Is there an American doctor reasonably priced to do a FUE mega session of 4000 grafts or more? (Photos)

Dear dryshampoo,
Thank you for posting this question. The short answer is yes, there are many physicians in the USA who can perform FUE for a reasonable price. This is the country with the most advanced medicine and medical devices available on Planet Earth. The instrumentation for the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) procedure was developed in this country. I’ve been performing FUE since 2003, and there are many surgeons in the USA who have been performing FUE for 5 years or more. Remember, however, that hair restoration surgery is a highly detailed, complicated set of services offered by a surgeon and his team of technicians, not a manufactured product off the shelf.  The good thing about the results from a hair restoration procedure is that the results are permanent.  The bad thing about the results from a hair restoration procedure is that the results are permanent.  About once every 6 weeks or so I see a patient in my office who underwent a highly-discounted procedure in India or Turkey, and I must say in 15 years of practicing exclusively hair restoration surgery I have never in my career seen larger scars in the donor area (eg: ear to ear in length, 1 to 2 inches in width), more uneven hairlines, or more unhappy patients.  Clearly this is not a blanket statement about the abilities of surgeons in those respective countries, but merely a small sample of the patients that happen to come into my office to ask me to correct the work that was done by physicians in those countries.  Often this is simply not even possible, and patients are very upset to learn this news.  My advice is that if you are not able to afford a quality hair restoration, I would hold off until it becomes more feasible.  In the meantime, it would be wise to take steps to prevent the loss of hair currently on your head, such as finasteride, or low level laser therapy (LLLT).  I hope this information is helpful to you.
Kind Regards,
Ken Anderson, MD, FISHRS

There are many doctors who specialize in FUE surgery in the U.S.  If you are shopping for the cheapest FUE surgery you can probably call around or look on the doctor's web sites for their fees.  Just remember cosmetic surgery is not like buying a car.  A Porsche in Turkey is the same Porsche in the U.S.  Cosmetic surgery is part artistry and part technical skill that will leave a permanent lasting mark on your face / you hair line.  A bad hair transplant surgery is like herpes.  It's for life.  There is no cure for bad results. 

I cannot stress enough the importance of having a qualified and experienced hair transplant surgeon conduct your hair restoration surgery. Too often, I have patients coming to me who have had botched surgeries done in other countries asking me to help them. It is much more difficult to fix a bad surgery than it is to do it right the first time. The potential for scarring, damage to the follicles, and decreased survival rate increase dramatically when you begin to sacrifice quality. Please keep in mind that although hair restoration surgery is minimally invasive, it is still a medical surgery and not all hair transplant surgeons are created equal. Especially those in other countries who may not be held to the same medical standards we have here in the U.S. Important things to keep in mind when researching a surgeon are the years of experience, if the doctor is certified by the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgeons, and if the procedure is done by hand or by a machine. Of course, everyone wants the best deal possible for the best outcome possible. I would suggest meeting with a few different doctors to get an idea of the cost range for your hair goals. There are many factors to consider, such as how many grafts they’ll be able to extract and place in one sitting and the quality of the donor area. It may be that more than one surgery is needed to reach your end goal, but at least getting started with one might help you feel that you’re moving in the right direction. Once you have all your options you can decide if the cost is feasible. Some doctors have financing options for payment as well. 

Hello:
  Large mega sessions are driven by a patient's desire to have "one and done" hair restoration surgery.  No one can predict future hair loss 100%.  Over harvesting of donor, limits the use of donor hair to address future loss and does not allow for corrections if necessary.  My training in facial plastic surgery taught me a respect for tissue and that surgery causes trauma to the body.  A 4,0000 graft FUE would potential mean 8,000 incisions and excisions. At 1mm each, that is a lot of trauma.  The percentage of grafts that survive would be lower than the survival rate of smaller FUE cases. In other words, more hair grafts will die with a mega session.
There is known adage: "You get what you pay for." It is important for a patient to view hair loss as any other disease process.  You need to follow up with your surgeon after surgery and develop a continued relationship of trust and guidance.  I believe that independent physicians dedicated to hair restoration medicine fit this model best. If cost becomes the main variable, you might end up with less in the long run.  Good luck.

My clinic often does 3,500 - 4,500 graft FUE Mega session procedures in one setting. There are choices in the United States. 

It is difficult to harvest 4000 FUE grafts even with very good density in the donor area and not see some thinning in that area. I would consider FUT (strip method) and try to get in the 3500+ graft range especially if you keep your hair long. This should give you good coverage.

There are many cheap doctors. One patient found me too expensive but found a doctor a few miles away from me and had the hair transplant there. He died during the surgery. True but terrible story of course. 

Hello
I am sure your city has great doctors, but it also true that counties like Turkey, India offer the same results with better pricing. Do consider India as an option. Advantages of this are
1. Good pricing
2. Tourism
3 Safety
4. Good hospitality
5.Good food and good transport facilities
Dr Amit Gupta