With a wide scale of costs associated with hair transplant procedures, it can be difficult to know where to go. Are cheap hair transplants ok? Why do some hair transplants cost considerably more? We’ve broken down your questions and created this guide explaining everything you need to know about the cost of a hair transplant.
How Much Does it Cost to Have a Hair Transplant?
Hair transplants vary as to how much they cost. Cost is dependent on numerous factors including:
- The extent of hair loss. The more coverage you are looking to get, the more grafts are needed which in turn increases the amount of work and time for the transplant and how much donor hair is available.
- The type of hair transplant procedure.
- The quality and experience of the surgeon – leading names in the field will cost more to carry out the procedure.
- The location of the clinic – London based clinics tend to be more expensive as you might expect.
You won’t know for sure how much a hair transplant will cost until your initial consultation in the same way you won’t know whether a hair transplant is the best option for you. The FUT method is considerably cheaper than FUE as FUE transplants tend to be charged per follicle.
In the UK hair transplant procedures tend to range from £3,000 and £10,000 on average. Hair transplants abroad can be considerably cheaper, from £1,000, but as a hair transplant is a surgical procedure and carries risks, cost shouldn’t be a deciding factor.
Many hair transplant clinics have finance options available so should you desire to spread the cost, these plans can make the option more affordable, making costs less of a worry.
When considering a hair transplant, if money is a worry, you may want to consider the timing of the hair transplant. If you are younger, late teens to mid twenties, and experiencing hair loss, it is unlikely that your hair line will have settled. You will be experiencing something called premature hair loss and you won’t know for sure how your hair will develop as it settles in your late twenties. This means if you have a hair transplant at an earlier age you may need another one again later. Likewise, while a hair transplant offers long lasting results as hair thins with age, the rest of your hair and the transplanted hair will thin in future. You may want a second hair transplant at a later age.
Why are Some Hair Transplants Cheaper?
The cost of a hair transplant depends on many of the factors mentioned above; the type of procedure, amount of work or hair grafts required, etc. This is why there is such a range in costs for hair transplants. That being said, hair transplant surgery abroad is also predominantly cheaper. This can be due in part to the salaries being lower abroad as well as local manufacturing of medical equipment which further reduce costs of healthcare procedures. Healthcare abroad can be cheaper to us even if it’s not necessary cheaper for it’s countries residents. Cheaper hair transplants in other countries can be logically explained to some extent but there are many reports of surgeries abroad going wrong and there are lots of risks with going abroad for a hair transplant.
Choosing an Alternative
If you feel you can’t afford a hair transplant right now, but are still desperate for a solution to your hair thinning, you may consider an alternative. There are a wide range of treatments available for hair loss, from topical and oral medications to minimally invasive clinic procedures as well as the option to choose a hair loss disguise. It is always worth considering the long-term implications of your chosen hair loss solution, as something that may seem like a cheaper or easier remedy on the surface may have further implications and see you losing money in the long-term.
Our advice is invariably to see a hair loss specialist to discuss potential treatments based on the extent of hair loss and hair thinning cause, this will aid in you finding a solution that will work much faster. We have, however, weighed up some of the most popular hair loss therapies so that you can consider all of the long term factors before deciding which route you would prefer to take in order to regain the appearance of increased hair density.
If you are looking into hair transplantation it probably comes as no surprise that the effects of hair loss can be psychologically damaging to many. Although considered a cosmetic procedure the effects of hair transplantation has far wider implications. The natural-looking results gained have shown time and time again to improve a person’s mental well-being, confidence and self esteem, we don’t think you can put a price on that!
If you are looking to restore your hair density and get back to your best, get in touch with our team, we have a range of hair loss treatments available to aid your hair restoration journey.
How to Choose a Hair Transplant Clinic?
With many clinics and surgeons now offering cosmetic hair treatments, we’ve put together a brief guide with some deciding factors to help you choose the right place for you.
- Portfolio. Previous work speaks volumes. Don’t be scared to ask to see before and after pictures and read their testimonials. Hair transplants require lots of trust on your behalf so seeing examples of the quality of their work will help instil you with faith.
- Who will the surgeon carrying out the procedure be? You want to know in advance who will be doing the surgery. Ideally you will meet them before to discuss the procedure and answer any questions you may have.
- Qualifications. Hair transplant surgeons should be professionally trained and hold specific qualifications relating to their field. Some clinic websites will detail their surgeons and their training but don’t be afraid to ask about their background otherwise. The Care Quality Commission will list treatment providers on their website but you can also check the BAHRS (British Association Of Hair Restoration Surgery and IAHRS (International Alliance Of Hair Restoration Surgeons) for surgeon membership.
- Experience. How many procedures has the clinician carried out before and how long have they worked with hair loss patients? Do they get good reviews of successful hair transplants.
- Specialisms. If a clinic offers specialist treatments, like our combined FUE/FUT procedure, it can show they have advanced knowledge and insight into their field. This helps reassure you that they are skilled at what they do and can offer different types of hair transplants like follicular unit extraction or follicular unit transplantation to fulfil a head of hair.
- Policies. What is the clinic’s policy in the event a hair transplant wasn’t successful? At Hillside we have a hair transplant guarantee whereby non-growing transplant grafts can be replaced for free. This is because we are sure of our results. Policies like this can tell you a lot about the quality of the hair clinic.
- Facilities and environment. If you’re nervous about the procedure having a welcome and relaxing atmosphere can help put your mind at ease about the surgery.
Should I Go Abroad for a Hair Transplant?
If you are considering going abroad for a hair transplant, it’s important to be aware of some considerations.
- You won’t have a prior consultation or get to meet with the surgeon before the day of your surgery. This is quite risky and you may not get a chance to get the reassurance you need beforehand.
- You don’t have access to the same level of aftercare as you would in the UK. Should something happen with your hair transplant, for example, it got infected (a risk all surgeries carry) you won’t have access to the clinic at your convenience. UK clinics tend to offer follow up appointments whereby they check the progress of your transplant after the procedure. They are also more readily available should you need any support.
- You have to take reports and photos of the clinic at face value as until you travel out there you won’t know anything for certain.
- You may have communication issues with your doctor if they don’t speak your language. This is troublesome for any medical procedure.
- There are extra costs associated with flights, accommodation and insurance that you need to account for.
- You can’t go home straight after the procedure. You may have to wait until it’s deemed safe to fly.
Some hair transplants abroad can go relatively well but make sure you do your research beforehand. Find out as much information as you can and compare your options before deciding on a hair transplant abroad.
