Buying a hair transplant requires extensive research

Asking the right questions

Like buying any big-ticket item, buying a hair transplant requires extensive research. A good buyer is an educated buyer, so take the time to do your homework.

First, be sure your doctor practices the standard of care, follicular unit transplantation, in which individual, naturally growing groups of hair are microscopically dissected and moved into the balding area in their anatomical intact units.

When you think you’re ready to sign on the dotted line, pause to consider the following questions:

Did the doctor listen to you, give you enough time to voice concerns, and thoroughly explain the procedure and other options? Did he or she learn about you and your concerns, fears, goals, and economic situation? Did the doctor decide what you will need done to achieve your goals, and are you confident in that decision? Most people can tell almost immediately whether they trust or like the doctor if the doctor spends enough time with them.
How much experience does the doctor have in the hair restoration field? How is the doctor regarded in the medical community?
Did you receive documents that fully outline the proposed work? Memories often fail, so the more information that the doctor gives you in writing, the better the communication will be between you and your doctor. For example, did you receive an estimate reflecting the scope of the proposed work and its costs? Many times it takes more than one hair transplant to achieve a patient’s need. The patient has every right to know what is in store for him after the surgery. How many more surgeries will be required? The doctor should volunteer this information, but if not, ask about it.
How does the doctor estimate the cost for a hair restoration procedure? Beware of low-balling underestimating what you really need to achieve the desired results. Low-balling bids to make the sale isn’t an uncommon practice in many industries, but we’re talking about what you’ll look like for the rest of your life, so low-balling here can have a particularly dramatic effect.
Are you being pressured by hard-sell tactics? Too many doctors oversell, even though it’s unethical. Does the doctor keep putting a salesperson between you? Salespeople may sell the doctor’s service like a used car. Note: Commission sales in this field are illegal in most states. High-pressure sales tactics tell you a lot about the doctor and his or her integrity. Waiting at least a few days before deciding on a surgical procedure is never a mistake. We tell patients that a good decision today is a good decision tomorrow.
Does the doctor innovate? Is he or she a leader or a follower? All doctors don’t have to be innovators, provided that they can deliver a quality service and have learned from the innovators and practice the standard of care. Some doctors misrepresent themselves to build up an image that they haven’t earned, such as claiming to be the inventors or pioneers of the surgeries that they offer. With the Internet as a resource, it’s relatively easy to verify such claims.
Has the doctor been bombarded with legal problems? Is his or her medical legal record clean? Make sure that you have done your diligence by checking as many sources as you can to determine the history of the medical practice. Look up the doctor or the medical group of your choice on your state’s medical board Web site before making a decision. (You can find a directory of state medical board contact information at www.fsmb.org/directory_smb.html.) State medical boards make available doctors’ records with regard to legal matters. You may be surprised at what you learn from the medical board search.
Does the doctor or salesperson try to find out how much money you’re planning to spend before giving you an estimate for the proposed work? That’s a bad sign. The doctor’s first priority should be what is or isn’t on top of your head, not what’s in your wallet. You should never feel that a doctor is trying to pick your pocket!

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Buying a hair transplant requires extensive research

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