Why Do HTs Seem To Be So Much More Expensive In the US

[Spacedcherry]

Hi! 
 

im someone who’s looking into a procedure within the next couple of years and would like to know what’s going on? 
 

FUE procedures(from what I can tell) can range from 2x-3x more expensive in the United States than they do in other countries. You can see this even in this sites recommended clinics. 
 

Does the US have a higher caliber of surgeon? Or is it related to demand or just the culture of hair transplantation in the US? Convenience? 
 

Going to the UK seems to be the most affordable option that I’m comfortable with...  but I also do not want to make the wrong choice. 

[asterix0]

US Medical care is very overpriced and overrated (generally speaking). For elite surgeons and doctors, it has some of the best. Most of the middle range is quite disappointing.

Anyone who has had any medical issues and gone to a doctor in the US knows about this.

[Melvin- Admin]

I wrote an article on this subject yesterday, I'll post an excerpt of why the cost in the US, Europe is higher than Latin America, Turkey, India, etc. 

Quote

Cheaper is Not Always Better

There is a notion going around online that cheaper is always better. But this couldn't be further from the truth. Hair transplant surgeons/clinics are businesses, and like any business, there are overhead costs. The facility, surgeon's staff, equipment, all of that costs money. If you select a surgeon who's charging pennies per graft, they are most definitely cutting costs where it matters most. 

For example, their staff wages, we all work hard and deserve to get paid a decent wage for our work. The more experience and value you have as an employee, the more compensation you deserve, common sense right. Unfortunately, at some of these low-cost hair mills the staff get paid nothing, they have little to no training, and the turnover rate is high. Why does this matter? Because there is no consistency or regulation. 

If you go to one of these clinics that do 8-10 surgeries per day, who knows who will be doing the surgery that day, how long they've been doing surgery, and if something goes wrong- god help you. There have been reports on our forum the hair restoration network that some of these clinics re-use needles and don't sterilize their equipment. Given the global pandemic, is it worth risking your health? Ask yourself that. 

 

[Spacedcherry]

2 hours ago, Melvin-Moderator said:

I wrote an article on this subject yesterday, I'll post an excerpt of why the cost in the US, Europe is higher than Latin America, Turkey, India, etc. 

 

Yeah I figured once you get to some of the overseas clinics it can start getting sketchy. Once it starts getting too cheap you have to raise an eyebrow really.
 

however while not cheap the FUE procedures in the UK, specifically for this sites recommended clinics are cheaper once you do the currency conversion to US dollar. 
 

that being said there’s probably other things to factor into the cost like travel, hotel stay, food etc. 

Edited March 5, 2021 by Spacedcherry

[Mycroft]

I believe it was Dr. Vories who at one point made a comment about how his level of involvement reduces overall overhead for the clinic and allows him to charge patients less than some of his contemporaries. I've noticed that a lot of Latin American clinics with high doctor involvement charge lower rates relative to the U.S. while also keeping the number of patients per day very low. You bring in less money overall, but you also don't need a very large staff to support you.

The points being made about U.S. Healthcare and medical procedures are all very accurate. We are not exactly a shining example of affordable medicine in general, and cosmetic surgery is considered an extra luxury above and beyond here, so the costs of simply being a surgeon and staying viable tend to be higher (equipment, leasing space, paying techs).

There's also the fact that the surgery in general is just a huge pain, especially FUE. It's a very long and laborious process compared to other forms of cosmetic surgery, and it requires more artistry to boot.

[Spacedcherry]

55 minutes ago, Mycroft said:

I believe it was Dr. Vories who at one point made a comment about how his level of involvement reduces overall overhead for the clinic and allows him to charge patients less than some of his contemporaries. I've noticed that a lot of Latin American clinics with high doctor involvement charge lower rates relative to the U.S. while also keeping the number of patients per day very low. You bring in less money overall, but you also don't need a very large staff to support you.

The points being made about U.S. Healthcare and medical procedures are all very accurate. We are not exactly a shining example of affordable medicine in general, and cosmetic surgery is considered an extra luxury above and beyond here, so the costs of simply being a surgeon and staying viable tend to be higher (equipment, leasing space, paying techs).

There's also the fact that the surgery in general is just a huge pain, especially FUE. It's a very long and laborious process compared to other forms of cosmetic surgery, and it requires more artistry to boot.

Makes a ton of sense! thank you for the reply!