Surgical vs. nonsurgical hair restoration prices
Losing your hair and weighing your hair restoration options? Your first thought may be "What's it going to cost?" Read on to compare nonsurgical hair restoration prices with surgical hair restoration prices. Approximately 72 percent of hair restoration patients worldwide opt for nonsurgical procedures, according to data from the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) 2011 Practice Census Results.
Cost analysis: Surgical vs nonsurgical hair restoration treatments
Depending on the type of hair transplant you choose, Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) or Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), grafts can run from $4 to $10 per graft. Using the average number of grafts as reported by the ISHRS (1,842) and a mid-range cost of $8 per graft, an average cost would be $14,736, although individual hair transplantation treatments can be more or less expensive.
Ten year average costs were extrapolated from online supplier and product websites for the following nonsurgical treatments, which were the top four prescribed in 2010, according to the ISHRS Census Results:
- Propecia (1 mg): $910 for generic to $7,280 for brand name
- Rogaine foam (5 percent minoxidil): $1,500
- Minoxidil solution (2 or 5 percent): $1,600
- Proscar (5 mg): $910 for generic to $14,560 for brand name
Laser combs run from $199 to $545; laser caps cost around $3,000; in office Low-Level Laser Treatment (LLLT), which is ongoing, can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars based a variety of factors, according to the Hair Foundation. With the advent of online shopping, hair replacement systems (toupees or hair pieces) are less expensive than ever but still require an initial purchase, at least annual replacement, and routine maintenance--and the cost continues pretty much forever. Over a 10-year period, the cost of maintaining a hair piece could surpass the cost of a hair transplant.
Many nonsurgical treatments are less expensive at the onset but entail ongoing costs and may not give you the results you want. Because of technological advancements, increased competition, and price shopping online, hair restoration prices are significantly lower than they were even 5 years ago. And, many reputable hair restoration treatment centers offer monthly financing for hair.
