Turkey is the leading country in the world for hair transplant surgery, which has an important place among cosmetic operations. Around 200 hair transplant operations take place every day in Turkey. Ömer Tontuş, the head of health improvement at the Health Ministry, said the number of hair transplant patients who travel overseas for operations are much higher than the number of other patients. He added that Turkey receives more hair transplant patients than any other country, and stressed that the number of operations increases on weekends. Emphasizing that hair transplant operations are not time-intensive procedures, Tontuş said: "Examinations of international patients with hair complaints are completed in a day and hair transplant specialists can do the operation the following day. After the operation, patients can continue their social lives." Tontuş said hair transplant operations do not have a negative effect on quality of life, unlike surgical operations to treat cancer, for instance. He added that hair transplant patients coming from abroad usually prefer to do the operation in cities where they can participate to socio-cultural activities after the operation. Tontuş said the hair transplant patients who come from abroad also choose the countries that are only a few hours away by plane from their home. "Middle Eastern countries, as well as Germany, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Libya are important places for the hair transplant industry because those patients are also potential tourists that tour around the city after a short operation. People who visit our country for hair transplant surgery generally stay in Turkey for up to a week; however, they can also leave as early as two days later," Tontuş stressed. He also said patients from Gulf countries such as Qatar and Kuwait, where hair loss rates are high, usually prefer Turkey for hair transplant operations. "Following Turkey, India and Thailand are the countries that do the most hair transplant operations. The distance is an important factor for patients while choosing the country for treatment. The cost of the operations as well as the quality in Turkey is better than other countries; so, Turkey is the most ideal country in the world for hair transplant operations," Tontuş said.