Colorado Woman Travels 6,500 Miles to Save Money on Hair Appointment

Bryn Wright from Colorado used to travel to Salt Lake City, Utah, to get her keratin hair extensions fitted twice a year. However, as salon costs continued to increase, the 28-year-old started looking further afield and soon found herself on a flight to Turkey.

"On my last visit to the salon, I spent $3,000 to get my hair done," Wright told Newsweek. "It's bonkers, so I tried to shop around a bit, but I couldn't find anywhere for the same quality that I wanted that was much cheaper.

"I just kept going back to the same place, but then they said they were raising their prices again," Wright added. "The hair that I had been getting was now going to be $4,500 before tip. I have no business spending that much money on my hair.

"If I go and get it done twice a year, and then there's the cost of having the move-ups done every few months which is around $900, by the end of the year I'd have spent $15,000 on my hair. That's just crazy."

The content creator certainly isn't the only person who has packed her bags and booked a plane ticket in the name of beauty. Turkey, Colombia and Mexico are among the most popular destinations for international tourists looking for a new procedure or treatment.

Treatments abroad are typically far cheaper than in the U.S. Having cosmetic procedures in Turkey instead can be cost between 50 and 65 percent less, according to healthcare information group Patients Beyond Borders.

The promise of getting the same cosmetic procedure with a cheaper price tag led to 2.1 million Americans traveling internationally for medical care in 2019. This covers a variety of treatments, from liposuction to dental work.

'It Ended Up Being $450 for Everything'

Wright took to Instagram to see if she could find any cheaper alternatives. She was impressed by a stylist in Turkey so she decided to message him to find out whether he could create the style she wanted and how much it would cost.

Wright said: "I saved a ton of photos from this stylist based in Turkey (@ferdikaratayofficial). On a whim, I sent him a DM on Instagram with a picture of one of the hairstyles he'd done and asked him how much it would cost. He said it was 400 lira, so I converted that to dollars, and I thought that couldn't be right."

Wright added: "I had to confirm it a bunch of times because it ended up being $450 for everything, and that sounded too good to be true. I thought I should just go for it."

Wright first made the 16-hour journey to Istanbul in June 2022 to get her hair extensions fitted as part of a 10-day trip. She returned in March 2023 to get her locks redone, staying longer to explore the country.

In total, Wright believes the entire trip to Turkey for herself and her partner, including the four-hour hair appointment, cost less than $2,000—comparative to the $4,500 bill for the hair alone back home.

Wright has managed to save around $2,500 by traveling so far, despite spending weeks in Turkey for a vacation and having the full hair procedure she wanted. Now, the 28-year-old can't see herself ever paying to get her hair done at home again.

Although it may seem drastic to travel more than 6,500 miles for a new hairdo, Wright said that her social-media followers have supported the decision. She shared a video on TikTok (@bryn.elise) on March 26, captioned "Normalize traveling abroad for services." The video has gained over 1.4 million views already and more than 2,000 comments.

"People are definitely surprised. I mean, people don't frequently travel for their hair," she said. "People have asked me if I really travelled to Turkey for a haircut, but I said it's actually for hair extensions. It's hard to explain to someone who doesn't get extensions, but people who do pay for them have messaged me to say how brilliant the idea is.

"Some people have told me it's the best idea ever and a complete steal," Wright added. "Inflation and the prices of everything are getting a little crazy, so people are really supportive. Why not go on vacation and get your hair done, too?"

Getting Hair Done Overseas Could Save Americans Thousands

TikTok users certainly loved Wright's way of saving money, but do the experts agree?

Philip Ballard, travel expert and chief communications officer at HotelPlanner, told Newsweek that medical and cosmetic tourism is a trend that will stick around.

Ballard said: "Medical and cosmetic tourism is a multi-million-dollar industry that's been around for decades.

"We applaud the smart thinking of this woman who realized she could save money by flying to Turkey for her hair extensions," Ballard added. "Hair salons are a big recurring expense for women. Given the record-high inflation, we're not surprised that women are seeking treatments overseas as a cost-savings hack."

While saving money is a huge advantage, with the possibility for a simultaneous vacation, Ballard added that there are risks when traveling for procedures. Anything that is surgical can involve more dangers due to the different safety regulations.

"The potential cons include the quality and safety of the cosmetic procedure," Ballard said. "Breast implants or colonoscopies require patients to go under general anesthesia, which carries inherent risk. The quality of the medical personnel might not be as reliable, and there may be less recourse if there are complications."

But, for Wright, the decision is a no-brainer. She now encourages more people to consider it, since it could save them thousands of dollars.

She said: "If I was going to recommend somebody travel to Turkey, I would definitely say, 'Make a bigger trip out of it.' You can get a bunch of other services done, too, like glasses, dental work and, obviously, hair appointments.

"You can package it up with all these other awesome treatments and save a ton of money," Wright added. "Then you can head down to the coast and have an amazing Mediterranean vacation. You'll basically get a free vacation out of it. If you were already going to spend a lot back home, go abroad and get it done instead."