A British individual who had a hair transplant in Turkey passed away after becoming unwell following the procedure.
A 38-year-old individual traveled to Istanbul and underwent a cosmetic treatment on Monday at a private clinic named CINIK located in the Besiktas district of the city, according to Turkish media outlet OdaTV.
Soon after the operation, which took five hours, the British national fell ill and was taken to a nearby hospital for care.
The body of the British tourist was transported to the Forensic Medicine Institute for an autopsy, and an investigation was initiated into the incident, with the police considering his death as a potential 'reckless homicide'.
Medical personnel, including the surgeon who carried out the hair restoration procedure, the anesthesiologist, and nursing staff, have been questioned by authorities, according to reports.
After the autopsy, the British man's body was sent back to the UK, as reported by local media.
A representative from the FCDO stated to the Daily Mail: "We are assisting the family of a British national who passed away in Turkey and are communicating with the local authorities."
Turkey has emerged as a favored location for hair restoration, accounting for approximately 60 percent of the worldwide hair transplant tourism industry due to its cost-effective and top-notch treatments.
The Turkish Healthcare Travel Council states that more than 1 million individuals visit Turkey each year for hair restoration procedures, and as per Dr. Serkan Aygin Clinic, the nation is projected to welcome 1.1 million hair transplant patients in 2025.
His passing follows a British woman who made a 'last-minute choice' to undergo cosmetic surgery in Turkey and succumbed to an unknown illness.
Anne Towlson, 58, was discovered deceased at her residence, suffering from open wounds on her armpits and upper arms, which had failed to heal correctly following an arm tuck procedure several weeks prior.
Within a short time of the operation, Mrs Towlson's hand reportedly 'swelled to the size of a balloon and was leaking a clear fluid,' leading to three hospital admissions before she finally returned to the UK nine days post-surgery.
However, the issues continued, and in the days leading up to her death, Mrs. Towlson expressed that the pain in her arm was "killing her."
She also sent a video to the Istanbul hospital where the surgery was performed, showing her 'teary and swollen' arm, and was informed it would be shown to a physician — but she never received any assistance.
After her untimely passing last year, a coroner has issued a strong caution to British citizens regarding the 'risks' associated with traveling to Turkey for cosmetic procedures.
Earlier this year, during an inquest, assistant coroner for Rutland and North Leicestershire, Isobel Thistlethwaite, mentioned that Mrs Towlson went to Turkey in April 2024 for a scheduled tummy tuck and liposuction.
When she reached Green Park Hospital in Pendik, Istanbul, she was informed that she could also undergo an arm lift surgery, and she opted for the procedure in a "last-minute decision," according to the inquest.
Right after her operation, Mrs Towlson reported that her 'right arm was painful' and that her 'compression clothes were too snug'. It was stated during the inquest that her right hand had 'swollen to the size of a balloon and was leaking a clear fluid'.
She remained in the hospital for three days before going to a hotel, where she discovered she was leaking a 'yellow and somewhat smelly fluid' from her arms that would 'stain the hotel's pillows,' as the inquest was told.
Mrs. Towlson, who was communicating with Turkish doctors via WhatsApp, went back to the hospital on two occasions, where she received antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medication, pain relievers, and a cream to take home, as the inquest heard.
She returned to Manchester Airport on May 3, nine days following the operation.
From May 4 until the time of her passing, her online search history featured terms such as 'symptoms of infected stitches' and 'symptoms of armpit yeast infection,' as revealed during the inquest.
On May 7, she shared a video showing her arm and armpit, which had "sticky yellow and white pus" with the hospital.
"They stated they would present the video to a physician, marking the final WhatsApp message received from the hospital," the coroner's report mentioned.
On May 11, Mrs. Towlson was observed by her neighbor, who reported that she was speaking with her daughter. She informed her daughter that her "stomach was fine," but that her arm was "killing her," as revealed during the inquest.
Six days after, the mother was discovered deceased in her residence.
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