One of the most important criteria for deciding upon having a hair transplant surgery is its cost. Usually, when we ask people about the cost of a hair transplant, we hear different prices, and the reason behind this fact is that there are a number of factors that affect the overall cost of a hair transplant procedure. In this article, we are going to discuss the factors that have a significant role in the overall cost of the treatment.

The amount of baldness is one of the major influential factors in determining the cost of a hair transplant treatment. One method of determining the treatment cost is based on the area of the bald patch. Doctors estimate that there should be between 45 to 60 grafts per square centimeter of the head in order to eliminate baldness. Your hair transplant surgery will be carried out based on the density of hair you are looking for. Thus, the overall cost is based on the size of the bald patch.

• The usual density for a person without baldness is 90 grafts per square centimeter. However, 45 grafts per centimeter will be sufficient to cover bald patches.
• In some cases, fewer grafts may be transplanted per square centimeter, due to having a larger bald patch and lack of enough hair grafts in the donor area, or less budget.
• The amount of transplants per square centimeter also depends on the rate of baldness in the bald area. For instance, the rate of baldness in an area may be 50%. Accordingly, the number of required transplants will be less.

Generally speaking, a certain cost is determined in most clinics according to the number of grafts that are transplanted. In some clinics, the number of hair strand transplants or hair follicles may be the basis of the cost. The main question that arises is what is the difference between a hair follicle and a hair graft?

When you look closely at the base of your hair, you will notice that several strands of hair have grown from one root. These few hairs that are from one root is called a graft, and each hair strand is called a follicle. For this reason, each graft may contain several follicles.

Typically, hair transplants are based on the number of grafts taken from a patient’s donor area to be transplanted in bald areas, not the number of follicles. Generally, each graft contains 1 to 4 hair strands. So when it is mentioned that 3,000 grafts have been transplanted, it means that approximately 6,500 strands of hair have been transplanted.

However, some physicians consider hair strands to be the basis of the cost. Many people may become confused for this reason. For instance, if a physician says that the cost of transplanting each hair strand is $3, and 1,000 strands have been transplanted, the total cost will be $3,000. Meanwhile, another doctor may charge $3 for transplanting each graft. In this case, the total cost for both treatments are the same, but the number of hair strands transplanted by the second doctor includes at least 2,000 strands of hair. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the difference between a hair follicle (strand) and a hair graft during your research.

The minimum number of grafts required for a hair transplant treatment is 600. This number can vary according to the person’s rate of baldness. Typically, 3,000 is the maximum number of grafts that doctors consider for hair transplants. Accordingly, when the area of the bald patch on the scalp is more, more grafts will be transplanted, and the total cost will increase.

The Norwood Scale is one of the hair transplant scales that assists physicians estimate the total number of grafts required for the hair transplant surgery. You can estimate the required number of grafts depending on the size of your bald patch.

The female hair loss pattern is different from that in men, so another scale is used which is referred to as the Ludwig Scale.

The various methods for calculating the total cost of a hair transplant treatment may confuse you a bit when it comes to determining the overall costs. But you can compare the cost of hair transplants in different centers by adopting a simple approach.

Bearing in mind the amount of baldness, ask your physician to determine the total cost, and number of hair follicles that will be transplanted. By dividing the total cost by the number of hair strands (follicles) you will be able to acquire the cost of transplanting each hair strand in each center, and easily compare the costs.