Mathieu Vigier Latour travelled to Istanbul for the procedure, but learned afterward that the man performing it was allegedly not a medical professional
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A French student died by suicide after receiving a failed beard transplant in Istanbul from someone allegedly pretending to be a surgeon.
In March 2024, 24-year-old Mathieu Vigier Latour travelled to Istanbul for a beard transplant. He was studying business in Paris at the time.
According to the Daily Mail, the cost of the transplant was around $1,950, only a fifth of the price it would be if getting the procedure done in France.
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He found the clinic online, which appeared credible as it reportedly had certification from Turkey’s Ministry of Health. He learned after the procedure that the man performing the transplant was allegedly not a medical professional, but an estate agent.
After the procedure, Latour’s beard was reportedly oddly shaped and grew at an unnatural angle, like a “hedgehog.”
Over the years, Turkey has become more popular for cosmetic surgeries, including nose jobs and hair transplants. The popularity is primarily due to cheaper costs.
According to a Turkish state-owned healthcare agency, USHAS, over 750,000 patients travelled to Turkey to receive health services in 2019. In 2023, that number grew to over 1.5 million people.
Medical professionals encourage people who are considering travelling to Turkey for procedures to thoroughly research a doctor’s qualifications as the title of “cosmetic surgeon” is not protected by law, DW reported.
Dr. Susanne Punsmann, an expert with the North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Advice Center in Germany, told Turkiye Today that it is a good idea for patients to check if a doctor or clinic has European standard certifications.
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Latour’s father, Jacques Vigier Latour, spoke to the French broadcast network, BFM TV, about his son’s experience.
The plan was to remove 4,000 hair grafts from the back of his head and move them to his face. Jacques said the surgery caused his son’s hair to grow and be shaped unnaturally.
He said Latour was suffering both mentally and physically.
“He was in pain, suffered from burns, and he couldn’t sleep,” he said in French.
The family tried to find a qualified expert in France to help correct the failed transplant. After being unsuccessful, they found Dr. Jean Devroye, a hair transplant specialist based in Belgium.
Devroye examined Latour and found that 1,000 out of the 4,000 hair grafts that were removed from his scalp would not grow back. He also concluded that Latour would have permanent scarring.
Jacques said this news worsened his son’s mental health, leading to him developing body dysmorphic disorder — a mental health condition in which a person constantly worries about their appearance.
“He entered a vicious cycle,” Jacques said about Latour’s mental state at the time, “He couldn’t get out.”
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Three months after his transplant, Latour died by suicide in his student accommodation in Paris.
Jacques hopes that by sharing his son’s story it will raise awareness for others to be cautious when looking into medical procedures. He wants to warn people of the risks that may come from low-cost medical procedures abroad.
“If this testimony could prevent this from happening again and alert everyone,” Jacques said, “I think that would be a tribute to Mathieu.”
National Post
If you’re thinking about suicide or are worried about a friend or loved one, please contact the Canada Suicide Prevention Service at 1.833.456.4566 toll free or connect via text at 45645, from 4 p.m. to midnight ET. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911.
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