How Is The Cost of Hair Transplant Determined
by Dr. Sangay Bhutia Hair Transplant SurgeonIt is well-established that hair transplant surgery is the
best solution to baldness. It is also the only permanent solution to hair fall
and baldness, making it a sought after surgery, the world over. The statistics
on the number of people all over the world who suffer from hair loss are mind-boggling. And, a permanent solution to male pattern baldness or androgenic
alopecia has also been difficult to attain since it is genetic. However, hair
transplant surgery has changed that.
Considering the demand, there is a large number of clinics
offering these procedures in most big cities and they offer very attractive
prices. However, it is important to know how the cost of hair transplants is
determined so that patients can make an informed decision about the surgery
that is undoubtedly life-changing.
Patients are known to take impulsive decisions because of the
cheap prices that clinics advertise, which can be extremely harmful. They might
end up with a bad clinic or an inexperienced surgeon and get a shoddy
transplant. Advertisements can also be deceptive because the amount that every
individual patient pays is determined by various factors, and is different for
each one.
We are
listing some of the factors here:
There are usually two methods that surgeons use for a hair
transplant or hair restoration surgery: Follicular Hair Extraction (FUE) and
Follicular Hair Transplantation (FUT). FUE involves extracting individual
grafts from the donor area of the patient’s scalp and implanting them on to the
bald or balding spots, while FUT involves extracting a strip of grafts from the
donor area of the scalp. The method of implantation remains the same. The cost
of FUE and FUT can differ. The cost is determined by the kind of transplant
procedure that the surgeon is going to perform on the patient.
The second factor is the area of the transplant. Now, some
patients, especially younger ones want a thick filling on the bald spots and a
younger-looking, low hairline. Whereas some patients are okay with a combover,
especially if they don’t have too much donor hair. This is usually the case in
older patients or those who are in advanced stages of hair fall.
While setting their expectations with the surgeon, some
patients choose to have more grafts along the parting and the hairline to give
an illusion of more hair, this will require a certain number of grafts, which
can be determined by the surgeon. It is important for the patient to discuss
their exact expectations so that the clinic or the surgeon can estimate the
number of grafts needed and the right cost for them. This also determines the
number of sessions a patient might need. Depending on the number of grafts that
will be extracted and implanted, the cost will vary.
Most clinics charge per graft, which contains two hairs each.
Whilst some clinics charge per hair. This should be confirmed right at the
beginning to avoid any confusion with the final billing. This is also where
most patients go wrong as they fall for advertising, which might have listed
their price per hair, which seems much less than the price per graft.
The cost of transplants also varies in different countries.
While in the United States, a hair transplant will cost anywhere between
$4,000-$15,000, in the UK, it is about £3,000-30,000. It is also not covered by
insurance. In countries like India, the cost of hair transplants is much lower
while the results the surgeon will deliver will be the same as surgeons in
Western countries. The quality of the surgeons and clinics in cities like Delhi
is at par with their international counterparts, and they are also used to
conducting these procedures on patients from different ethnicities. India is a
hotspot for international medical tourists because of the availability of good
doctors and sound medical infrastructure.
The only important thing while picking a clinic for the
surgery is that the patient shouldn’t just choose the cheapest one. Pick a
reputed, experienced surgeon and then discuss the cost with them depending on the
number of grafts you need and the results you are expecting from the surgery.
After all, the transplant stays with you forever.
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Created on Jun 19th 2019 01:58. Viewed 679 times.