Quick summary: Dutch patients fly Amsterdam to Istanbul non-stop in about 3 hours 20 minutes. Clinics in the Netherlands typically charge between €3,000 and €10,000, and prices rise with the number of grafts: two Dutch clinics publish €4,999 and €5,800 for 2,000 grafts, and €5,899 and €6,600 for 3,000 grafts. At Global Health Hair the price is fixed and all-inclusive, whatever the number of grafts: €1,990 for Sapphire FUE and €2,175 for DHI. Dr. Merdan Çelik, MD personally performs the incisions, the extraction and the implantation.
How much does a hair transplant cost in the Netherlands compared with Turkey?
Published prices from Dutch clinics put a hair transplant between roughly €3,000 and €10,000, and most clinics price by graft count — for example €4,300 for 1,000 grafts at one Dutch clinic and €4,999 for 2,000 grafts at another. One Dutch price-comparison site, which also sells treatment packages, puts 3,000 grafts at around €6,500 to €8,500.
At Global Health Hair the price does not move with the graft count. Sapphire FUE is €1,990 and DHI is €2,175, and that figure is not the surgery alone. It covers:
- The procedure, in which Dr. Merdan Çelik, MD personally performs the incisions, the extraction and the implantation
- Three nights’ hotel accommodation in Istanbul
- All airport and clinic transfers
- Medication and the full aftercare kit
- Twelve months of follow-up
The only cost you add is the flight. That is the honest comparison: a Dutch quote may cover only the surgery, and it rises with the number of grafts.
Why is it cheaper in Turkey?
The difference reflects Turkish operating costs — salaries, rent and clinic overheads — not cheaper materials or shortcuts. The Sapphire blades and Choi implanter pens used in Istanbul are the same instruments used in Dutch clinics. And because our price is fixed per operating session rather than per graft, there is no financial incentive to recommend more grafts than you need.
Is there a direct flight from Amsterdam to Istanbul?
Yes. There are daily non-stop flights from Amsterdam Schiphol to Istanbul, with a flight time of about 3 hours 20 minutes. You can leave Amsterdam in the morning and be at the hotel the same day.
Who actually performs the surgery?
This is the question that separates clinics in Turkey. In many high-volume clinics the extraction and implantation are carried out by technicians, with the doctor supervising.
At Global Health Hair, Dr. Merdan Çelik, MD personally performs the incisions, the extraction and the implantation in every procedure, leading his team. He graduated from Trakya University Faculty of Medicine in 1997, has more than 22 years of experience and has treated more than 20,000 patients. He attended the ISHRS FUE Hands-On Cadaver & Live Surgery Workshop in Istanbul in 2019.
How many days do you need away from work?
Most patients from the Netherlands plan a four-day trip:
- Day 1 — Fly from Amsterdam, transfer to the hotel, consultation and hairline design with Dr. Çelik
- Day 2 — The procedure: Sapphire FUE takes 6 to 8 hours under local anaesthetic; DHI takes 6 to 9 hours
- Day 3 — First wash and aftercare instruction at the clinic, rest
- Day 4 — Final check, then fly home
Redness and minor swelling usually settle within five to seven days, and most patients are back to their normal routine within a week.
Does Dutch health insurance or my EHIC cover a hair transplant in Turkey?
No. A hair transplant is elective cosmetic surgery: Dutch basic health insurance (basisverzekering) does not cover it, and the European Health Insurance Card only covers necessary state healthcare in EU and EEA countries — Turkey is outside the scheme in any case. Treat the package price as the price, and arrange travel insurance that covers elective medical procedures abroad, as a standard policy may exclude them (see our travel insurance guide).
What happens after you fly home to the Netherlands?
You leave Istanbul with a written aftercare protocol, your medication and a demonstration of the washing technique. From the Netherlands you stay in contact with the clinic by WhatsApp, and twelve months of follow-up are included. New growth usually starts around three to four months, and the final result is visible at twelve months.
Frequently asked questions
Are prices quoted in euro?
Yes. Our packages are priced in euro, the same currency you use in the Netherlands, so there is no exchange-rate risk: €1,990 for Sapphire FUE and €2,175 for DHI.
Does the price change if I need more grafts?
No. The price is fixed for the session, whatever the number of grafts. The number appropriate for you is decided at consultation, based on your donor area and the pattern of loss.
Do I need to shave my head?
Not with DHI, which places each graft with a Choi implanter pen and does not require shaving the recipient area. Sapphire FUE generally does require shaving.
Can I fly home to Amsterdam the day after surgery?
We do not recommend it. The day after the procedure includes the first wash and aftercare instruction at the clinic, which is the part that most affects graft survival.
Book a free consultation from the Netherlands
Send us photographs of your hairline and donor area and Dr. Çelik will assess them. You will receive a graft estimate and a fixed all-inclusive price, with no obligation. If you are not a good candidate, we will tell you.
💬 Free WhatsApp Consultation from the Netherlands
Travelling from somewhere else? See our guides for UK patients, Irish patients and patients from Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
See also the hair transplant cost guide for Turkey, with the fixed all-inclusive packages explained.
Planning the trip itself? See our guide to getting a hair transplant in Istanbul — airports, transfers, the itinerary and the Şişli clinic.