Privacy & Data Protection Policy

1. Purpose and Scope

At Follicle Guide UK ("we," "our," or "us"), we operate with the highest standards of medical confidentiality, ethical clinical compliance, and digital security. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, store, encrypt, process, and transmit personal and health-related inquiry data when you visit follicleguide.co.uk or submit diagnostic records (panoramic X-rays, CBCT scans, dental photos, scalp evaluations, or medical history) through our consultation portals.

2. Categories of Data Collected

In the course of medical travel coordination and clinical triage, we may collect:

• Identity & Contact Information: Full name, country of residence, email address, telephone/WhatsApp number.
• Clinical Triage Data: Diagnostic imaging (dental X-rays, CBCT files, donor hair photography, medical history summaries) voluntarily provided for preliminary surgical assessment.
• Technical Metadata: IP address, browser type, referring URL, and session analytics collected via privacy-first, cookieless performance telemetry.

3. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR & KVKK)

We process personal and health-related data in strict adherence to:

• GDPR Article 6(1)(a) & Article 9(2)(a): Explicit consent provided by the data subject for medical consultation, surgical triage, and treatment quotation.
• KVKK Article 5 & Article 6: Processing of special category personal health data for the purposes of medical diagnosis, preventive healthcare, and healthcare management by authorised medical coordinators bound by professional secrecy.

4. Sharing with Partner Hospitals & Surgeons

We do not sell, rent, or commercialize your personal data. Your clinical diagnostic files are transmitted exclusively to our partner JCI-accredited hospitals, licensed medical specialists, and board-certified surgeons in Istanbul, Turkey, strictly for the purpose of formulating your clinical treatment proposal and surgical quotation. All partner institutions are bound by strict bilateral Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) and medical nondisclosure obligations.

5. International Data Transfers

For international patients residing outside the Republic of Turkey (e.g., UK, EU, US, Canada, Australia), submitting inquiries on this website constitutes an informed international data transfer necessary for the preparation of cross-border medical care, safeguarded under standard contractual clauses and end-to-end encrypted transport layers (TLS 1.3).

6. Data Subject Rights

Under applicable international data protection regulations, you hold the right to:

• Request access to, rectification of, or permanent erasure of your personal data ("Right to be Forgotten").
• Withdraw consent for medical coordination at any stage without prejudice.
• Request a machine-readable export of your clinical files.
• File a complaint with your domestic supervisory authority or the Turkish KVKK Board.

To exercise your rights, contact our Data Protection Officer in writing at our registered address: Ataköy Mah. Çobançeşme E-5 Yan Yol Cad. No:8 Daire:33, 34158 Bakırköy/İstanbul or via our official WhatsApp clinical coordination line.