FUE Cost

Hi,

I received a quote from Dr Woods some time ago for a small repair that resulted from surgery gone wrong. The quote I got was extraordinary.

I was quoted over $15000AU for two 500 graft sessions.

I appreciate that Dr Woods and a number of other prominent hair surgeons around the world are specialists in their area, but there are very few professions in the world that demand $1000 per hour for their work and I’m questioning the ethical standing in this regard, in particular given that this kind of price is well outside the affordability of the average person.

There are a lot of people who have been artificially placed in a position where a hair repair is more than just a quest to undo their genetic predisposition. I’m referring to situations where there has been an accident or an error resulting in a damaged area of the scalp. Fees like this by specialists prevent most people in these situations from ever having the issue corrected.

There is a lot of marvel on this site about the results of one surgeon or another, but no one seems to bring this issue up. Am I the only one who sees these charges as ethically questionable?

There is a second related part to this question: Is there an alternative to Dr Woods in Australia where the FUE treatment can be performed as proficiently but at a cost that is within the realms of non-fiction, or if not Australia, then in one of its neighbouring nations?

Hi I totally understand your concern about pricing. But the way I look at it this is cosmetic surgery. It is like this in all procedures of cosmetic surgery. If after consulting with many docs that offer the same procedure and you are satisfied that they can deliver the results you are looking for then compare pricing you did your research and you can procede with a clear mind. I also remember speaking to many past Woods patients over the years and it was in their opinion if they went to Woods first they would have not spent as much money seeking repair. Though I was not a repair patient I spent almost 10 thousand dollars on ht’s that had almost no growth to speak of and a bad strip scar to go along with it. If I can go back in time for a few thousand dollars more I would not have the strip scar and just enjoyed the yield I have received from Fue.

Hi Franklin,

I don’t disagree with you with regards to voluntary cosmetic surgery. If someone wants to look like Brad Pitt and they’re prepared to pay $20000 to do so, then that’s entirely up to them.

On the other hand, if someone was involved in an accident or something out of their control, in Australia either their medical insurance or the government (aka Medicare) would try to get them looking just like they used to, regardless of the amount of plastic surgery that was needed. In the case of hair repair though, this is not an insurable or coverable item. The Australian insurance companies nor Medicare recognise hair repair as a necessary medical procedure.

Obviously I disagree with this and probably a lot of people do, but with the fees that hair surgeons charge, it doesn’t surprise me that this is the case.

The Australian Medical Association make suggestions on the fees that medical practitioners should charge for each of the thousands of accepted medical procedures that are possible. A complex scar repair, for example, might have a suggested fee of around $400 and the operation will be a 2 hour one including preparation. Surgeons are free to charge what they want, but most only charge a small amount above the AMA suggested rate. My surgeon, for example, said that she charges the AMA rate in either a private or public hospital and she’s is a 30 year veteran in the business (the $400 was her quote).

Probably at some point in the future hair repair will become a standard insurable item, but insurance companies are likely only to pay a fee that is comparable to the cost of a procedure performed by, say, a registered plastic surgeon. In the meantime, the cost of hair repair by the few hair surgeons that are capable of performing such work precludes most people from ever being able to undergo such procedures.

» In the meantime, the cost of hair repair by the few hair
» surgeons that are capable of performing such work precludes most people
» from ever being able to undergo such procedures.

You are right, it does preclude a lot of people from being able to undergo the procedure. There are a lot of prices on a lot of things that preclude a majority from affording them.

But clearly there are enough people currently willing to pay these costs for FUE, or else the surgeons would not have a successful practice.

It seems to me that you are sort of discreetly trying to equate your desire for the repair of a botched hair transplant, with examples of things like someone who had half their scalp burned off in a war defending their country.

For people who actually have suffered unwilling trauma and are subsequently not covered, I could see the complaint.

But in your case, it basically sounds like you got a hair transplant knowing the potential risks involved, didn’t like the outcome, and now you are upset because the doctors who can fix it charge market value and you can’t afford it.

I don’t know what to tell you. I don’t even know exactly what you want to hear. In capitalism, the market dictates the prices. If you take out hundreds of thousands in loans and spend years studying nonstop in med school, you can charge whatever you want when you get your own practice.

Hi Arch Koven,

Actually I’ve never had a hair transplant, but I’ve been considering one. Mine relates to an accident where the surgery resulted in bad scaring and some loss of hair. Unfortunately in Australia it’s very difficult to bring a case against the hospital for surgical errors.

Everything else about the accident that can be corrected in a hospital including correcting the surgery from another surgeon is covered through insurance or Medicare.

I’m surprised that I’m the only one who thinks like this, but given that I am, does anyone know of a competent FUE surgeon in Australia or Asia, or perhaps the western US, whose charges are fairer? I’m not opposed to paying the $1500 for the flight if the medical charges are in the few thousand $ range. $15000 though is out of my price range.

» Hi Arch Koven,
»
» Actually I’ve never had a hair transplant, but I’ve been considering one.
» Mine relates to an accident where the surgery resulted in bad scaring and
» some loss of hair. Unfortunately in Australia it’s very difficult to bring
» a case against the hospital for surgical errors.
»
» Everything else about the accident that can be corrected in a hospital
» including correcting the surgery from another surgeon is covered through
» insurance or Medicare.
»
» I’m surprised that I’m the only one who thinks like this, but given that I
» am, does anyone know of a competent FUE surgeon in Australia or Asia, or
» perhaps the western US, whose charges are fairer? I’m not opposed to paying
» the $1500 for the flight if the medical charges are in the few thousand $
» range. $15000 though is out of my price range.

$15 per graft is a high price, but then Dr. Woods is highly experienced and produces good results. I don’t necessarily think that it is unethical, but…it IS a high price. From what I know of Dr. Woods, it is unlikely that he would participate in some kind of trickery :slight_smile: With so few experienced surgeons, it is partially a matter of supply an demand.

I don’t know of any other hair transplant surgeon in Australia. Dr. Mwamba works in Belgium and charges 5 Euro/graft. He has a lot of experience with repair work especially FUE grafting into scars.

We have strived and succeeded to find a way to make FUE affordable for most who are seeking an HT.

The answer is megasessions, just like strip sessions evolved from peanut 500 grafts to over 4000 grafts today.

FUE megasessions are required to help patients with larger degree of hairloss. Please remember, FUT is for more and more people not an alternative due to its invasive nature and the existance of alternative.

By performing high daily numbers it IS possible to offer much lower prices, something which was impossible before.

Our current rates (in Euro)
3,5 for the first 1000 grafts, 1,5 thereafter.


Consultant for Prohairclinic
FUE only institute since 2004
Specialized in FUE megasessions

» Hi Arch Koven,
»
» Actually I’ve never had a hair transplant, but I’ve been considering one.
» Mine relates to an accident where the surgery resulted in bad scaring and
» some loss of hair. Unfortunately in Australia it’s very difficult to bring
» a case against the hospital for surgical errors.
»
» Everything else about the accident that can be corrected in a hospital
» including correcting the surgery from another surgeon is covered through
» insurance or Medicare.
»
» I’m surprised that I’m the only one who thinks like this, but given that I
» am, does anyone know of a competent FUE surgeon in Australia or Asia, or
» perhaps the western US, whose charges are fairer? I’m not opposed to paying
» the $1500 for the flight if the medical charges are in the few thousand $
» range. $15000 though is out of my price range.

You should read up on cases like yours.
Theres a particular one I remember http://www.hairsite.com/hair-loss/board_entry-id-13869-page-0-order-time-category-0.html

Its heartening to see when doctors go out of their way to help burn accident victims. I may be wrong but I think this was a charity repair case by Dr. A.
You should check him out. He has more fue results and appears very dextrous with difficult repair cases. At $3/ a graft, he is good value for money.

» » Hi Arch Koven,
» »
» » Actually I’ve never had a hair transplant, but I’ve been considering
» one.
» » Mine relates to an accident where the surgery resulted in bad scaring
» and
» » some loss of hair. Unfortunately in Australia it’s very difficult to
» bring
» » a case against the hospital for surgical errors.
» »
» » Everything else about the accident that can be corrected in a hospital
» » including correcting the surgery from another surgeon is covered
» through
» » insurance or Medicare.
» »
» » I’m surprised that I’m the only one who thinks like this, but given that
» I
» » am, does anyone know of a competent FUE surgeon in Australia or Asia,
» or
» » perhaps the western US, whose charges are fairer? I’m not opposed to
» paying
» » the $1500 for the flight if the medical charges are in the few thousand
» $
» » range. $15000 though is out of my price range.
»
» You should read up on cases like yours.
» Theres a particular one I remember
» http://www.hairsite.com/hair-loss/board_entry-id-13869-page-0-order-time-category-0.html
»
» Its heartening to see when doctors go out of their way to help burn
» accident victims. I may be wrong but I think this was a charity repair case
» by Dr. A.
» You should check him out. He has more fue results and appears very
» dextrous with difficult repair cases. At $3/ a graft, he is good value for
» money.

Dr. Arvind is definately worth it. Read some of his posts in the forum, very genuine and certainly knows what he is doing. I don’t think you can find another doctor like him at $3 a graft, you can’t beat that. What’s holding me back is the fact that he is in India and I am not fond of traveling long distance otherwise I would have been there in a heartbeat.

Hi Slarty,

Dr. Umar is located in CA. His prices are very reasonable compared to the $15 a graft you were quoted. If you agree to be photographed the price is a bit lower as well. I’d suggest calling him. Good luck with your search.

» Hi Slarty,
»
» Dr. Umar is located in CA. His prices are very reasonable compared to the
» $15 a graft you were quoted. If you agree to be photographed the price is a
» bit lower as well. I’d suggest calling him. Good luck with your search.

also he is one of the best fue docs out there who routinely works wonders on some of the most disfigured patients allowing then to resume normal living, this is what motivates dr umar,

» » Hi Arch Koven,
» »
» » Actually I’ve never had a hair transplant, but I’ve been considering
» one.
» » Mine relates to an accident where the surgery resulted in bad scaring
» and
» » some loss of hair. Unfortunately in Australia it’s very difficult to
» bring
» » a case against the hospital for surgical errors.
» »
» » Everything else about the accident that can be corrected in a hospital
» » including correcting the surgery from another surgeon is covered
» through
» » insurance or Medicare.
» »
» » I’m surprised that I’m the only one who thinks like this, but given that
» I
» » am, does anyone know of a competent FUE surgeon in Australia or Asia,
» or
» » perhaps the western US, whose charges are fairer? I’m not opposed to
» paying
» » the $1500 for the flight if the medical charges are in the few thousand
» $
» » range. $15000 though is out of my price range.
»
» You should read up on cases like yours.
» Theres a particular one I remember
» http://www.hairsite.com/hair-loss/board_entry-id-13869-page-0-order-time-category-0.html
»
» Its heartening to see when doctors go out of their way to help burn
» accident victims. I may be wrong but I think this was a charity repair case
» by Dr. A.
» You should check him out. He has more fue results and appears very
» dextrous with difficult repair cases. At $3/ a graft, he is good value for
» money.

Has any one seen patients of the best FUE docs? I called around and found that the best US docs charge about the same. Quality vs. quantity So if you get work done at a clinic and need repair, you will eventually go the the best.

Agreed scarred5. I wouldn’t be going to him in a month if he wasn’t. He changes lives.

Good post!

» Agreed scarred5. I wouldn’t be going to him in a month if he wasn’t. He
» changes lives.
have a great trip rooster, i have been to many docs and clinics and one of the reasons i will only go back to him is how he treats you, he sees the person and not just the money, he stands behind the work that he does, most others do not, hes one of kind

» » Agreed scarred5. I wouldn’t be going to him in a month if he wasn’t. He
» » changes lives.
» have a great trip rooster, i have been to many docs and clinics and one of
» the reasons i will only go back to him is how he treats you, he sees the
» person and not just the money, he stands behind the work that he does, most
» others do not, hes one of kind

But with prices hanging around as high as they are…do you think within a couple of years the prices would go down due to better technology and a better understanding of the process since its been around for awhile?

» But with prices hanging around as high as they are…do you think within a
» couple of years the prices would go down due to better technology and a
» better understanding of the process since its been around for awhile?

Here’s that better technology (link originally posted by mell):
http://technology.newscientist.com/channel/tech/robots/dn13898-surgical-robot-gives-hair-transplants-a-natural-look.html

» » But with prices hanging around as high as they are…do you think within
» a
» » couple of years the prices would go down due to better technology and a
» » better understanding of the process since its been around for awhile?
»
» Here’s that better technology (link originally posted by mell):
» http://technology.newscientist.com/channel/tech/robots/dn13898-surgical-robot-gives-hair-transplants-a-natural-look.html

Rev, that’s amazing that you found this information. Thanks! I didn’t read how much this will affect prices but I would expect them to go down quite a bit with this robot. Wow.