How Is The Cost of Hair Transplant Determined

by Dr. Sangay Bhutia Hair Transplant Surgeon

It 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.