Only Bald Passengers on Flights to T?rkiye... What's the Reason?

As T?rkiye emerges as a hotspot for hair transplants, an increasing number of people experiencing hair loss are flocking to the country, giving rise to the neologism "Turkish hairline." The Turkish hairline is now becoming recognized as a cultural icon of T?rkiye.

On April 12 (local time), posts featuring the term "Turkish hairline" appeared on social networking services such as X. The accompanying video, shot inside a passenger airplane, shows many passengers seated with marks on their scalps that appear to be traces of hair transplant procedures. The user who posted the video commented, "You can see scenes like this on flights heading to T?rkiye."

It is reported that many global customers receive hair transplant procedures in T?rkiye, a major country for medical tourism. Photo captured from X

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T?rkiye is renowned as a mecca for hair transplantation, a reputation attributed to the chronic weakness of the Turkish lira, low procedure costs, and skilled doctors. In some developed countries, it is reported that the total cost of the procedure, including travel expenses, is significantly cheaper than undergoing a hair transplant domestically.

One viewer of the video remarked, "They've started advertising Turkish medical vacations even in the United States, because it's much cheaper to go to T?rkiye for a few days, get dental or medical procedures done, and return than relying on health insurance." Another user noted, "While hair transplantation is in the spotlight, other cosmetic procedures such as rhinoplasty and dental surgeries are also gaining tremendous popularity."

Passengers departing after receiving hair transplants in Turkey in 2024. Instagram capture

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This is not the first time the "Turkish hairline" has gained attention. Earlier in 2024, an influencer from Ukraine shared a photo on social media of the inside of a departing flight from T?rkiye, in which all the male passengers seated had visible dark marks on their scalps, presumably from hair transplants.

Meanwhile, according to the Korea International Medical Association, T?rkiye is among the world’s top 10 medical tourism destinations. In 2005, 120,000 global patients underwent surgery in T?rkiye annually, but by 2023, this number had soared to 1.7 million, marking more than a tenfold increase. Despite high inflation and a weak currency, T?rkiye has invested 50 billion dollars (approximately 74 trillion won) over the past 20 years in building state-of-the-art hospitals and advancing medical technology. The country is also reported to have trained highly skilled doctors through internationally renowned medical institutions and established high-quality patient care services.

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