Hair grafting has become one of the most asked-about hair restoration treatments. With hair grafting you have to be aware of the various treatment options this procedure offers. By choosing different types of hair grafting, such as micrograft or follicular unit grafts, you are able to help not only your hairline but also your wallet. Hair grafting prices vary depending on the experience of the doctor as well as the location of the procedure.
History
Undergoing hair grafting used to be a painful procedure. The surgery started with creating small holes within the scalp using a cylindrical scalpel. Surgeons then would take clumps of hair and place them within these holes. Earlier versions of this procedure led to results that were unsightly and fake as well as expensive with the average procedure costing $20,000. Technological advances have yielded better, more natural-looking hair, and cut the cost of the procedure in half.
Types
Comparing the different types of hair grafting procedures will help you decide which procedure is best for you and for your budget. Follicular Unit Transplants are done by relocating to your scalp certain hair follicles that contain more than one hair. Follicular Unit Transplanting produces the most natural-looking appearance of all hair grafting techniques. Since more than one session is often needed to complete this procedure, the cost can quickly rise. Follicular Unit Transplanting averages $7,000 per session, and patients usually need one to three sessions.
Double Follicular Units (DFU) and Triple Follicular Units (TFU) are two other types of hair grafts available. The grafts are placed on the hairline in rows; double units involve two rows and triple units use three rows. One of these sessions is comparable to several of the Follicular Unit Transplants, thus making DFU and TFU procedures more cost effective. The price of these two procedures is between $4,000 and $9,000, but most patients only need one session, and save up to $14,000 when compared to Follicular Unit Transplants.
Time Frame
The duration of the actual grafting procedure will be determined by the total amount of grafts to be used. On average, the grafting will take 5 hours and you are able to return home after the procedure. You will be able to resume your daily tasks after 24 hours and within 2 weeks the stitches will be removed. Expect to wait 5 to 6 months before your grafted hair is full-length.
Payment for hair grafting can be made either up-front or through payment plans that are set up through the surgeon's office. Many hair-grafting centers will allow you to finance the procedure directly instead of through a third party.
The number of sessions needed as well the number of grafts for each session will determine your final cost. The average session costs between $4,000 and $10,000, which includes facility fees. In your consultation, discuss the number of sessions needed as well as the number of grafts to get an idea of the final price.
Considerations
Micrografting takes strips of donor hairs, with the tissue attached, and then cuts the hairs out of the tissue, usually disregarding the tenderness of the follicular tube. This procedure is usually quicker and does not require as much man-power as Follicular Unit Transplanting, thus saving money. On average this procedure costs $3,000 and sometimes only requires one session. But this procedure does not provide the maximum amount of hair density needed to cover bald spots and is quite painful.
While Follicular Unit Transplanting can cost up to $21,000, the end results include a healthy scalp and dense hair coverage. This procedure saves most patients money because they do not need to return for more grafts, unlike the micrografting technique, which some patients return two to five times as their hair loss increases.
Benefits
Hair grafting costs an average of $10,000, but this one-time investment will provide excellent results without a continuing financial burden. Hair replacement systems such as creams, shampoos and oral medications require constant use. On average people who use hair replacement treatments spend $1,200 per year on these products. After 20 years, you can spend up to $24,000 on hair replacement products. While hair grafting is an upfront expense, the results are permanent, so it's often a wise financial decision.
Tags: Follicular Unit, hair grafting, Follicular Unit Transplanting, Unit Transplanting, Follicular Unit Transplants