A young French student's quest for facial hair ended in unimaginable tragedy after a cheap beard transplant procedure in Turkey went catastrophically wrong, ultimately costing him his life. Mathieu Vigier Latour, aged just 24, travelled to Istanbul in March last year seeking an affordable solution to his beard concerns, paying approximately €1,300 (£1,130) for what he believed was a legitimate medical operation.
A Procedure Shrouded in Deception
Mathieu's father, Jacques, revealed that his son had been reassured by the clinic's apparent official stamp of approval from the Turkish health ministry, lending an air of credibility to the establishment. Had Mathieu undergone the same procedure in his native France, the cost would have been up to five times higher, making the Turkish option seem like a sensible financial decision at the time. However, this seemingly economical choice quickly descended into a harrowing nightmare.
Catastrophic Surgical Errors
During the operation, a staggering 4,000 hair grafts were extracted from Mathieu's scalp with the intention of transplanting them to his face. In a shocking display of incompetence, the individual performing the procedure somehow managed to lose an astonishing 1,000 of these grafts. The result was a patchy, uneven beard that resembled hedgehog quills, with hairs growing at bizarre angles that his father later described as completely "unmanageable."
To compound the physical disfigurement, Mathieu suffered burns during the procedure and experienced such severe pain that he struggled to sleep in the aftermath. Growing suspicious about the practitioner's credentials, he conducted his own investigation and made the horrifying discovery that the person who had operated on him was not a qualified surgeon at all, but rather an estate agent posing as a medical professional.
Irreparable Damage and Mental Anguish
Devastated by the botched results, Mathieu's family urgently sought specialist help in Belgium to repair the damage. Tragically, medical experts confirmed that parts of his scalp where the grafts had been harvested would never properly recover, leaving permanent physical scars. The psychological impact proved even more devastating, as Mathieu developed post-traumatic shock and severe body dysmorphic disorder, becoming obsessively fixated on what he perceived as irreparable flaws in his appearance.
"He entered a vicious circle and couldn't get out," his grieving father explained, describing how the mental toll became overwhelming for the young student. Just three months after the disastrous operation, Mathieu took his own life in his Paris student accommodation, his promising future abruptly ended by a procedure that was meant to enhance his confidence.
A Father's Warning About Medical Tourism Risks
In the aftermath of this tragedy, Mathieu's father has spoken out publicly about the deadly risks associated with cheap medical tourism, hoping that sharing their family's painful story might prevent similar tragedies. "If sharing our story can prevent this from happening again, it would be a fitting tribute to Mathieu," Jacques stated, highlighting the importance of thorough research and verification when considering medical procedures abroad.
Another Tragic Case Emerges
In a separate but equally distressing incident related to Turkish medical tourism, a 36-year-old British man named Mentor Rama travelled to Istanbul for combined hair and dental procedures on November 11 last year. After returning to his hotel room following the operations, he began to feel unwell, prompting emergency services to be alerted. Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, Mentor tragically passed away.
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed they were "supporting the family of a British man who died in Turkey and are in contact with the local authorities." Heartbreaking messages on social media from family members expressed profound grief, with one relative writing: "Your departure has left a void that nothing in this world can fill."
When life is difficult, Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org, or visit their website at www.samaritans.org to find details of your nearest branch.
