Isn't Turkey cheaper?
Often, yes — and the reason is usually volume and who performs the work. Compare what's included and who does the surgery, not just the headline number. We'll give you a real quote in your consultation.
Colombia vs Turkey · Hair transplant abroad
Colombia or Turkey?
An honest comparison.
Same procedure. Shorter flight, no jet lag, and a surgeon — not a technician — doing the work.
Turkey is the name most men hear first when they start researching a hair transplant abroad. It has excellent surgeons, and it also has some of the busiest clinics in the world. If you're flying from the U.S., here's how the two actually compare — and what matters more than the country you pick.
At a glance
| Topic | Turkey | Bogotá / Encore |
|---|---|---|
| Nonstop flight from New York | About 10 hours | About 6 hours |
| Time difference from the U.S. East Coast | 7–8 hours ahead | 0–1 hour |
| Visa for U.S. passport holders | Not required | Not required |
| Who performs the surgery | Varies widely — at high-volume clinics, often technicians | A board-certified surgeon, supported by two licensed technicians and an anesthesiologist |
| Procedures per day | High-volume clinics can run dozens | Three at most |
| Follow-up | Varies, often limited once you fly home | 12 months, in English |
The real issue isn't the country. It's the model.
The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) has publicly warned about "black market" hair transplant clinics in Turkey, where unlicensed technicians — not doctors — perform the surgery, and some clinics run many procedures a day. Those clinics are how the low prices are possible. It's also why repair cases exist.
That's not every clinic in Turkey. But when a price looks too good, the question to ask is simple: who is actually holding the instruments?
At Encore, we cap our schedule at three procedures a day, and yours is performed by a board-certified surgeon — not handed off.
Travel that doesn't wreck your recovery
From the U.S., Bogotá is a shorter flight than Istanbul, and it sits within an hour of East Coast time year-round. That matters more than it sounds: you arrive rested, sleep normally before your procedure, and fly home without a week of upside-down jet lag while your grafts are settling in.
What's included at Encore
One flat fee in U.S. dollars, agreed in writing before you fly:
- Video consultation before you travel
- Unlimited grafts — estimated before you arrive
- 3 nights / 4 days at a five-star hotel, breakfast included
- Airport pickup and every clinic transfer
- Twilight sedation by a licensed anesthesiologist
- Aftercare kit and a written recovery plan in English
- 12 months of follow-up with the surgical team
Questions we hear about Turkey
Are there good clinics in Turkey?
Absolutely. The problem is telling them apart from the mills online. Ask any clinic, anywhere, who performs the extraction and implantation, and how many procedures they do per day.
Is Bogotá safe?
Yes — and you won't be navigating it alone. See our FAQ for details.