How Turkey Hacked the Hair Transplant Industry

Key Takeaways

• The astounding growth of the hair-transplant industry in Turkey is not just a medical tourism success story; it’s also a tale of “hacked” medical equipment and algorithmic craftsmanship.
• From a biological and evolutionary perspective, human hair is often viewed as an unremarkable mass of keratin that still plays some important functions—protecting our scalps from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays and regulating our body temperatures—but, for the most part, is no longer essential to our survival.
• Yet, since ancient times, our subconscious perceptions of whether another person is healthy, young, or fertile have been based on visual cues such as skin radiance, the integrity of teeth, and hair density.
• Deep within our perceptions, hair has become one of the most powerful representations of our identity and self-confidence.
• It’s key to social communications and perceptions.