Dr. James DeYarman
Member, International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons
Member, American Hair Loss Association

It may be possible to get a hair transplant for $2 dollars a graft but you could get a bad hair transplant. Clinic’s that promote price are either hair transplant mills (more then one procedure per day) or a new doctor starting out. When a new doctor is starting out in this business he will offer his services for less money to get your business. Research his patients and his training. Ask if there are any additional fees and how the number of grafts needed is determined. You should find out the largest number of grafts the doctor has transplanted in one session and the type of grafts he usually transplants. The best transplants today will require at least 2500 to 3000 follicular unit grafts for the front one third of the scalp. This will require at least four medical assistants and at least 6 to 7 hours of surgery time. A fee for this service would be from 8 to 12 thousand dollars by most established physicians.

Instead of trying shop on a price per graft bases start asking doctors what they could do for you with the budget you can afford or willing to spend. In my practice if a patient is able to have a procedure on a 24 to 48 hour notice, I will reduce my fee to fill the spot. As the number of grafts increase the price per graft decreases. This is another way the price could get close to the $2 per graft fee you are looking for.

Hair loss is for the rest of your life. You want a doctor you can trust and is looking out for your best interest. You want a treatment plan that makes sense now and 20 years from now.

The crown can be a difficult area to transplant and create problems as you age. If you have a defined bald spot with distinct borders a transplant could be considered. If however, you are just thinning in the crown you should not transplant. When transplanting a thinning crown and the hairs are miniaturized you will experience shock loss in the area.

I am always amazed when I see a man with total baldness and when you ask him what bothers him the most often times it is the hair loss in the crown. You have to accept a thinning look in the crown.

The first thing you need to do is see a hair restoration specialist and have your situation evaluated. Your hair loss needs to be photographed and staged. It is important to evaluate the surrounding area for the amount of miniaturized hair. Your donor area needs to be examined microscopically and photographed. Your head size and shape has to be evaluated and scalp elasticity. We need to predict the worst and if you were to become a Norwood 7 is there enough hair to create an acceptable cosmetic result.

You should use everything medically for treatment for hair loss before you do the hair transplant and even though you feel you are stable, I can guarantee you that you will experience more hair loss.

When treating hair loss medically I like to see the patient every 6 months. The head should be photograph with the hair dry and in a wet condition . This is the best method to predict your future hair loss. When the hair transplant is started don’t waste a lot of hair in the back of your head. The lateral slit is an excellent method to reproduce the whorl and create a blending pattern of transplanted hair into the surrounding area. You have to accept a thinning result in the crown and save the donor hair for mid-scalp and front. Try and hold off the hair transplant for at least another year. Young men are never ready for hair loss but don’t do something that you will regret later in life.