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A young man's life was tragically cut short after a botched beard transplant in Turkey was carried out by an estate agent posing as a surgeon.
Mathieu Vigier Latour travelled to Istanbul in March last year for what he believed was a legitimate €1,300 (£1,130) procedure.
His father, Jacques, says his son felt confident when he witnessed the clinic's official endorsement from the Turkish health ministry.
Had he undergone the same treatment back home in France, the student would have paid up to five times the amount. Nevertheless, the inexpensive and swift solution transformed into nothing short of a nightmare for the 24-year-old.
Throughout the operation, 4,000 grafts were extracted from Mathieu's scalp and subsequently transplanted to his face. Yet somehow the surgeon misplaced a staggering 1,000 grafts.
The outcome was a hedgehog-like section of hair that was "unmanageable," his father later revealed. The beard appeared uneven, poorly planned and with hairs sprouting at peculiar angles, reports <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/student-beard-transplant-turkey-just-36580359" rel="Follow" target="_self">the Mirror</a>.
Even more concerning was that Mathieu endured burns and couldn't rest due to the agony. Growing suspicious, he investigated the supposed surgeon and was shocked to discover he was actually an estate agent.
Devastated, his family frantically sought a specialist in Belgium to repair the damage. However, it was too late and the expert confirmed that sections of Mathieu's scalp - where grafts had been extracted - would never heal.
Tragically, the psychological impact proved overwhelming for him and he experienced post-traumatic shock and severe body dysmorphic disorder. This left Mathieu fixated on what he perceived as imperfections in his appearance.
"He entered a vicious circle and couldn't get out," his dad said. Sadly, just three months after the botched operation, Mathieu took his own life in his Paris student flat.
Last year, his father spoke publicly in the hope of highlighting the fatal dangers of budget medical tourism. "If sharing our story can prevent this from happening again, it would be a fitting tribute to Mathieu," he said.
In another tragic case involving hair transplants in Turkey, a 36 year old British man called Mentor Rama travelled to Istanbul for a hair and teeth procedure on November 11 last year. However, following the procedure he began to feel unwell once he returned to his hotel room.
Emergency services were called shortly afterwards and Mentor was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died.
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office told The Mirror at the time: "We are supporting the family of a British man who died in Turkey and are in contact with the local authorities."
A post shared on a family member's public Facebook page said "my heart is heavier than ever".
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The message, translated from Albanian to English, said: "Your departure has left a void that nothing in this world can fill I never thought I would have to write such words for you. You were our light the smile that warmed us the strength that lifted us up every time we fell."
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.