French student takes own life after beard transplant fiasco by Turkish real estate agent

A French business student, Mathieu Vigier Latour, took his life after a failed beard transplant in Istanbul that was performed by an estate agent, not a qualified surgeon.

His father, Jacques Vigier Latour, is now sharing his son’s tragic story to raise awareness about the dangers of unverified and cut-rate medical tourism in Türkiye.

Estate agent posing as surgeon performs disastrous beard transplant in Türkiye

In March, 24-year-old Mathieu traveled to Istanbul, lured by a beard transplant costing $1,400 – about a fifth of the cost in France. The clinic appeared credible with its certification from Türkiye’s Ministry of Health, which reassured him of the operation’s safety. However, the man performing the procedure was an estate agent, and the surgery quickly turned disastrous.

After the beard transplant, Mathieu developed burns on his face and suffered from intense, unmanageable pain. His father described his son’s beard as “hedgehog-like,” with hair growing unnaturally. Mathieu, distraught by the results, soon uncovered the truth: his surgeon was an unqualified estate agent posing as a medical professional.

Failed recovery attempts add to student’s growing distress

After the failed beard transplant, Mathieu and his family sought specialists to help repair the damage, but the ordeal only worsened his mental state. Here’s a breakdown of the steps and outcomes that ultimately led to this tragic outcome:

• Search for specialists in France: The family searched extensively within France for a qualified expert who could restore Mathieu’s appearance but could not find anyone capable of reversing the damage.
• Consultation in Belgium: They found Dr. Jean Devroye, a hair transplant specialist in Belgium, who examined Mathieu’s condition and explained that much of the damage was irreversible. Dr. Devroye informed them that 1,000 out of 4,000 hair grafts taken from Mathieu’s scalp would not regrow, leaving permanent scars.
• Mental health impact: This realization dealt another blow to Mathieu’s mental health, causing him to develop body dysmorphic disorder. This condition led him to obsess over perceived flaws in his appearance, worsening his feelings of betrayal and self-doubt.
• Father’s perspective: “He entered a vicious cycle,” said his father, describing Mathieu’s growing sense of entrapment and devastation.

Three months after the surgery, on June 9, Mathieu ended his life in his Paris student accommodation, a tragic outcome that underscores the severe impact of failed and unregulated medical procedures abroad.

Father warns others about risks of unregulated medical tourism

Latour’s father is now speaking out to prevent similar tragedies. He has shared his son’s story to alert others to the potential risks of low-cost medical procedures abroad. “If this could prevent one more family from suffering this way, it would be a tribute to Mathieu,” he expressed.

Mathieu’s death has amplified discussions surrounding Türkiye’s medical tourism sector, which attracts thousands of its affordable cosmetic procedures. Critics caution against unchecked practitioners, emphasizing the importance of thorough verification to avoid outcomes like Mathieu’s.