How Many Grafts, What Does It Cost?

The questions often asked by individuals considering hair transplantation are, “How many grafts?" and What is the cost per graft?"

If you want an estimate of cost per graft, our fees range from $4.50 to $6.50 per graft. But our fees are based on far more than a simple graft count. Many other factors are taken into consideration. Generally the higher the number the lower the cost per graft.

Please read on to understand why only looking at graft count and cost per graft only is not the best way to evaluate a planned hair transplant.

We believe that relying on graft count alone in evaluating what will be accomplished by a follicular unit hair transplant session can be misleading. In some hair transplant cases, “less can be more.”

The most important things to consider are the amount of hair moved, the survival of the transplanted hair follicles and the density and naturalness of the final result. There is ample evidence that “megasessions” with very high graft numbers can often result in decreased hair follicle survival. Too many incisions too close together, literally shredding the scalp, can interrupt blood and nerve supply. Additionally, cutting the grafts too thin without adequate surrounding support tissue and attempting to crowd grafts too close together also results in decreased survival.

It is important to use single follicular unit grafts in the hairline zone. However, in some scalps multiple follicular unit grafts, strategically placed, can provide advantages.

Here is a greatly magnified view of a hair graft containing two follicular units of two hairs each.

Here is the same graft cut into two single follicular unit grafts.

The single graft at the top moves exactly the same amount of hair as the two grafts in the lower picture.

Now we will try to look at the two follicular unit graft actual size. Since size and resolution vary on different monitors, rulers in millimeters are shown next to the “actual size” graft. Not counting the hairs, it is 4.5 millimeters or just a little over 1/8 inch high. It is 2 millimeters or approx 3/32 inch wide.

To maintain density, two incisions would have to be extremely close together, if this double follicular unit graft were split into two single follicular unit grafts and placed into two incisions rather than one. The two new grafts would probably also have to be cut down in size resulting in less supporting tissue. These maneuvers would cause a greater risk to survival of the follicles.

If the clinic bases their fee on number of grafts transplanted, the patient pays twice as much to move the same amount of hair.

We believe it is very important to use one hair grafts and single follicular unit grafts at the hairline zone. Multiple follicular unit grafts placed centrally can be a big advantage for many patients. So, we suggest, do not rely on the graft number alone.

Here is one of our patients prior to surgery.

The following two photos were taken after 1262 follicular unit hair transplant grafts.

Half were single follicular unit grafts placed at the hairline zone. Half were two and three follicular unit grafts placed centrally. The hair could have been transplanted with 2000 to 2300 single follicular unit grafts. The result probably would not have as good central density and would likely have cost more.   Many of the mass production hair transplant clinics rely on excessively cutting grafts down and even splitting follicular units to get a higher graft number and a higher fee. We provide optimal coverage with the best possible aesthetic result at very competitive prices.