ARTAS Hair Transplant: What You Need to Know

Pros

• It’s minimally invasive, leaving small puncture marks that don’t require stitches instead of linear scars left by other methods of hair transplanting. 
• With a topical anesthetic, you should experience minimal discomfort during the procedure. 
• The robotic method allows for greater speed and precision than manual transplantation. It can harvest 1,500 grafts in one hour, says Dr. Anil R. Shah, a facial plastic surgeon in Chicago, in a RealSelf Q&A. 
• There’s less risk of damage to surrounding healthy hairs, with the robotic method. 

Cons

• A robotic device doesn’t always deliver perfect results. It’s a tool that still requires supervision by a skilled, experienced hair restoration expert. A poorly executed Artas procedure will yield poor results. 
• It’s not a quick fix. It takes about six months to see full results. 
• Robotic transplant side effects include scalp tightness, nerve damage, swelling, bleeding, and inflammation of the hair follicles. 
• Not everyone is a candidate: Artas can be used only on dark, straight hair in patients with male-pattern baldness (not hair loss due to other factors, like medication or stress). 
• The machine can extract only from the back and sides of the head. 
• You’ll need to shave the area of your head where donor hairs will be extracted.
• If you need a large number of grafts, the procedure may have to be done over a couple sessions.

• Average Cost:
• $12,125

• Range:
• $4,500 - $20,000

The cost of Artas is typically higher than that of manual FUE or FUE using NeoGraft. Artas is a very expensive machine and still requires the supervision of a surgeon, which ups the cost. 

Many surgeons charge per graft, since Artas keeps an exact count, while others find this a tricky practice. “There is no way to know in advance exactly how many grafts one will require,” says Dr. Justin Rome, a hair restoration surgeon in West Hollywood, California, who chooses to charge per treatment zone.

The ARTAS robotic hair transplant photos in our gallery have been shared by the provider who performed the procedure, with the patient's consent.

It takes about six months for your new hair to grow in after a transplant surgery with ARTAS. 

• For the first one to three days after your procedure, you’ll experience some soreness and swelling.
• About two weeks later, the donor hairs that were transplanted will fall out. Within three to four months, you’ll see new growth.
• About 6–10 months post-op, your new hair will start growing in.
• Within 10–12 months, 90% of the results of your new hair growth will be apparent.

The hair follicles that have been transplanted should remain permanently, but as the aging process continues, you may need a hair loss treatment in other areas of your scalp.