from the Turkish Ministry of Health, and its International Health Tourism Authorisation Certificate, which Turkey requires for providers treating international patients. You can also check whether the facility appears on HealthTürkiye, the Ministry of Health's official health tourism portal.
Then ask for the full name of the doctor who will be responsible for your procedure, and their qualifications. A clinic that cannot or will not provide these before you pay is not one to book with.
Section 3
Who performs the procedure, and how many a day?
Concerns have been widely reported about high-volume clinics where one doctor oversees many patients a day and much of the procedure is carried out by technicians. Ask how many procedures the clinic performs on the same day, and which steps the doctor carries out personally.
A good answer is specific and consistent. A vague one, or one that changes when you ask a second time, tells you what you need to know.
Section 4
What should the package include?
Turkish hair transplants are often sold as packages with hotel, transfers, and an interpreter. The NHS advises caution with packages that combine surgery with a holiday, so treat the trip as a medical visit: no sun, swimming, or drinking while you heal, and a plan for the first days rather than sightseeing.
Check in writing exactly what the price covers, including medication, aftercare products, and any follow-up, and what happens to the flights and hotel you have paid for if the clinic cancels.
Section 5
What happens once you are home?
Ask how the clinic will follow up with you after you fly home, who you contact, and how quickly they reply. Ask when you will be safe to fly after the procedure. If something goes wrong, NHS services will deal with emergencies, but planned corrective or cosmetic treatment is not usually available on the NHS.
Standard travel insurance does not normally cover planned treatment abroad, so check whether you need specialist cover before you book.
Section 6
Where do we fit in?
We offer our own curated Turkiye route, so we have a commercial interest here, and you should apply every check on this page to us as well. The trade-offs of treatment abroad are real, and our UK vs Turkey comparison sets them out alongside the lower price.