Miki Tranbjerg is waking up from the dose of ketamine that has kept him unconscious for a little over half an hour. He lies face down on the couch, while the surgeon and the three nurses are in the process of operating the small hair grafts from the back of his head. When the blood is wiped off from the top of his head, you can see the small red holes from which the hair follicles are pulled up.
Hair transplantations have become the main attraction in popular package tours to Turkey, which appeal to both Arabs and Europeans. The concept is reminiscent of charter trips: Danish companies promote and arrange trips to Turkey, where hair transplantations have become a billion-dollar industry.
Miki Tranbjerg and his friend Sebastian have traveled three hours by plane to Turkey to get a transplantation done. The two friends from the Danish city Odense have bought a package tour, where transplantation, accommodation, interpreting assistance, breakfast, hair products and transport around Istanbul all are included in the price of around 1500 USD. Miki Tranbjerg has to have 3600 hair grafts moved from the back of his head to his high temples. Sebastian has to have 3000 hair grafts moved from the back of his head to a bald spot and also 600 hair follicles moved to his eyebrows, which he wants to be more distinctive.
The operation has been long awaited for the two Danes. Especially for Sebastian, who has been so bothered by his lack of hair that he has not been able to go out in public without a cap. Therefore he has also had to choose a style of clothing that matched a cap and has never been able to wear a shirt and suit for finer events.
"When I have sex with a girl, the cap is also always the last thing I take off. I have even sometimes had sex with the cap on because I have been afraid of taking it off so she would think, ‘How ugly he is’.”