A tragic incident occurred in Turkey where a young man lost his life following a poorly executed beard transplant by an unqualified individual posing as a surgeon. Mathieu Vigier Latour underwent the procedure in Istanbul, thinking it was a legitimate €1,300 (£1,130) operation. Despite the clinic’s official approval stamp from the Turkish health ministry, the outcome was devastating.

Had Mathieu undergone the same treatment in France, he would have paid significantly more. However, the botched procedure resulted in the removal of 4,000 grafts from his scalp, with the surgeon losing 1,000 grafts during the transplant to his face. This led to an unmanageable, uneven beard with hairs growing at odd angles, causing pain and burns, preventing him from sleeping.

Upon investigating, Mathieu discovered the fake surgeon’s true identity as an estate agent. Despite efforts to seek specialist help in Belgium, irreparable damage had been done to parts of his scalp. This ordeal left Mathieu mentally distraught, leading to post-traumatic shock and severe body dysmorphic disorder, ultimately resulting in his tragic decision to end his life.

His father, hoping to raise awareness about the dangers of cheap medical tourism, shared their story, emphasizing the need to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. In a separate incident in Turkey, Mentor Rama, a British national, lost his life following a medical procedure, prompting support from authorities for his family.

The heart-wrenching loss was expressed by Mentor’s family on social media, highlighting the void left by his departure. The message conveyed deep sorrow and admiration for the departed loved one. In times of distress, support services like Samaritans are available round the clock for those in need.