Hair Transplant Horror Story – Patient Left with Scars on Scalp after Overseas Hair Restoration
Many patients like to travel overseas to have a hair transplant. They are tempted to practice “medical tourism” which means they go to a country other than their own to receive medical care.
One of the main reasons to not visit another country for a hair transplant is the fact that not all countries have the same medical standards and practices and it is not always easy or economical to travel back to the country where the procedure was performed if there are any issues with the final results.
Plus, patients that travel abroad cannot be certain about the quality of services they will receive once they arrive for their hair restoration procedure. Let’s take a look at the issues recently faced by a 26-year-old British patient.
British Hair Transplant Horror Story
Luke Horsfield was left with a head full of scars and bald spots after a recent hair transplant procedure in Turkey.
Horsfield said he had been feeling “really self-conscious” about this thinning hairline so he made the decision to travel abroad for a hair restoration surgery.
He spent over $1500 in American dollars for a bargain priced six hour surgery at the Clinic Center in Istanbul. The price for the procedure was considered to be a bargain because it was half the price it would have cost him in the United Kingdom.
Horsfield’s happiness at getting the hair transplant did not last long as, months after the surgery, he was not able to see any growth on his scalp and he was left with bald patches and scars on his head. According to Luke, the surgeons at the clinic did not speak English and they also removed too many follicular units from the back of his head during the operation.
The hair transplant procedure Luke had is known as follicular unit extraction (FUE) and it is when hair follicles are removed on an individual basis, by a surgeon, from the back or sides of the scalp of a patient. The hair follicles are then implanted into the balding areas of the scalp.
Because of the damage done to his scalp by the doctors at the clinic in Turkey, Luke says the scars and bald patches would need to be repaired by another clinic.
A Warning for Other Hair Transplant Patients
Even though the website of the clinic promises patients with thinning hair will experience “effective and satisfying outcomes”, this was certainly not the case for Horsfield.
He had the operation in 2018 and told a newspaper that he “did everything they told me to do as aftercare once I had the operation. But after four months, I saw literally no growth. I rang them to ask why it hadn’t grown, but I was told this was normal.”
After another few months, he started to see “a little bit of growth but nor much and after a year it still hadn’t grown. I was left with scars and bald patches.”
Horsfield says his complaints were ignored and, when he asked for a refund, the clinic simply offered him another operation at half the price. Once they did finally offer him a refund, the amount was barely a third of what he had paid for the surgery.
Luke started seeing thinning hair at the age of 21 and thought he had found a great deal with the clinic that he visited in Turkey. He is now urging other men looking to have a hair transplant to more fully research medical clinics and the procedures they offer to their patients.
He told the newspaper, “I had always been really self-conscious about my hair and I hated it being wet or getting blown in the wind. I’d always spend extra time styling it before going out, trying to hide my bald spot. It was affecting my confidence and self-esteem and it was something I’d been wanting to do for a few years.”
Luke looked into various places and prices in the United Kingdom and found the clinic in Turkey that was offering a much lower price. He checked into reviews and found some complimentary ones so he assumed he found a good value for his money.
He later found out that “anyone can post a review and companies can ask for reviews to be taken down, so I feel like I wasn’t getting a full picture.’
Luke posted a review of his operation and treatment by the Clinic Center. After posting the review, he was contacted by the Hair Doctor Clinic in the United Kingdom and they offered to repair the scars and bald spots for free.
Luke had his second hair transplant surgery on March 3rd and is thrilled with the results as he has already noticed signs of growth in his hairline.
Schedule a Hair Restoration Consultation Appointment
At Parsa Mohebi Hair Restoration, we do not perform a hair transplant without first meeting with the patient in-person or during a virtual consultation. It is important to accurately examine the scalp of a person to determine if the person is an ideal candidate for a hair transplant as well as the best procedure to deliver the desired final results. In addition, we set realistic expectations for the patient so the person will not be disappointed by the final results.
What is Wrong with Joe Biden’s Hair Transplant?

Joe Biden Before And After Hair Transplant
Originally Posted November 4, Updated July 23, 2020
Joe Biden is no stranger to the public or to our blog. In November 2013, we discussed the issues with his famous “hair plugs” (see below). Now that Biden will be running against Donald Trump in the fall, his hair transplant (along with additional plastic surgery procedures) is often a topic of discussion and the subject deserves an update for fans of politics and celebrities.
Supply and Demand Mismatch of Hair
Several years ago, I had a conversation with a 31-year-old patient of mine that was insisting on having a hairline that was low and broad. During a close evaluation of his hair loss and hair transplant pattern, as well as a microscopic evaluation of his scalp, I noticed he had significant miniaturization throughout the top and crown area of his scalp. This was clearly a sign that he was heading towards Class VI or VII of hair loss which means he will eventually only have a rim of hair around the scalp.
I informed the patient that, when I design a hairline, I have to take the progress of hair loss over time into consideration. A good hairline is one that looks good now and will also continue to have a natural look when the person is in his 60s or 70s (unlike both Joe Biden and Donald Trump).
Hair Line Positioning
The hairline of Mr. Biden is an example I use when I have to plan for a higher hairline for younger adults. Many of these younger patients have hopes of achieving a lower hairline which is possible when there is no evidence of advanced hair loss.
When I see microscopic evidence of a future class of hair loss or a patient has a significant family history of high-grade baldness, I have to be more conservative in my approach in order to avoid any issues that can be seen in people with hair loss like Joe Biden.

Joe Biden Hair Transplant Problem Areas
- Poor design and poor long-term planning
- Hairline that is too low for someone with advanced hair loss
- Hairline that is too broad for this stage of hair loss
- Lack of sufficient hair to restore the crown
- Large balding area that needs more coverage
- Not enough donor grafts to cover the crown
By keeping the hairline higher as well as creating the appearance of some corner recessions, a natural look is created for the hairline. This is helpful in the long run because, even if the patient loses the crown and has no intention of restoring it, a higher hairline usually goes hand in hand with a balding crown so there is not an unnatural look to the hairline.
Do I Have to Shave My Head Before a Hair Transplant?
Q:
Hi Dr. Mohebi,
I am planning to undergo an FUE hair transplant to add greater density to my hair in the front and along the hairline. Do you always shave the patient’s hair before a hair transplant? Is there a way it can be performed with long hair?
A:
Thanks for the question.
It is usually not mandatory to shave a patient’s head before an FUE procedure. Both types of hair transplant (FUE or FUT/strip) can be performed with minimal or no shaving.
- In the strip method, shaving can be limited to the area of the strip that will be removed so the patient will have long hair on both sides of the wound so it will be covered. With the FUE method, the donor shaving can be done in layers which means the longer neighboring hair can cover easily cover the shaved area. Layer shaving in FUE transplant can only eliminate the appearance of a shaved head if you leave your hair longer on the back and sides. We recommend complete shaving whenever possible since it allows us to expand the donor area to the entire permanent zone. That increases the evenness of the hair on the donor area and avoids the minimal contrast between the extracted and neighboring areas with higher density.
Shaving the donor area in layers allows us to harvest up to 2000 grafts in one day. However, it might not be possible to harvest more than that amount. For larger sessions, we need to have access to the entire donor area so shaving in layers might not be possible.
- We offer Celebrity Hair Transplant (non-shaven FUE) so the patient doesn’t need to have any shaved areas on the donor or recipient area. This procedure is more labor intense so fewer grafts could be transplanted in each session and it is more expensive for the same reason.Celebrity Hair Transplant is popular among celebrities who do not want any evidence of a hair transplant (even in the first few days after the procedure). This hair restoration technique allows the surgical team to either excise the grafts with long hair or cut only the hair that needs to be harvested so there is no visible shaved area on the back of the head.
Do I need to shave my head for a hair transplant?
Non-Shaven FUE – FAQ With Dr. Mohebi.
Do you have a question for Dr. Mohebi? If so, Contact Us today!
The Psychological Benefits Of A Hair Transplant
As NFL great, Deion Sanders once said, “If you look good, you feel good. If you feel good, you play good. If you play good, they pay good.” In other words, a good life starts with looking good. Recently, a study measuring the impact on Quality of Life in Patients who came with Androgenetic Alopecia for Hair Transplantation Surgery in a Clinic found that when it comes to your hair, Deion’s words ring true!
The scientific study used a quality of life index to measure 120 participants’ life satisfaction before and after they had a hair transplant. They found that patients suffering from male-patterned baldness that underwent a hair transplant surgery had a “great psychological impact not only with their personal feelings but also with the social response towards their problems.” In other words, a hair transplant made those suffering from balding look better, feel better, and made their lives better.
In addition, Dr. Mohebi conducted a very similar study in 2008 evaluating the psychological impact of hair loss in male pattern baldness and in women with generalized thinning, and how having a hair transplant affected the subjects. This study also found that patients who suffered from hair loss that underwent hair transplantation experienced greater levels of happiness. In other words, “Patients who experienced hair loss at an early age while involved in an active social life were more prone to the negative side effects of balding and appeared to benefit most from hair restoration procedures. These patients’ negative outlook seemed to reverse after surgery.”
Considering that androgenic alopecia (male-patterned baldness) affects up to 50% of men and 10% of women worldwide, this study has very inspiring implications for the hair transplant community. We now know that a hair transplant can, in fact, improve the quality of life for someone suffering from male-patterned baldness.
Are you ready to take the first step to increase your quality of life? Schedule a consultation with Dr. Mohebi today to discuss your options to restore your hair and look good.
Can Science Predict Male Hair Loss Patterns?
A group of researchers at the University of Edinburgh have come to the conclusion that the genetic process of hair loss involves 287 genes. Furthermore, they also say they have come up with a formula that predicts the risk a man runs of losing his hair. Even with this formula, the team says it is still too soon to predict whether or not a blood test can show if, and when, hair loss will begin for a man.
According to an article published in the peer-reviewed open-access journal, PLOS Genetics, the results of the study might be able to help identify males at a larger risk of hair loss. If the men are able to be identified, they might also be possible “genetic targets” to help prevent any possible hair loss by intervening before it
occurs.
According to Ricardo Marioni and his University of Edinburgh research colleagues, the total of 287 genetic signals linked to the process of hair loss was determined after the researchers studied DNA from a group of more than 52,000 men who count as being middle-aged. The men took part in a large genetic experiment in Britain called BioBank.
A student involved in the project, Saskia Hagenaars, said the study was successful in identifying hundreds of new genetic signals. Hagenaars also said that many of the genetic signals involved in the process of male pattern baldness actually came from the X chromosome which is inherited from mothers.
The study group included 16,700 men with no hair loss and an additional 12,000 with a slight case of hair loss. In addition, the study included 14,000 men with moderate hair loss and 9800 study group members with severe hair loss. The research team linked the genetic pattern of each man in the study with their degree of hair loss. Men in the study group with total hair loss genes that were less than average were not likely to become bald. In this group, 14% of the men were bald and 39% of the group didn’t have any hair loss. On the other hand, 58% of the men in the top 10% of having baldness genes also showed some hair loss. According to the research group, this makes the genetic pattern of hair loss somewhat, but not completely, predictable.
The research team wrote that “male pattern baldness affects around 80 percent of men by the age of 80 years.” Having said that, they still feel that science is not close to being able to accurately predict any hair loss patterns in individual patients. According to Marioni, “these results take us one step closer. The findings pave the way for an improved understanding of the genetic causes of hair loss.”
Clinical Research Study
The FUE Advancement Committee (formerly known as the FUE Research Committee of ISHRS) continues to work towards improvements in the field of FUE hair restoration. Founded by Dr. Mohebi in 2012, the committee includes the most talented hair transplant surgeons across the globe. The committee also continues to create and implement studies designed to fine-tune the techniques and instruments that help improve the quality and end result of FUE procedures.
The ongoing studies are conducted in several countries and in several centers across the globe. Currently, they are performing several studies and are actively looking for participants to take part in the studies.
If you are interested in finding out if you are qualified to take part in one of the studies, please click on the link above for more information. Dr. Mohebi is the lead investigator on “FUE Graft Survival: Implants vs. Forceps” and Parsa Mohebi Hair Restoration is one of the study centers for “FUE vs. Strip Graft Survival”.
You are also welcome to contact our office for more information.
The future of hair restoration will be here before you know it. The staff of Parsa Mohebi Hair Restoration is committed to making sure that our patients, as well as patients across the globe, receive the best care and results possible in the field of hair restoration.
Can Mice Gums Help Cure Baldness?
It seems like every week beings another news story about a miracle cure for baldness that will restore hair. No matter how much scientists say their new cure is going to be a game changer, there is always more testing and studies that need to be conducted.
The latest news about a cure for baldness comes from a group of scientists who created artificial skin in a lab. The artificial skin was created out of tissue from the gums of mice. The tissue was transformed into skin and that skin was then changed and developed into hair follicles. In turn, the scientists hope to develop this treatment into a baldness cure.
The study was conducted at RIKEN, a research institute in Japan, and was led by Takashi Tsuji. Tsuji feels that the study is making a contribution “to the development of bioengineering technologies that will enable future regenerative therapies” to help patients dealing with scars, burns and hair loss.
Scientists have attempted to grow skin before but many peoples say the artificial skin grown in this study is very close to real skin as it has the outer layer as well as dermis. The cells were differentiated in a manner similar to what occurs when an embryo develops. The cells were attached to the mice by grafting the cells onto their skin. The cells then connected to the muscles and nerves that surrounded the tissue in a manner much like normal skin.
Tsuji feels that the team of scientists is getting close to recreating actual organs and that the tissue might one day take the place of chemical testing on animals. However, the results of the study are not close enough to being a product that will be available on the market at any point in the near future.
Weird and Wacky Historical Hair Loss Solutions
The techniques available to combat hair loss have evolved over the years to where many people take the current methods for granted. It might be hard to believe but there were ways to combat hair loss before the 20th century. Have you ever heard of any of these weird ways people attempted to combat hair loss in the past?
Ancient Egyptians used a variety of cures to help those suffering from hair loss. One of the oddest remedies was a mixture of fats that included tomcat, crocodile, hippo, snake and an ibex AKA a wild goat. Porcupine hair was also boiled and then applied to the scalp for at least four days. Egyptians who were not fans of those ideas more than likely chose the option of wearing a wig.
While Hippocrates is known as the father of Western medicine, he also suffered from male pattern baldness. What was his answer to his baldness? A topical solution made of pigeon droppings, spices, opium, beetroot and horseradish. His other cure for baldness was a little more radical as he realized that eunuchs were not lacking hair on top of their heads. There are no records of how many people choose the castration solution.
Julius Caesar might be the father of the comb over. Once he started losing his hair, he turned to growing his hair long in the back and then brushing it up and over his scalp. When this didn’t work, he turned to a remedy consisting of bear grease, mice and horse teeth. When that rather unappealing solution didn’t work, Caesar finally decided on wearing a laurel wreath on his head to cover his bald area.
The phrase “snake oil salesman” is used to describe someone who is not particularly trustworthy. The 19th century saw many salesmen pretending to be doctors while trying to sell potions and products to cure baldness. Most of these tonics were simply drinks made by the salesmen that had no medical value in treating baldness or any other ailments.
These crazy ideas to combat baldness are just a few of the methods used throughout history to battle hair loss. We’ve come a long way since the days of potions made from a combination of animals found in the great outdoors. We should all be glad that we live in a day and age where modern medicine is able to provide effective hair restoration solutions.