What To Look For In A Clinic
See Erkan's 5944 grafts (approx 11,000 hairs) in one procedure
You have 0 item(s) in your shopping cart
What To Look For In A Clinic
So you have decided to have a hair transplant?
Before considering a hair transplant with any clinic, read the information contained within this section! It will save you plenty of time, money and frustration.
If you have made the decision to have a hair transplant, it is your responsibility to perform some important and essential research before choosing the clinic that will perform your procedure.
If you are someone who knows very little about hair transplantation, you are probably wondering what to look for in a competent hair transplantation clinic and what questions to ask them. Before a person buys a car or their first home, they spend a lot of time educating themselves before outlaying any money and completing the purchase. Doing research first saves them a lot of time, money and frustration. This exact same attitude towards researching first, also applies to people having cosmetic surgery such as hair transplantation.
The information listed below will provide you with all the facts on what you need to know in order to choose the right clinic. It can be used to compare different clinics and will give you peace of mind once you have finally made your decision.
Before calling or having a consultation with any hair transplantation clinic, read the 8 points listed below:
- Follicular Unit Grafting (FUG) method is offered
- Every graft is dissected under microscope
- Maximum quote of 6000 grafts!
- Experience
- Guarantee
- Ability to meet previous patients
- Follicular Unit Extraction (non-strip method) is also available
- Price
|
Hair transplantation has evolved a long way since the early days. When hair transplantation was first used, the grafts that were cut out of the donor area before being transplanted into the thinning regions of the scalp, used to be 4mm in size and contain as many as 15-20 hairs per graft. Larger grafts require larger gaps in between each of the recipient holes that severely would limit the amount of density that could be acquired out of a procedure. These “plugs” gave the patient an unnatural look that created such terms as, “rows of corn” or “doll's hair.” Then smaller and more improved methods were created such as mini grafts and micro grafts. The micro graft transplantation method was considered as the best available hair transplant procedure for many years until follicular unit grafting (also known as follicular unit transplantation or FUT) was developed.
|
Follicular Units are clearly superior to micro grafts. Do not believe anybody that claims otherwise.
The key question to ask is, “What hair transplant method do you specialise in?”
Why Choose NHI?
Follicular Unit grafting is our specialty and has been since the mid 1990s! No Clinic in Australia has performed more FUG procedures than NHI.
|
To obtain regrowth of 95 – 100% the binocular stereoscopic microscope MUST be used. These growth levels are impossible without it! Let us repeat that. Regrowth levels within transplanted hair of 95-100%, is impossible unless the binocular stereoscopic microscope is used when dissecting hairs from the donor strip.
|
No matter how much hair is taken out of the strip, there will never be enough to bring back the density that you once had when you were a teenager. For this reason, regrowth rates are extremely important to obtaining the best possible result with one procedure.
Do be aware that there are hair transplant clinics in Australia and around the world that perform the dissection process without use of the binocular stereoscopic microscope. These clinics will average around 60-80% regrowth of the transplanted hairs which is a reasonable amount of growth, but very low in comparison with the levels achieved in follicular unit transplantation with use of the microscope.
The key question to ask is, “Does your clinic use a microscope when dissecting the hair from the donor strip?”
Why choose NHI?
The Binocular Stereoscopic microscope is always used!
The National Hair Institute uses the microscope to dissect every single follicular unit from the donor strip and has been since 1996. Using the binocular stereoscopic microscope ensures that the maximum possible regrowth levels are achieved.
3. Maximum quote of 6000 grafts!
Every hair transplant clinic has a maximum sized procedure that they are comfortable performing. Most clinics have a maximum quote of around 2000 – 2500 grafts (4000 – 5000 total hairs). Some hair transplant clinics only quote up to 1500 grafts and some with very limited staff numbers will not transplant more than 800 grafts within a day.
One fact about hair transplantation is that no matter how much hair is placed in your scalp, it will never be as dense as it once was. This is simply because there is not enough supply in your donor region to meet the demand of your scalp. For this reason you have to take as much as you can get. The maximum amount of grafts that can be obtained from one single strip extraction for some people is 2200 grafts. For others it is 3000 grafts and in some gifted individuals it can be as much as 6000 grafts (about 12,000 total hairs) and over!
The problem with some hair transplant clinics is that they will only take out up to a certain number of grafts. Your donor region may have the density and flexibility to obtain over 4000 grafts but the clinic will only harvest a little over 2500 grafts. The reason they can not transplant 4000 grafts in one procedure is because they may lack the staff numbers and skill that is required to accomplish this task within a reasonable time frame. So basically it is impossible for many clinics to even consider such a large procedure!
Always remember this fact about hair transplantation:
More hair will always look better than less! 2000 grafts will always look fuller than 1500 grafts would. 3000 will look better than 2000 and 5000 grafts will look much better than 3500 grafts! More hair is always better than less! The more that is transplanted, the thicker, fuller and more natural the end result will be and the happier you will become.
The questions to ask any clinic are, “What is the maximum graft number you can quote a Client during a consultation? What is the highest number of grafts you have ever obtained from a patient within a single procedure?”
Why choose NHI?
Clients that see NHI can be quoted up to 6000 grafts!
In many cases our aim on the day of the procedure is to extract and transplant as many grafts as we can in the one day. NHI will ensure that the density and coverage achieved from the one procedure is the maximum that could possibly be obtained.
Due to our large team of theatre room staff and their high level of experience, the National Hair Institute can transplant a maximum of 6000 grafts within a single session. For this reason 6000 grafts is the maximum quote that a Client can be provided during a consultation.
Our record for most grafts extracted and transplanted from a patient within a single day is 6013 (totalling 12,800 hairs)! This is an Australian Record!
|
Experience is comprised of two things:
|
You must make sure that the Doctor and the transplant team of assistants have years of experience at performing follicular unit grafting. Just as important is that hair transplantation is a full time job at the hair loss clinic and not something that is simply done on the side a couple of times per month.
Apart from experience it is also important to confirm that the clinic’s hair transplant surgeon is fully accredited in this field. This can be confirmed by asking if they are a member of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS).
Many clinics offer hair transplantation but will encourage you into their hair regrowth treatment program (a combination of tablets, lotions and low level laser therapy) or a wig (which may be called any one of the following: a hair graft; a hairpiece or a unit) as these have the lowest overhead costs and the largest profit margins for the company. Because they may not specialise in hair transplantation, the consultant will only offer this option if all other options are declined.
The key questions to ask are, “How experienced is your hair transplant team at performing this procedure? How many procedures does your clinic regularly perform? Is your Doctor a member of the ISHRS?”
Why choose NHI?
National Hair Institute is Australia’s most experienced clinic at Follicular Unit Transplantation!
The National Hair Institute was the first hair loss clinic to bring follicular unit grafting to Australia (in 1994). NHI previously used micro grafts until Dr Barry White saw the results and regrowth rates of follicular unit transplantation whilst in the United States. Seeing that the results were clearly more superior and more natural looking than that from micro grafts, he then made the decision to learn and bring Follicular Unit Transplantation to Australia and was trained by the very best at it.
The average amount of experience of our hair transplantation staff at performing follicular unit transplantation is 7 years!
Our two hair transplant surgeons Dr Rhett Bosnich and Dr Barry White are both fully accredited members of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS).
NHI performs 300 to 400 hair transplants per year and has performed thousands of successful FUG procedures since bringing this method to Australia in 1994.
|
A professional clinic that is confident and consistently successful in what they do will always guarantee a given outcome. If you compare different hair transplant clinics you will notice that many will not offer a written guarantee. If they do not offer one or are not willing to provide their promise to you in writing, then that tells you they are not confident about the success rate of their hair transplant. It may also indicate that they are not being 100% honest with you during your consultation. Also important is to be aware of misleading guarantees. A perfect example of this is when they promise to replace any transplanted hairs which fail to grow after your first procedure, free of charge when you have your second procedure. So basically, if you are not willing to pay for a second procedure, you are stuck with the poor result from the first one! It’s not exactly free of charge is it? Look for a guaranteed minimum regrowth rate of 90% with follicular unit grafting. This means that if less than 90% of the transplanted hairs have grown out after 12-18 months have passed since the procedure, that a second transplant to add more hair in is provided at no cost. The key questions to ask are, “Do you offer a guarantee? Can you please provide me with this guarantee in writing?” Why choose NHI? A written guarantee is provided to every FUG patient! The National Hair Institute guarantees that over 90% of the hairs transplanted via follicular unit grafting will grow within 18 months and provides a written guarantee to every single FUG patient promising this. We can advise that 98.6% of our FUG patients achieve regrowth levels of 90-100%. In the unlikely event that your transplant does not provide you with a minimum of 90% growth, we promise to perform a top up procedure to replace any transplanted hairs that did not grow for free! |
|
The best way to have a clear mind on whether or not the end result will look natural and produce a dramatic change to your hair is to meet previous patients in person. Every clinic shows before and after photos. These are great reference points but they can not replace seeing results in the flesh. Remember that the photos limit what you can see. Some patients look great from front on, but from the top may have very little density which will not show in the photos selected for viewing in the company's literature or website. If the clinic does produce a great end result with their hair transplant patients, then they will be more than happy to arrange for you to meet them. This is usually done in the form of a seminar. If the final result of their hair transplant patients is not very appealing in person, then you will not have a procedure with that clinic. Should you hear the hair loss clinic say that meeting with patients is not an option or not part of company policy, just walk out. We can assure you that if they have satisfied patients, they will always be able to find someone willing to help out the same clinic that helped them regain their hair and improve their life. The key question to ask is, “Is it possible for me to meet any of your previous hair transplant patients?” Why choose NHI? Previous hair transplant patients can be met! Each year the National Hair Institute holds a number of seminars in Sydney and Melbourne, where a few previous patients of NHI attend. This allows anyone attending the event to see the results and to ask questions to the patients. Seminars typically run for 1 hour. The first 30 mins involves the Doctor discussing the main causes of hair loss and all the effective treatments that are available including hair transplantation. The final 30 mins is where two or three previous hair transplant patients answer questions from the Doctor and people in attendance. The Doctor will also answer any questions from the audience. At the conclusion of the seminar, people are allowed to approach the patients to examine their results more closely. Attending the seminar is free and is recommended to anyone interested in having a transplant with NHI in the future. For people that do not live in Sydney or Melbourne that can not attend the event, we can contact previous patients who live in your city to meet or speak with you. We know that when you see the results in the flesh, you will notice that all your fears will disappear and that your unsure mind will finally be clear. Refer to the SEMINARS link for more information. |
|
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is the hair transplant method which removes grafts out of the donor region individually as opposed to removing a strip of skin. The primary advantage of this method is that it does not leave a permanent linear scar at the back of the patient’s scalp which makes FUE very appealing to those who prefer to wear their hair very short. FUE gives previous hair transplant patients who are unable to have another FUG procedure due to a lack of scalp laxity, the chance to transplant more hair. The FUE method is also a gift to those who have scar on their scalp which they would like to be camouflaged by transplanting hair into it without creating another linear scar in the process. Hair loss sufferers commonly visit a clinic that specialises in only FUG or FUE. This can be a problem as the clinic is likely to be biased when asked whether FUG or FUE would be better option for their particular state of hair loss. The FUG and FUE methods both have advantages and disadvantages over each other. The only way to gain an honest opinion on which is better for you is to consult with a clinic that does offer both. The question worth asking is, “Do you offer FUE?” Why choose NHI? National Hair Institute performs both the FUG and FUE procedure methods! The world’s two best and most advanced hair transplantation procedures available are Follicular Unit Grafting and Follicular Unit Extraction. The fact that both procedure methods are available at National Hair Institute makes NHI one of only a few clinics worldwide that are specialised in FUG as well as FUE. NHI realises that some people are better suited to one method over the other. For this reason we offer both FUG and FUE and can advise you during a free consultation which procedure method you may be better suited to. |
|
The cost of the procedure is important but it should not be the main point that determines your decision. One clinic may be cheaper than the other but it does not mean that they can produce the same quality and end result. There is the well known saying that says, “You get what you pay for!” Do not sacrifice quality for the sake of saving money. Remember that you will be wearing the end result of the hair transplant for the rest of your life. It is a once in a life time investment. Do it right the first time around! A number of patients that come to see respected hair transplant specialists do so after having an unsatisfactory hair transplant from another clinic. The patient may admit that they were drawn to the other clinic because of their cheaper cost. As a result they have to pay for a second transplant to fix up the first one. The end cost is thousands of dollars more than if they went for the better result the first time around. A person having a hair transplant wants the highest possible number of grafts to be taken in the one day, which will be transplanted with the highest possible amount of regrowth. The end result should produce the most natural looking and thickest head of hair possible from a hair transplant. Also be aware of hidden extra costs such as Doctor's time, theatre room, anaesthetic and post operation check ups. Some will quote you the price of their procedure during the consultation and later ask you to pay as much as $1500 – 2000 on top of the original cost for the extras. A clinic should show the total cost and you must ensure that there is nothing additional that needs to be paid on top. On a final note, know that it will always cost you much less to have 4000 grafts transplanted in one procedure than it would be to settle for two, 2000 graft procedures. This is because the price per follicular unit graft decreases as the size of the procedure increases. Often it is better to wait longer for that one big procedure than it is to have a small one now and another small one later. The key question to ask is, “Does this price include all costs associated with the hair transplant procedure such as the anaesthetic, Doctor's time and check ups?” Why choose NHI? Our quoted price is 100% upfront with all costs factored in! Our hair transplant prices do not contain any additional costs. Our quote covers the cost of the procedure, theatre room, anaesthetic, Dr's time, medication and post operation check ups. The quote is based on the graft number required for your level of hair loss. As NHI is one of the very few hair transplant clinics in the world that can perform procedures of 5000 grafts and over, patients that manage to obtain over 5000 grafts will find the procedure very cost effective by paying as little as AU$4 per graft. Because the price of the procedure can increase over time, we ensure that if you attend a free consultation, we will provide you the price in writing with a promise that we will honour this price even if prices do rise, as long as you book yourself in for the procedure within the next 6 months. Are you ready to take that next step? Click to arrange a free consultation: Contact Us |
