If thinning hair is affecting your self-esteem and you are researching hair restoration surgery as a way to restore a full head of hair, your first concern is probably how much the procedure will cost. The No. 1 consideration when trying to figure out how much a hair transplant costs is how many grafts you will need. In the cost-per-graft model many clinics use, you pay for exactly the number of grafts the doctor prepares and transplants into your scalp.
Understanding Male Hair Loss
For most men, male pattern balding is hereditary, and the result of increased levels of the hormone dihydrotestosterone. Though the reason for hair loss is the same in all men, everyone has a unique biological makeup that influences the rate at which men lose their hair, as well as the type of balding pattern they suffer from. Some men begin balding in their early 20s, while others maintain a full head of hair into middle age and beyond.
Whether your hair loss is characterized by thinning hair on the crown of your head, diffuse thinning all over your head or a receding hairline, hair loss surgery with grafts can be an effective treatment technique.
Hair Restoration With Follicular Unit Excision
Follicular unit excision, or FUE, is an advanced hair transplantation technique that relies on removing small groupings of hair follicles from the back and sides of the head and transferring them into the balding areas of the scalp. These grafts then take root in their new home, which gradually increases the amount of hair that grows on your head.
How Many Grafts Will You Need?
The number of hair grafts it will take to restore your hair is based on how far your baldness has advanced. To give you a better understanding of how far your hair loss has progressed, you can check the Norwood scale, which is now the easiest and most frequently used way to classify the severity of male pattern balding. On this scale, class 1 represents no visible hair loss, while class 7 is widespread baldness across the entire scalp.
One additional factor that determines how much a hair transplant costs is how different doctors operate, and their level of expertise. For example, one doctor may recommend 4,000 grafts, while another may suggest 2,500 grafts to cover the same degree of hair loss. There are a few possible reasons for this:
- The doctor who recommends fewer grafts may be less experienced performing larger-scale procedures.
- A doctor who suggests a smaller number of grafts may be taking a more conservative approach to surgery, due to the donor zone being a limited resource.
Since estimates can vary so widely, it’s absolutely essential to do your homework when comparing doctors.
Deciding What’s Best for You
Ultimately, getting a hair restoration surgery is an investment in yourself. When it comes to your appearance, remember the maxim “You get what you pay for.” Choosing a doctor or clinic-based entirely on cost may come back to haunt you in the future. If you find a hair restoration specialist who promises to provide cut-rate pricing, it may be because they are less qualified to provide you with good results.
You should look for a doctor who can provide the best results, based on criteria such as:
- The type of hair you have – can the doctor provide consistent hair transplant results for people with the same hair type as you?
- What is their reputation online? Do you see real patients posting reviews and before-and-after photos, or can you only find information the clinic has posted about itself?
- Do you have a clear idea of who the doctor is? Has your doctor posted videos on YouTube or Vimeo? Are the doctor and his staff responsive when you reach out?
- Can they refer to any previous patients you can talk to for an idea of how their surgery and recovery went?
Once you start narrowing things down, you may come up with a shortlist of multiple clinics that seemingly align with your needs. This is the time to start reaching out to those doctor’s offices and asking about their pricing and whether they offer financing packages.
Ultimately, if your choice comes down to a couple of doctors, but one charges a higher cost per graft than the other, there is one way to assess which clinic you should choose, assuming you can afford both. Ask yourself this question: If both clinics offered you equal prices, which would you choose? If you have a clear-cut favourite, that is your best choice, regardless of cost per graft.
That’s because the results of your hair transplant surgery are permanent. If you are dissatisfied with how your outcome looks, you can’t go back in time and opt for the choice you would have made if money were no object. If you can’t afford your top pick, it’s a good idea to wait and save money until you can afford the best doctor.
Restore Your Naturally Growing Hair
At the Toronto Hair Transplant Surgeons, we prefer an honest, up-front approach to pricing. During your procedure, we will invite you to count the grafts for yourself, so you know you are getting exactly what you’re paying for. You can have complete confidence in your graft count and cost per graft when you verify it independently.
We have a fully dedicated practice, solely focused on the art and science of hair restoration techniques. Our expert doctors routinely complete large-scale surgeries of 3,000 and 4,000 grafts in a single session. Our very own Dr Jones is a world-renowned pioneer of the FUE technique, which is a superior method that produces totally natural-looking results without incisions, sutures or a linear scar.
If you’re considering a hair transplant, use this link to book a free consult with one of our doctors to review your photos online, to evaluate your case and to determine the best ways to get started on the road toward a healthy, thick head of hair.
