Cautionary Tale: British Man Dies After Hair-Transplant Trip to Turkey

What happened?

On July 29, 2025, Martyn Latchman, a 38-year-old teacher-turned-defense-contractor from Milton Keynes, England, collapsed while being prepped for a second hair-transplant procedure at the well-known Dr. Cinik clinic in Istanbul. Staff rushed him to a university hospital, but he died later that evening. Turkish health authorities have opened a formal investigation and ordered an autopsy, while the U.K. Foreign Office is assisting his family.

Latchman had undergone a successful transplant at the same clinic the year before. According to the clinic, he cleared repeat blood work, chest X-ray and ECG on the morning of surgery, and an anesthesiologist was present during preparation.

Key Takeaways

• Tragic incident in Istanbul: British patient Martyn Latchman, 38, became suddenly ill while being prepped for a second hair-transplant at the Dr. Cinik clinic and died later that day; Turkish authorities have ordered an autopsy and opened a formal investigation. People.co
  
  
• Pre-op clearance isn’t fool-proof: Latchman had cleared repeat labs, chest X-ray, ECG and anesthesiology review on the morning of surgery, underscoring that life-threatening events can still arise even after “normal” test results. People.com

• Turkey’s medical-tourism boom: Roughly 1 million people travel to Turkey each year for procedures like hair restoration, lured by package pricing and clinics that tout celebrity clientele. People.com

• Regulatory gaps heighten risk: The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery warns that some overseas clinics delegate key surgical steps to unlicensed technicians, creating a “black-market” environment with higher complication rates. ISHRS

• Due-diligence checklist for patients: Verify the surgeon’s board certification, confirm who performs every step of the procedure, insist on continuous anesthesia monitoring and written emergency protocols, and arrange qualified follow-up care before committing to surgery abroad.

• Safer domestic alternatives exist: Accredited, physician-led facilities that offer comprehensive pre-op screening and structured, in-person follow-up (like Leva Medical) can deliver hair-restoration results without the added risks of long-distance medical tourism.

Why Turkey draws so many hair-transplant tourists

• Price: Packages that bundle airfare, hotel and surgery can cost a quarter of U.S. or U.K. fees.

• Volume & marketing: The Turkish Healthcare Travel Council estimates that roughly 1 million people travel to the country for medical procedures each year, many for hair restoration.

• Perception of expertise: Well-publicized celebrity clients and social-media “before & after” reels foster the belief that Istanbul is the global capital of hair surgery.

The risks medical-tourism ads leave out

• Variable regulation & enforcement – The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) warned in 2016 that some Turkish “black-market” clinics let unlicensed technicians—not doctors—perform critical parts of the surgery.

• Anesthesia complications far from home – Even “minor” cosmetic procedures use drugs that can trigger sudden cardiac, lung, or allergic events; fast transfer to an ICU can be slowed by language barriers and unfamiliar protocols.

• Limited legal recourse – Malpractice laws and insurance requirements vary by country, so pursuing compensation abroad is complex, costly, and often unsuccessful.

• Travel amplifies medical risk – Long flights soon after surgery increase the risk of blood clots and make timely, in-person follow-up care much harder.