Brit tourist, 38, dies after £1,500 hair transplant op in Turkey as heartbreaking tributes pour in

The Sun

14 hours ago

A BRIT tourist has tragically died after undergoing a £1,500 hair transplant operation in Turkey.
Martyn Latchman, 38, flew to Istanbul to have a five-hour operation on Monday at Dr. Cinik's clinic in the city's Besiktas district.
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But shortly after the surgery, he became seriously unwell and was rushed to hospital for emergency treatment, according to Turkish outlet OdaTV.
He is said to have suffered complications while undergoing the hair transplant procedure.
His body was later taken to the Forensic Medicine Institute for an autopsy before being repatriated to the UK.
Police have launched a probe, treating the case as a possible 'reckless homicide'.
Staff at the clinic — including the surgeon who performed the hair transplant, the anaesthesiologist and nurses — have already been quizzed by officers, it is understood.
An FCDO spokesperson told The Sun: "We are supporting the family of a British man who died in Turkey and are in contact with the local authorities."
Tributes are now pouring in from friends and family for Mr Latchman, whose body has since been flown home.
Yashley Latchman posted a picture of keen athlete Mr Latchman on Facebook with the pair working out in a gym.
The caption read: "Rest in peace my brother. You will forever be my source of inspiration and motivation.
"Thanks for everything. We will miss you loads."
Other family members turned their profiles black in a sign of mourning for Mr Latchman, who was originally from Bridgend but lived in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.
According to Dr Cinik Clinic's website, it has treated "more than 50,000 patients" since setting up almost 20 years ago.
The website says the clinic has "cutting-edge technology" and is a "centre of excellence in this specialised field".
It adds: "Every patient gets personalised care in English, plus access to cutting-edge techniques.
"The combination of surgical experience and patient support has made him the go-to specialist for people worldwide."
The tragedy comes amid a boom in 'medical tourism' to Turkey, which now accounts for nearly 60 per cent of the global hair transplant market thanks to its cheaper, high-quality procedures.
Turkish Healthcare Travel Council says more than one million people travel to the country each year for hair restoration treatments.
According to Dr. Serkan Aygin Clinic, numbers are expected to climb to 1.1 million in 2025, the Daily Mail reports.
It follows the shocking death of 58-year-old British mum Anne Towlson, who passed away last year after a botched cosmetic surgery trip to Istanbul.
Mrs Towlson, from Leicestershire, had flown to Turkey in April 2024 for a pre-planned tummy tuck and liposuction at Green Park Hospital in Pendik.
When she arrived, doctors persuaded her to also undergo an arm tuck in a 'last-minute decision', her inquest heard.
But she quickly developed alarming complications.
BOTCHED OP
Meanwhile, a British man was left scarred and with bald patches after a botched hair transplant in Istanbul.
Luke Horsfield, then 26, paid £1,250 for the surgery at the Clinic Centre — around half the cost of a UK procedure — but said the results were disastrous.
'I did everything they told me to do as aftercare once I had the operation. But after four months, I saw literally no growth,' the IT technician from Bradford said.
'I was left with scars and bald patches.'
Luke claimed the surgeons barely spoke English and had removed too many follicles from the back of his head, leaving him worse off than before.
Despite the clinic's promise of 'transplant after care', he said he struggled to get hold of anyone once the operation was over.
After months of disappointment, the clinic eventually offered him a £400 refund — barely a third of what he had paid — and a second procedure at half price.
Luke later had the damage repaired at a Yorkshire clinic.