Traveling to India for Hair Transplant

Traveling to India for hair transplant may sound like an unthinkable concept for some people, however it can also be very rewarding if done correctly. Here we discuss why more and more people from US, Canada, UK, Europe and many parts of the world are embracing the idea of traveling to India for their hair transplant procedures these days.

A Frightening Concept?

Traveling to a foreign country to pursue a medical procedure can be a very frightening concept for many. There is language barrier, culture, customs, safety issues and many factors to consider. And for those seeking medical procedures overseas, there are additional concerns such as the quality of the surgical procedure, post operative care and sterilization standards to name a few. While these are all legitimate concerns, there are actually a lot of benefits that compell someone to take on such a journey.

India: Hot Spot for Medical Tourism

India has recently become a hot spot for hair transplant medical tourism. One thing that spurs the growth is the availability of clinics that are committed to delivery quality results. For example, it surprises many that the top ranked hair transplant clinic on HairSite is actually a clinic in India. At the time when this is published, Dr. A's Clinic in India has published more successful patient results in our open forum than any other clinics in the world.

Another factor that makes traveling to India for hair transplant more acceptable is the abundance of direct flights to India nowadays. It wasn't that long ago when flying to India was quite an ordeal given the long flight time. But with more and more airlines offering direct flights to India from US, UK, Canada, and Europe in recent years, the journey has become more manageable.

Needless to say, cost is one of the biggest deciding factors for those considering traveling to India for hair transplant surgery. It is easy to see the temptation. Generally speaking, hair transplant cost in India can be one-fifth of what one may pay in the western world. With such a huge difference, the savings are substantial even after one factors in travel expenses. Of course, please note that this is just a raw comparison. Cost can vary greatly depending on your choice of technique, number of grafts and other factors.

Price vs Quality Debate

Here we go again, the price vs quality debate. Does an inexpensive hair transplant mean you are getting lesser quality? Not necessarily. The truth is that there is really no correlation between price and quality when it comes to hair transplantation.

The good thing about hair transplant in India is that the market is very fragmented. There is not one or two clinics that monopolize the market. This allows for more competition which benefits the consumers in the end as clinics are striving to improve quality while driving down the cost.

However, that is not to say you can simply walk into any clinic in India and everything will turn out the way you want. That is hardly the case. Just as the cost varies greatly from clinic to clinic in India, the same applies to the quality of hair transplants in India. As a matter of fact, this is the same scenario for hair transplants in the western world too.

Choosing a Hair Transplant Clinic in India

So what should one do when considering traveling to India for hair transplants? Research, research, and more research. Arrange free consultations with as many clinics in India as possible. Almost all clinics in India offer virtual consultations via email, Skype and telephone at no charge.  Contact at least 5 different clinics or more for a free evaluation. In addition, do a search online to see if you can get in contact with past patients of the clinics and inquire about their experiences.  The bottom line: go with clinics that are able to produce consistent results over an extended period of time.

Case Study: Traveling to Dr. A's Clinic in India

Here we offer a case study disclosing the process of traveling to India for hair transplant. The anchored clinic for this case study is Dr. A's Clinic with surgical facilities in Delhi and Mumbai India. We break down the case study into all the various steps you will encounter during the process.

Research & Consultation

Whether you are getting a hair transplant locally or overseas, the key is research and consultation. Talk to as many clinics, doctors and patients as possible before making a decision. Not every person is a good candidate for hair transplant.

Dr. A's Clinic offers free consultation to overseas patients via email, Skype and telephone. You will have the opportunity to discuss your issues with Dr. Arvind Poswal personally or with one of the surgeons at his clinic during the consultation. Dr. Arvind and his team will map out a strategy for you together with treatment details and the approximate cost for the procedure.

As an ethical clinic, Dr. A's Clinic encourage their patients to discuss with other doctors as well as the patient's own primary physician before making a decision. Dr. Arvind and his staff never put pressure on the patients. Instead, they encourage all overseas patients to ask as many questions as possible and to take as much time as they need before committing. Dr. Arvind Poswal himself is personally available via email, telephone and Skype to answer any questions the patient may have.

 Blood Work

Blood work is always mandatory prior to any hair transplant procedure in the western world. The same standard applies at Dr. A's Clinic. In most cases, patients can obtain blood work locally where they live and send the results to Dr. A's Clinic before confirming the appointment for hair transplant. Dr. A's Clinic will advise the type of blood work required.

Payment & Deposit

In order to confirm the appointment date, the patient needs to put down a deposit. Dr. A's Clinic accepts payment by credit card or by wire transfer. The amount of the deposit will be a portion of the total estimated cost for the procedure. Generally speaking, it is advisable to pay with credit card. However, please also check if your credit card company charges a hefty foreign transaction fee as that may add a substantial amount to your cost. The patient can pay the balance payment upon completion of the procedure once the actual graft count is finalized.

Pre Operative Instructions

Dr. A's Clinic will provide pre operative instructions to their patients once the appointment has been confirmed. The patient should also take the opportunity to ask questions. For example, does the patient need to stop using Propecia and Minoxidil at any point? How long should the patient grow his hair before the surgery etc?

Travel Plans

Once the overseas patient has paid the deposit and decided to move forward with the hair transplant procedure, the next step is to make travel arrangement. Dr. A's Clinic provides an abundance of information and assistance with the patient's travel arrangement.

In most instances, Dr. A's Clinic provides recommendation for hotels that are near the clinic location. This is to ensure that the patient will have a minimal of commute time traveling to and from the clinic. The goal is to allow the patient sufficient time to rest and relax the whole time they are in India. In addition, Dr. A's Clinic also offers overseas patients airport advice upon arrival in India. In some instances, Dr. A's Clinic may even arrange ground transportation to take patients to their hotels upon arrival.

Traveling to India for hair transplant is not as challenging as one may think. The key is to plan everything ahead. Dr. A's Clinic offers a lot of hand-holding throughout the entire process. They are always available to answer any questions the overseas patient may have regarding his or her trip.

The Procedure

The procedure itself is not that much different from what one may expect in the western world. The surgeon as well as the entire medical team will attend to the patient during the entire procedure. Same as their western counterparts, at Dr. A's Clinic, the surgeon performs the graft extraction and placement with the assistance of his or her team of technicians.

Most procedures do last anywhere from 3 to 6 hours. Dr. A's Clinic provides meals, refreshments and audio visual entertainment throughout the procedure.

Post Surgical Care

Upon completion of the procedure, Dr. A's Clinic will provide the patient with post surgical care and instructions in order to ensure healthy hair growth. Dr. A's Clinic requests all patients to return to the clinic for examination 1 or 2 day after surgery. Depending on the nature of the procedure, most patients can fly home about 3 days after surgery.

Hair Transplant Results India

It's all about the results. The photos below give you an idea what one may expect when it comes to travelling to Dr. A's Clinic India for hair transplant.

Please bear in mind that there is no guarantee when it comes to hair transplantation. Results do vary from doctor to doctor as well as from patient to patient. Sometimes undesirable side effects or complications are unavoidable even under the hands of the most experienced surgeon in the world.

Actual Results from Dr. A's Clinic