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I reached out to Dr. Pittella's office with the understanding that I'd be quoted the equivalent of Turkish pricing, just in South America rather than Europe. I was told I'll need 5500 grafts, which is nothing new. What surprised me was that they are charging 2USD/graft for a junior surgeon, 3USD/graft for a junior surgeon guided by Dr. Pittella, and 4USD/graft for Dr. Pittella himself. Talent aside, since I know he does great work (I'd not have contacted him otherwise)... these prices are INSANE. Did they raise rates with the new influx of patients? I was expecting to get a world-class surgery for 5 to 7k, since that wad the whole point of health-tourism. Am I missing something?

I've been lurking on and off here and other forums for 10+ years. The idea of traveling to Turkey or other health-tourism hubs for a transplant has always been a big topic of discussion. What is the consensus on it nowadays? Are there any other places that are recommended for less expensive, high-quality treatment beyond Turkey? Are there any current guides I could read to learn more? I know there are some all-inclusive options as well; I'd love to hear experiences with this. A hair transplant is intimidating enough (all the questions like 'will it look good?' 'will they stay in?' 'will it get infected?'), but add traveling to a foreign country and all the safety implications of that and it easily becomes overwhelming. I'm VERY skeptical of everything I read outside this forum, since a solid 90% of the content is designed to scam or take advantage of desperate people, so any help you guys could provide would be amazing. Cheers!

I heard back from all three of the clinics I reached out to! Dr. Konior responded to me personally, which surprised me. After reviewing my photos, he said I do have a moderately advanced frontal hairline recession and that I'll need at least 3,000 grafts. He really liked the photo I had photoshopped as a goal (though I understand I should lower my expectations). He said my donor area looks healthy and that strip harvesting is my best bet. He said his fee for a restoration like this would be about $25,000, which came as a shock. That's definitely higher than I had planned to pay (almost double), but it seems to be half of what @BLE123 figured it'd cost. I know he is genuinely one of the best in the world, so I would love to hear everyone's thoughts on how reasonable that is. His soonest availability is more than a year away, so I explained I still want to take a little more time and contact the other two doctors (Cooley and Shapiro). I asked Dr. Konior if he was familiar with them and he said they are both "exceptional surgeons and two of only a handful (he would) recommend". I just need to say, in the few emails I exchanged, Dr. Konior was an absolute pleasure to talk to. I cant even fathom how busy he must be, so it was incredible he took the time to respond. As for Shapiro and Cooley, I originally thought they hadn't responded (part of the reason this update took so long), but just a warning -- their website form replies went directly to my spam folder. The auto-response I got from Shapiro included a PDF with pricing information. If I were to go with FUT (as Dr. Konior suggested), it is $5.50 per graft for first 2,000 grafts; $3 per graft over 2,000 grafts. That puts me at about $17,000 if I get 4,000 grafts. If I instead go with FUE, they ask $7 per graft. That puts me at $24,500 if I get 3,500 grafts. Avoiding the strip-scar isn't really worth $7500, honestly. My consultation is scheduled for May. These prices are a little higher than what @hybonix had mentioned, so hopefully there will be a little room for leniency. I am still waiting for a confirmation from Ms. Russo at Dr. Cooley's office (as I responded 5 days late to her consultation arrangement), but hopefully I'll be scheduled for this June (the earliest time available). I'm really looking forward to these appointments. Thank you guys again for all of the help so far. This community is incredible.

@hybonixI missed your reply earlier, so I'm sorry I took so long to reply. Thank you so much for sharing your experience! I definitely agree the photoshopped image is a very unrealistic goal - and honestly - that's far more density than I've ever had. I was more or less just messing around with the results of one of Dr. Cooley's patients who had a very similar hairline to mine going in. Congratulations on getting your HT! From what it sounds like, SMG is exactly the kind of place I'm looking for. I know at the end of the day doctors are in the business to put food on the table, but there's a difference between ones interested in closing a deal and ones looking to make a positive difference in their patients' lives. I'll definitely shoot you a message and follow up once I gather my thoughts more. Out of curiosity, how old are you roughly? When did you start balding? Have you been on Finasteride for the two-year period? And finally, do you mind saying about how much everything cost so far? I'm guessing the exosome injections were an additional upcharge?

That's phenomenal! I'll definitely take a look at everything on IG and YouTube! Thank you for all the time you put into this. It's really helpful for guys in my situation. Do you know if there's a "master-list" somewhere with all the hair-restoration treatments (and their scientific validity), recommended doctors, trusted websites, forums, facebook groups, what to expect to pay and where, honest (not cherry-picked) results, etc? The deeper I research, the more bullshit I find. Like I said earlier, there's a lot of suspicious accounts on some places (like the HairTransplant subreddit) promoting sketchy treatments and even sketchier doctors. It is driving me crazy not knowing who is being paid by who, who is being silenced by who, and all the other issues that come along with things like this. And all the lies and false advertising aside, there's nothing but confirmation bias everywhere you look. Everyone wants to suggest their doctor, not because they're genuinely a good fit, but because they want to justify they spent $18k on "the best". I've also noticed places like Reddit's Tressless is VERY pro-medicinal treatment, which is fine, but I've seen users telling someone someone Fin/Min and a derma-needler is all they need to fix their Norwood 7. Rant aside, does that "master list" exist? If not, are there any resources that accomplish some of that? This forum and the HLC facebook group seem to be the most reliable so far.

Guess you hit two birds with one stone with that first answer, haha! I'll continue the virtual appointment, but I have already been very skeptical of Doctor Anderson's clinic. A lot of subtle things set off red flags in my head. As for the other doctor, I completely understand. It seems this is a very difficult subject to research unbiased information on. I'll go ahead and draw my conclusion from that and perhaps do some investigating on the internet archive. I appreciate the interview. I'll watch that later tonight!

Thank you for the response! I definitely would say Dr. Cooley is at the top of my list right now. I set up a virtual appointment with Dr. Cooley in NC, Dr. C in Atlanta, and Dr. Konior in Chicago, per the recommendations of people on here and the Hair Loss Conquerors Facebook group. I also had a phone call with Doctor Anderson's clinic in Atlanta. They were very pushy to get me some more information on Exosome Therapy, calling it the "miracle the hair restoration industry has been waiting for". Any thoughts on it? In quick research it seems very expensive for something that might or might not work.

Oh, wow! This is a lot of information to take in. Thank you everyone who has taken the time to reply so far. I'll try to address and answer everything. @Curious25 Haha -- I found a local clinic (Cooley Hair Center) with a patient I feel I'm very similar to. I just worked a little magic on the color and blending, then shaped it to match my natural peak. @Gatsby @Egy I appreciate the replies. Thus far, I've been avoiding the idea of going to Turkey (as appealing as it seems) because my friends and family are very uncomfortable with the idea of me going overseas for a surgery. Godforbid, if something were to go wrong, someone would have to book a last minute 14hr flight to come help me. The two main concerns I've heard are Turkey's proximity to the middle east (and civil unrest) and the lack of accountability. If I come back to the states and it turns out to be an absolute butcher job -- there's a lot less I can do than if it were in the states. It also really bothers me that there are so many sketchy users (with auto-generated names) on other forums and the HairTransplant subreddit constantly singing the praise of Turkey and India. It really seems like astroturf marketing. (not like people in this thread who are sharing actual opinions, its more the "I just had it done in Turkey, message me and I'll share the info" posts) I completely agree with this sentiment. When all is said and done, I'm looking to invest in my future. Whether that costs $7k, $12k, or $20k doesn't matter as long as I get results I am happy with. Do you have any recommendations for how to research based on the quality of work? I've been trying, but it doesn't help every clinic only posts their world-class results online. If I am able to convince the people in my support network to consider Turkey as a viable option, how do I approach this safely? I know nothing about the country and culture besides the fact that there aren't a ton of regulations and it is a leading health-tourism spot. What precautions and safety-nets are in place? How do I make sure I don't get screwed over? Is it a safe place to be? Are there any reputable services in the area that will help guide dumb foreigners through the process? The idea of being drugged-up on pain meds on the other side of the world sets off some red flags. @Raphael84 In the first few months, I've noticed a few week-long cycles of increased and decreased shedding, which I've heard is normal. I noticed my crown and center forehead thinning in the last year (especially with a shorter haircut), so it will be interesting to see if this continues or plateaus. I've had a fair amount of people suggest I continue on the finasteride and topical 5% minoxidil, then start using my Derminator 2 (which I bought, but have been afraid to try) for at least another 6 months. I'm starting to think this might be the right call. I'll schedule a consultation with some of my local doctors to get a few different opinions. In the meantime, I think I may consider the options available for hair-pieces. If I can get something completely undetectable that I can sleep and shower in, I'll be happy for now. That's a really good point. Do you know if beard or other body hair would be viable substitutes as filler? I've noticed I have 3 different types/colors of hair on my body. My head is a medium thickness dark blonde with red undertones, my beard is thick and red, and my body hair (arms, legs) is a very thin lighter blonde-red. Do the follicles adapt to the location they are transplanted, or would there just be a mix of textures? I really appreciate your insight on this. I really hope I'll find a doctor who will be on my team and help plan for the next decade or more. My ideal doctor is one who will be determined to give me the best results possible (and not just someone who sees me as 2% of the downpayment for their yacht). I've not considered the continued balding of my crown (even on fin/min). While I admittedly do fall into the category of younger patients who wrongfully "believe that as I hit my late 30´s, it really won't matter anymore", I would be interested in hearing what doctors have to say about the health and projected health of my donor areas and if I'd be a candidate for future surgeries as well. Thank you again for everyone who responded. I will try my best to keep responding in this thread.

This year I decided I am going to fully commit to a hair transplant. I've been on Finasteride for about 5 months now and 5% Minoxidil for a little over a year (previously on a Min/Fin compound). I'm in my mid-20s and have already met with a dermatologist and a local hair surgeon, both of whom have said I've been a good candidate for a while. I have a bunch of questions and I'd really appreciate any help you guys could provide. I'm not new to this journey, I've been fighting this since I was 18. I attached some photos of where I'm at. I believe I'm a Norwood 3A. Does that sound right? I'm willing to spend a decent chunk to fix this for good. I've already talked with my friends and family and they are very uncomfortable with me going to Turkey (which I respect), but I wouldn't mind traveling anywhere in North America (US or CAN) to get good results for a reasonable price. Ideally, I'm looking to spend $12,000 or less. I'm a young adult and would likely be taking a hefty loan from family for what I cant cover in cash, but this is important enough for me to justify it. Since Turkey is out of the picture, is this a reasonable budget for the amount of follicles I'd need? I would much rather get FUE than FUT, but I'd also be open to new technologies if there are other options. My dermatologist and the my local surgeon both said I have a good sized donor area on the back of my head and I have plenty of facial and upper body hair as well. I attached a photo of what I believe would be my donor area - it is very thick. It seems what everyone suggests is to look at past results and find a doctor who is experienced with my hair type and Norwood stage. In my area (GA), I've seen good results from Cooley Hair Center (NC) and Dr. Rousso (AL). I've already met with Doctor Anderson in Atlanta, but he left a pretty rude first impression. He came off pretty condescending when I asked more about the scientific validity of the $1200 laser cap he was trying to sell me. Looking back, it could have just been that he though I was 'some kid' wasting his time and not a real client. Overall, I'm looking for a surgeon or a team who is willing to take care of me. I'm looking for someone who is willing to do whatever it takes to get me the best results -- someone that sees FUE almost as an artform, rather than just rushing to get me out so he can fit in his 3-o-clock appointment before a round of golf. Are there any special or new technologies or techniques I should look out for? I've seen ARTAS iX and NeoGraft mentioned. Are there any other new technologies? I'd also consider getting SMP tattoos, if necessary. To put it simply, I'm looking to take back control of how I look. I'm sick of wearing hats because I don't like who I see in the mirror. I would like to bring my temples back to a reasonable level. I naturally had a high widow's peak, and hair loss brought it even farther back. The last photo attached is my goal. Is this unrealistic in my budget? Do I need to start shaking trees? I've seen several places warning to turn around and walk out of anywhere charging per follicle. That being said, I don't have money to burn. I'm ready to commit to a hefty price-tag, but I need every dollar to count. Am I insane? Or is it possible clinics would be reasonable with pricing for a young-adult willing to spend a decent chunk of his life savings to regain control and confidence? Finally, is now the right time for this? Or am I going to spend $15k only to see "magic pill finally approved by FDA" the next day? Has there been any progress on "the cure" that's been "5 years away" for the past 30+ years? Is there any promising science in the pipeline or delayed due to COVID that'll show up? I've done a fair bit of research so far, but any more help, thoughts, or opinions would be great. Thank you!