I 'm about to book hair transplant surgery with Welfare Abroad, who's surgeon is Dr Tulunay in Istanbul, Turkey. (photo)

Medical tourism has becoming increasingly popular in recent years; patients 
have been flying out of the U.S. for plastic surgery, lured by lower prices. 
However, a parallel trend has also appeared: plastic surgeons in the United 
States are finding themselves treating an increasing number of patients who 
plastic surgery abroad, correcting complications and errors. A survey by the 
American Society of Plastic Surgeons found that 80% of the responding doctors 
had treated American medical tourists for complications including infection, 
contour abnormalities, and hematoma.
Medical tourists are often led to believe that they will receive the same 
quality of care for a lower price in a foreign clinic. But while it is true that 
the cost of plastic surgery in some foreign countries is lower, this is often 
because the quality of care and surgery is compromised. Such patients also seem 
to neglect the possibility of complications and the need for a follow-up 
visit. A number of patients have died in Dominican Republic for example following cosmetic procedures. In addition to the risks posed by sub-standard medical care abroad, medical 
tourists must consider the risks of injections and implants in other countries. 
The recent crisis with French breast implant maker Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) 
exemplifies this problem. PIP used industrial- rather than medical-grade 
silicone on their implants in an effort to reduce costs, a measure which 
probably increased the danger of rupture. PIP implants have not been used in the 
United States since 2000. Removal of these implants has been recommended by the 
International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
It is often the case that medical tourists end up spending more 
money because they have to pay to treat complications from their overseas 
surgery.

As you rightfully point out, you shouldn't make "big decisions" based on stranger's inputs on the Internet.  You need to do your own research and find people you can see in person.  You can buy tooth brush or shoes on the Internet with PayPal. I suppose you can even buy a Porsche or a House on the Internet.  But wouldn't you want to see it first?More importantly, a cosmetic surgery on your own body is NOT a commodity item like a Porsche.  When you buy Porsche in China, it is the same Porsche you can buy in Mexico.  Cosmetic surgery or hair transplant surgery on your body doesn't always work this way.  If you buy the wrong size shoes on the Internet you can always return it.  If you get a bad hair transplant, it stays with you for life.

I have been operating for the past 22 years in Istanbul, Turkey. Both pound and dollar have risen dramatically in the past six months in Turkey; about 30%. This might explain the discount. I would get a consultation with the doctor and check his references just as William Rassman mentioned.

Ask the doctor for references, how long he has been doing this type of surgery, what is his track record. Look him up on the internet which should be the best way to find out. If you looked me up on Google (try it William Rassman, M.D., hair transplant surgeon), you will find pages of information about me. Also here on Real Self, you will see references from patients and on my home page in the about section, you will learn even more. I would never go to a doctor who I did not check out as my hair transplant is for the rest of my life. I did have 2700 grafts in my crown with great results so I know about this as a doctor and a patient.

There are some people that are willing to travel to unregulated countries to have hair transplant or other cosmetic surgical procedures for the cost. Unfortunetly due to unregulatory environment and low cost you are lucky to get good result.The hair transplant has to be taken from an area from the back of the head called the donor zone . The donor hair in the donor zone is limited and has to be handled with utmost care. There many detailed factors that are involved in hair transplantation both in the harvesting of the grafts and in the incisions in the recipient area. If any one of those details are not done correctly, then the implanted hair will not grow, and your donor hair is wasted and you are left with a scar. The presence of a medical doctor is the key ingredient to assure that all the steps are done properly and prevent complications.In many cases these clinics are run by non medical staff and there are no doctors present during the procedure. In some cases, the doctor only shows up for the initial design. During the procedure, many of the clinics use only assistants without any medical training to do the whole procedure including, cutting, harvesting, incisions, and placements. These skills require many years of surgical training and experience to be performed properly. If any of the steps is compromised, not only will it effect the outcome of hair transplant procedure, it may cause serious problems for the patient.If your decision is just based on the cost and you are willing to take the risk then having hair transplant at an unregulated country could be for you. But before choosing a clinic for your transplant procedure, do research and find a quality clinic with experienced doctor who is present during the procedure to be sure that the proper care is taken. Ask questions about the doctor's experience, background and affiliations to any medical organizations. You need to make sure that the doctor and its staff have proper training to do the procedure. If you do proper research you may find a quality clinic in the states that would meet your expectations and have reasonable cost that is close to your budget. Remember If the cost is the only factor, whatever you pay for a bad transplant is way too much.