Making the decision for a hair transplant is a big step, and one that doesn’t come easily to most. The odds are, that before beginning research into the procedure, you have come to a point where your hair loss is affecting your life in one way or another, and there is a lot to be said about the impact of hair loss on our mental health. It may then come as a surprise to you that generally hair transplants are not available on the NHS, with very limited exceptions.
‘Do they, don’t they?’
It is common knowledge that the NHS is stretched beyond measure, and now more than ever, there are limited resources for procedures that go beyond those considered ‘essential’ to our physical function. Rarely, a hair transplant is given the green light for exceptional circumstances, for example if a patient has been impacted by burns. Although, even cases like this have to go through specialist funding processes to be approved, and that can take a considerable amount of time.
For the vast majority of people that are not eligible for NHS hair transplantation, they have no other option than to explore private hair transplant clinics.
‘Going private’
Although the procedure does come at a cost, the benefits of having your hair transplantation performed privately are copious:
- Flexibility and choice
- Eliminating long waiting times
- Advanced medical equipment and expertise
- Tailored solutions and multiple method options
- No delays on the day of procedure, due to priority lists/emergencies
- Exemplary support to patients, families and carers & an understanding of emotional, personal, cultural and religious needs for specific procedures.
Having your procedure at a Private Clinic means you get various choices usually not available for NHS procedures. Firstly, arguably the most important choice, is ‘where?’ you would like the procedure to take place, choosing your clinic can be puzzling, utilising the CQC website is a great way to source reputable clinics local to you. Selecting the correct clinic also parallels finding an expert Specialist for your hair transplantation.
Picking ‘who?’ performs your hair transplant is a choice that should be carefully considered. Your Consultant has a huge impact on your procedure outcome, ensuring they are experienced and knowledgable in the field is a must. At HHC Clinics, our hair restoration specialists standards ensure that:
- Specialist equipment is utilised to carefully diagnose the hair loss concern, and the specific tailored recommendations are made based on this, the family and medical history and patient’s expectations.
- Our Consultants are able to perform both FUE & FUT hair transplantation: A clinic only doing FUE is probably doing that because the doctor cannot do an FUT procedure. It is very clear from research papers that the gold standard for transplantation is FUT, and a surgeon should be able to perform both.
- Intricate techniques are used for undetectable scarring and successful harvesting.
- Patients are given the correct pre-treatment and after care advice for optimal results.
- An honest, medical and holistic approach is practiced, ensuring everything is considered prior to the procedure.
- Patient’s individual needs are central to the desired procedure.
Private hair transplantation also allows you the choice of ‘when?’, meaning you can arrange your procedure to fit around personal commitments, work, holidays, terms and seasons. Ideal for those looking for some downtime while their donor area recovers.
‘At what cost?’
The cost of hair transplants has considerably reduced in recent years, although it is regarded as an expensive procedure, the benefits certainly justify the financial commitment. Typically, the cost of hair transplantation is somewhere between £3000-£8000, but this depends on the following factors:
- Chosen method of hair transplantation
- Number of grafts required for desired result
At HHC Clinics, we offer flexible finance options, as well non-surgical hair restoration options, as we recognise that not everyone has the funding for hair transplantation readily available.
Learn more about the hair transplant patient journey or get in touch to find out more.
Hair Loss and Mental Health
Sadly, hair loss of the scalp and facial hair frequently leads to psychological distress, although research on this is limited. Evidence does confirm that experiencing hair loss can cause intense emotional suffering that can affect our personal, social or working lives. The hair makes up a large part of our identity, a bad hair cut is enough to bring some of us to tears, so trying to comprehend the emotional impact of hair loss is extremely complex. Hair loss is commonly associated with social phobias, anxiety and depression.
With such a direct impact on our mental health, some would argue that NHS hair transplantation should be accessible. This is further reinforced by the effects that mental health conditions can have on our hair, such as:
Trichotillomania
Sometimes caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, similar to OCD, or a way of dealing with stress and anxiety is an irresistible urge to pull out hair from your scalp, eyebrows or other areas of your body. Hair pulling can be a way of dealing with negative or uncomfortable feelings.
Alopecia Areata
Often associated with severe stress, the body’s immune system attacks the hair follicles - causing hair loss.
Transgender Hair Transplantation
Some of the more specialist transplant procedures, due to the endocrinological and emotional aspects involved in performing a hair transplant on transmen and transwomen. Sadly, these procedures are not available through the NHS, but there are many clinics, like here at HHC Hair Loss Clinics, that understand the complex requirements for treating the different causes of hair loss on trans patients.
Examples of hair restoration that we have performed on our trans patients include:
- MTF Transwomen restoration due to suffering male pattern baldness
- FTM Transmen remodelling of the hair line
Finding a clinic that exercises a specialist medical understanding of offering hair restoration treatments to transmen and women is crucial. HHC Clinics offer patient-centered care within a discreet and relaxed environment, contact us for more information about our hair restoration services.
NHS Advice
There are several ways the NHS can assist in your private hair restoration journey:
Your General Practitioner
It is important that if the effects of hair loss is affecting your wellbeing, that you contact your local GP. Your Doctor will be able to point you in the direction of support and advice, no matter the type of hair loss you are experiencing.
Care Quality Commission
The NHS website also recommends the use of the CQC Register when selecting the correct clinic for your hair transplantation, here you can view recent reports and findings about the establishment and their level of care. HHC Clinics are proudly rated excellent by the CQC, our CQC report is available here.
General Medical Council
To ensure you are treated safely and professionally, when selecting your hair transplant clinician, you can check that they are regulated by the General Medical Council by simply requesting their GMC number. Using the GMC website, you can check your chosen doctor’s registration status. The GMC issue advice on medical standards and ethical guidance to ensure clinicians are delivering care effectively. Find out more about HHC Clinics’ ethical hair transplant advice here.
Getting Started
Ready to begin your private hair transplantation journey? Get in touch with our friendly team to arrange your free, no obligation consultation. Here we will take a closer look, using specialist microscopic equipment, at your hair follicles and assess the hair loss, we will discuss your family and medical history and what your desired outcome for treatment is.
During your consultation, we can discuss in more detail hair transplant options, such as follicular unit extraction and follicular unit transplantation, and equip you with all the knowledge to go away and make an informed decision.