NEOGRAFT

Pros

• A NeoGraft hair restoration procedure can give good candidates improvement in their hairline or crown areas.
• The NeoGraft device is calibrated to match the depth of the harvested follicles when it is used to implant the hair. “This can create less room for user error,” notes Dr. Berkowitz.
• Unlike with the FUT harvesting technique, an FUE hair transplant leaves no linear scar.
• You may be able to return to work and normal activities within two to three days of your hair transplant, a shorter recovery time than you'd have with the FUT hair transplant method.
• “There is less chance of permanent numbness, as there is no large incision cutting through scalp nerves,” says Dr. Berkowitz.
• Patient satisfaction is high: recent reviewers on RealSelf give NeoGraft a 100% Worth It Rating.

Cons

• Hair transplantation isn’t a good option for patients who are fully bald or have all-over thinning. It's best for people who want to add fullness to their hairline, areas of thinning hair at the crown, or the upper back area of the head. 
• NeoGraft FUE procedures are dependent upon the skills of the physician or technician team. Not all teams have the same level of training, experience, or meticulous technique, and the quality of your results will be very provider-dependent.
• If your existing hair follicles aren’t healthy, numerous, and viable, you may not be a good candidate. 
• The procedure can be as long as eight to ten hours. If you have multiple areas to address, you may split it up into multiple sessions. For safety reasons and viability of the grafts, this could mean waiting 1–2 years between sessions, notes Dr. Berkowitz.
• FUE procedures tend to be more expensive than FUT hair transplant surgery.

• Average Cost:
• $9,300

• Range:
• $6,500 - $12,000

The price you pay will depend on your provider's level of experience, their practice location, and the extent of your procedure.

See our complete guide to NeoGraft costs

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

NeoGraft has a similar process as other FUE hair restoration procedures. The donor site may need to be shaved before the hair follicles are harvested, so plan around your procedure if this might be an issue. “This can also be performed as a Stealth procedure, in which the donor site area is concealed by surrounding hair,” according to Dr. Berkowitz. 

The transplant process has two phases.

Harvesting

• The donor area is first numbed with local anesthetic. You may also be given oral sedation, to help keep you comfortable.
• You’ll lie facedown for two to four hours while your doctor uses the NeoGraft system to extract individual hair follicles. 

Grafting

• The recipient sites will be numbed with local anesthesia.
• You’ll sit upright while your doctor places individual follicles into tiny incisions in thinning areas, in the direction of your natural hair.

• Finally, they'll cover all of the surgical areas in bandages and gauze. 

The grafting process can take two hours or more, depending on how many hair grafts are involved, which means you’ll probably spend a total of six to eight hours getting your NeoGraft FUE transplant.

If you need more than 2,500 follicles transplanted, this can be broken up into two sessions on different days, several months apart.

Most patients need two to three days of recovery time before you can return to work.

Your provider will give you detailed after-care instructions, but here’s what you can expect, generally speaking:

• Recovery isn't usually painful, but it’s possible you may feel sore or numb in the transplanted areas, or have headaches in the first few days afterward. If you feel feverish or notice bleeding, call your doctor right away.
• You can resume light activity, such as walking, after three days (though if you notice bleeding, scale back).
• After less than a week, your transplanted hair will be secure in your scalp and the donor area will have healed.
• Avoid strenuous activity, like running, weightlifting, or yard work, for 10 days. Increased activity and stress can dislodge the hair follicles.
• Your newly grafted hair will stay in place for several weeks before it sheds, a normal part of the hair transplant process.
• New hair growth from the follicle starts after three to four months. 
• Full results can take 9-14 months’ time to develop, notes Dr. Berkowitz.

The usual healthy-healing rules apply: Maintain a healthy diet, get lots of sleep, avoid stress, don’t smoke, and keep in touch with your doctor. 

If you’re genetically predisposed to male-pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia), your surgeon may recommend that you take hair-loss drugs, such as finasteride (recommended for men only) and use Rogaine after your procedure. “Low level laser therapy, exosomes, and platelet rich plasma (PRP) can also be used to help with hair growth,” Dr. Berkowitz explains.