Factors affecting Hair Transplant cost
Hair
transplant cost typically falls somewhere in between $4000 to $15000.
However, the price is calculated per graft and depends on several different
factors. If you are struggling with alopecia and thinking of getting a
transplant done, you are not the only one. When you decide to undergo a
transplant, one foremost question that comes to your mind is how much will it
cost? Well, here are some factors that you must take into consideration before
deciding on the expense.
Factors Affecting Hair Transplant Cost:
1.
The type/method of transplant:
Two mainstream
methods used for follicle extraction are Follicular
Unit Transplantation (FUT) and
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE).
FUT
involves cutting a several inches long strip of scalp from the donor area and
harvesting it into the bald area. This procedure takes less time and effort as
compared to FUE so it is less expensive.
But the drawback is that an apparent linear scar is left in the donor area
which may concern some patients who want a completely natural effect. Its cost
ranges from $2000 to $4000 depending
on the number of grafts required (typically $2 per graft)
On the
other hand, FUE uses a microscopic
method to extract follicles. Individual units of follicles are extracted from
the donor area and then transplanted into the scalp area with less hair. This
method requires a lot of time and effort and hence costs more, starting from $10,000 and upwards ($3.95 to $6.15 per graft)
2.
The number of required grafts:
The cost
is most likely calculated per graft. If you are in an initial stage of
alopecia, you may require a fewer number of grafts to be transplanted but if
your scalp is in a complicated stage with a large bald area, more grafting will
be required. Wanting fewer follicles to be grafted will cost less.
3.
The area of your residence:
Another
factor that affects hair transplant cost is the country/city you live in.
Different surgeons in different areas of the world charge accordingly.
4.
The number of surgeons available:
If you
live in an area where there are multiple surgeons available nearby, the costs
may be less because of the competitive environment.
5.
The surgeon’s skill:
Hair transplant cost
significantly depends on how highly skilled surgeon you’re going to consult. If
your surgeon is highly skilled, he may cost more. On the contrary, a surgeon
with less experience may have lower rates. However, you may need to research
carefully because a higher cost alone does not justify expert skills.
6.
Travel expense;
If you
prefer a surgeon from another country, you will have to travel to get the
treatment done because the surgeon will be assisting you in his own hospital/clinic.
So yes, you should consider the travel charges as well while calculating the
total expense.
7.
Recovery:
After
the hair transplant is
done, some medications and follow-up visits are carried out for a proper
recovery. So, these additional charges must also be taken into account. The
medications include antibiotics that help recover in case the patient
encounters an infection in the scalp and some anti-inflammatory and pain
medications for a speedy recovery.
8.
The consultation prior to transplant:
If you
prefer a consultation session with your dermatologist to clear your queries and
doubts regarding the transplant, method used, total expense, and surgeon’s
skill, it may be a source of the additional cost. Some clinics provide free
consultations but the highly reputed ones may charge.
The
number of hair transplants been done is increasing every year. They boost
self-confidence, give natural-looking results, and have long-lasting effects so
they are not going to be cheap and are
worth the expense!
