NHS worker Tom Brett was lured to Turkey by the promise of cut-price hair transplants. The cost was just a fraction of UK prices, and it seemed an ideal fix for his thinning locks. However, after shelling out roughly £1,300, Tom's dream procedure turned into a nightmare. Tom, who started losing his hair at 20, believed the transplant would boost his self-esteem.
Instead, he said he ended up with nerve damage and patchy bald spots, a stark contrast to the lush mane he was assured. Tom, from Portsmouth, was battling self-image issues and desperate for a solution. "Losing my hair was affecting my confidence big time," he admitted. "I needed to do something.".
An online ad for a Turkish clinic seemed like a godsend, promising top-notch service at bargain prices. "I thought I was getting a great deal," Tom recalls. "It sounded professional, the price was unbelievable, and I was promised great results." With high hopes, Tom jetted off to Istanbul.
On the surgery day, a mix of nerves and optimism accompanied him to the clinic, where a surgeon's comforting words awaited. But as the operation kicked off, he said the situation took an unexpected and unsettling turn. Tom recalled: "Out of nowhere, the surgeon handed the entire procedure over to an assistant,. I didn't see the surgeon again after that.
"I was in shock. The assistant took over, and I didn't feel confident about the whole thing.". Despite feeling uneasy, Tom proceeded with the operation, which he said culminated in a disastrous aftermath. Three months after the surgery, Tom said he began to see the true effects on his hair as it started falling out in patches.
