In a bid to fit into the Middle East stereotype of thick facial hair, men from the region are now flying to Turkey for ‘tache and beard transplants.
Since Wayne Rooney got his hair back via a hair transplant, the idea of men getting some help up top has become much less of an embarrassment. But the latest trend in hair growth assistance might take a bit longer to catch on over here.
According to reports in the Guardian, men in the Middle East are flocking to Turkey to give their beards and taches a boost.
The paper spoke to a doctor called Tulunay who says that 25 per cent of the hair transplants he does now are for the face and not the head. And the reason?
“Both in Turkey and in Arab countries facial hair is associated with masculinity, and its lack can cause social difficulties. In Turkish there is a word for it: köse – baldness of the face – and it is usually not considered a good thing,” Tulunay said. “Businessmen come to me to get beard and moustache implants, because they say that business partners do not take them seriously if they don’t sport facial hair.”
There are even travel agents who specialize in transplant packages for men who want to give their face fuzz a boost. They claim that 75 per cent of their customers are from the Gulf but they hope to expand to Europe to help out men all around the continent.
The price, if you are asking for a friend, is about €1,700, but we’d prefer to stick to the cheaper options of eating your bread crusts.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
