Hair Transplant Cost

[btsic11]

OK so I apologize to everyone because I'm sure this has been asked on here before and I know there is no way of telling me exact figures. But I was just wondering what a ball park would be and where would be a good place to go (I live in NYC). I'm looking probably for FUE, I'm 35, and judging from all the extensive before and after pictures I've been looking at I think I would probably benefit most with about 2000 grafts. I keep my hair short and I'm not expecting Johnny Depp's hair so I'm realistic about the results. Also do all doctors expect all of the money up front or are there payment plans one can do? Thank you in advance.

[sausage]

I am not the best person to reply to this, but not many people reply on these forums so this is probably the best answer you will get.

I asked the same question a few weeks ago...

I got one answer....

anywhere around £12,000-£17,000, (sorry I cannot be bothered to convert this into dollars).

plus I think you pay a small amount up front and pay the rest on the day just before you have surgery.

[Spex]

Make sure prior to convincing yourself of what surgery you think is best for you that you understand them and there place.

EVERYONE i speak to wants FUE. What you need to understand is FUE is a very difficult procedure to perform and there is a reason the best FUE clinics only perform small sessions of 1000 in a session. This comes with a price tag generally of $8-$10 a graft

FUE produces much lower yield than strip too due to the nature of the beast.

Strip is a MUCH better way to utilise YOUR donor area much more efficiently and effectively LONG TERM. FUE is only suitable for small sessions up to around 1000 grafts. Strip enables you to use your donor supply safely and enables you to achieve more grafts in one session whilst managing it effectively for further sessions if needed.. Once you have used up the strip donor sufficiently THEN its a better idea to go in via FUE to tap in to further donor supply. FUE is not magic you will soon run out of it as a supply of donor hair.

Think of it like a grid of marbels. Removing marbels at random from all over (FUE) compared to a line through the middle (strip) which then you close up leaving the grid uni from as it was. Much more efficient way to UTILISE your LIMITED donor supply.


FUE might well be the best option for you based on your specific goal over time however get educated and don't rush in and understand FUE is surgery and DOES cause scaring, in fact more scaring than strip its just not as localised.

Strip generally costs approx $4 -$5 across the board with a good quality surgeon and FUE costs vary from surgeon to surgeon but generally $8-$10 a graft.

Best
S

[sausage]

So say a typical bald man wants a FUE hair transplant. He has his horseshoe hair left and is completely bald on top......

What percentage of the bald head can be filled in with donor hair?

I understand people have differing amounts of donor hair but say this guy had a decent thickness of donor hair and an average sized bald area.

[Tracy C]

What percentage of the bald head can be filled in with donor hair?

It depends on some factors. Obviously what Norwood pattern they have. How dense and stable the donor hair his. How thick in caliber their hair is (red heads have very fine hair, the finest caliber). The texture of the hair. There are probably other factors that neither of us know about.

Currently, it is not possible to restore a full head of hair. However it is reasonable to guess that a brunette male who has a stable NW5 pattern, who responds well to Propecia and Minoxidil and has really good donar hair could restore his hair to a NW2 pattern with 50% of his original density... A lot of factors need to be "just right" in order to achieve that kind of result.

[sausage]

I understand that people may not be able to get back their original hairs thickness but surely with a bit of creativity a reasonable look can be created....

I still don't understand how a full head of hair can't be restored at least with 50% density of the original thickness.

In a good candidate, why can't 50% of hair be taken from the whole horseshoe donor area and be placed on top.

That would easily fill up the top of the head and the whole head of hair will be an even density.

When I look at some of the photos on here, some people have had over half their bald scalp on top transplanted on and still have thick donor hair which looks plenty to fill in the last quarter.

If I had my transplant a cm back from my original hairline, had just 50% density of my original hair put in (maybe thicker in the front cm of hair say 75% density) and maybe 40% density put in at my crown region (I don't mind the crown region being a bit thinner as it is on top, the hairline is more important). + body hair can also be used to thicken it up a bit.

= a creative masterpiece.

+ if you have a bit of hair left which I still do then surely I can get a full head of hair back at NW3 with the use of Propecia that is always mentioned although I am totally skeptical about but would give it ago.

+ A lot of people do not lose all their hair on top, my dad still has a small bit left and he has been balding for 30 years. So if I keep a bit then every little helps.

+ In the near future something could help improve a thinning head of hair, there is something that has been found to add 10-15% (I think) of hair with a small dose in early tests. Even if thats all it can achieve that would be enough to give a 40-50% density head of hair an extra boost.

[btsic11]

Thanks to everyone for their responses. I understand what you're saying Spex, and it makes sense. I guess I need to speak to a doc but you say the benchmark for FUE making sense is about a 1000 grafts?

Also yes I've heard body hair can be used. Which I've never heard of and sounds a little weird. Does it grow differently on your head if it's used ie: it will grow only a certain length?

[Tracy C]

I still don't understand how a full head of hair can't be restored at least with 50% density of the original thickness.

I think part of the problem is you don't understand what "a full head of hair" means. A full head of hair is no hair loss and original density. Yes, certain candidates can achieve the look of a full head of hair - with complete coverage at 50% density - but that is not a full head of hair. It may look like a full head of hair - but it isn't. A better way to put it is to use the phrase "complete coverage" rather than "a full head of hair". No hair restoration doctor can give a person "a full head of hair" back - but some doctors can give some patients "complete coverage".

In a good candidate, why can't 50% of hair be taken from the whole horseshoe donor area and be placed on top.

That is a great question to ask your hair restoration doctor.

+ body hair can also be used to thicken it up a bit.

Body hair transplant is not a good idea. This is for the absolute worst of the worst case scenarios.

if you have a bit of hair left which I still do then surely I can get a full head of hair back at NW3 with the use of Propecia that is always mentioned although I am totally skeptical about but would give it ago.

Depending on what your pattern is, how long your hair has been that way and how aggressive your hair loss is, you may be able to grow some hair back with Propecia (or generic Finasteride) and Rogaine (or generic Minoxidil). Even if you don’t grow any hair back, the medications should at least stabilize your hair loss so it doesn't get any worse for a long while. This is why it is such a good idea to treat your hair loss with medication for at least a full year prior to committing to hair transplant surgery. If you do grow some hair back, even if only a little, that will serve to improve your outcome from hair transplant surgery. Every little bit helps.

[sausage]

I think part of the problem is you don't understand what "a full head of hair" means. A full head of hair is no hair loss and original density. Yes, certain candidates can achieve the look of a full head of hair - with complete coverage at 50% density - but that is not a full head of hair. It may look like a full head of hair - but it isn't. A better way to put it is to use the phrase "complete coverage" rather than "a full head of hair". No hair restoration doctor can give a person "a full head of hair" back - but some doctors can give some patients "complete coverage".

I understand that.

Full coverage with an acceptable looking density, and maybe put the hairline a bit back from the original hairline then hopefully there should be enough hair to do that.

[Spex]

Body hair is HIGHLY inconsistent. I have met with many guys who invested fortunes in BHT only to be heavily disappointed with the unsatisfactory outcome.

FUE lends itself to sessions of approx 1000 per sitting due to the intensity and gruelling nature of the procedure. FUE is very difficult to perform well.

Best
S