Quick summary: Scottish patients fly Edinburgh to Istanbul non-stop in about 4 hours 30 minutes with Turkish Airlines. Published prices from clinics in Edinburgh and Glasgow are about £3,000 to £7,000 for a single session, and about £8,000 to £14,000 when a larger case needs two sessions. At Global Health Hair the price is fixed and all-inclusive, whatever the number of grafts: €1,990 for Sapphire FUE (about £1,700) 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 Scotland compared with Turkey?
Published prices from clinics in Edinburgh and Glasgow put a single-session hair transplant at about £3,000 to £7,000, depending on the size of the area treated. Larger cases that need two sessions are quoted at about £8,000 to £14,000. Several Scottish clinics price per graft, so the bill grows with the number of grafts you need.
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 Scottish quote may cover only the surgery session, and a larger case can need a second session.
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 UK 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 Edinburgh to Istanbul?
Yes. Turkish Airlines flies Edinburgh to Istanbul non-stop, with a scheduled flight time of about 4 hours 15 to 4 hours 30 minutes and around 14 departures a week. You can leave Edinburgh during the day and be at the hotel the same evening. From Glasgow, Edinburgh Airport is about an hour by road.
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 Scottish patients plan a four-day trip:
- Day 1 — Fly from Edinburgh, 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 the NHS or my GHIC cover a hair transplant in Turkey?
No. A hair transplant is elective cosmetic surgery: NHS Scotland does not fund it, and the UK Global Health Insurance Card does not cover elective treatment abroad. UK private health insurance normally classes hair restoration as cosmetic as well. 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 Scotland?
You leave Istanbul with a written aftercare protocol, your medication and a demonstration of the washing technique. From Scotland 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 pounds?
Our packages are priced in euro: €1,990 for Sapphire FUE and €2,175 for DHI, about £1,700 and £1,860 at current rates. The euro price is the one that applies, whatever the exchange rate on the day.
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 Edinburgh 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 Scotland
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 Scotland
Travelling from elsewhere in the UK? See our complete guide for UK patients and our guide for Irish patients.
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.