Hair transplant · Specialty guide
A short, factual guide to comparing hair transplant clinics — what FUE and DHI actually mean, how to read graft counts, the aftercare that matters, and how to use a clinic's GCR Rating for hair transplant.
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Hair transplant results depend less on the marketing around a clinic and more on who does the work, how carefully it is planned, and what happens afterwards. This guide explains what to compare.
A hair transplant is a surgical procedure that runs for several hours. In some clinics a surgeon plans and leads it; in others most steps are carried out by technicians. Neither is wrong on its own, but you should know which applies and how involved the surgeon is. Ask directly, and ask to see results from the same team that would treat you.
Individual follicular units are removed from the donor area and placed into channels created in the recipient area. It is the most common modern method and leaves no linear scar.
A variation of FUE where follicles are placed using an implanter pen, which can allow denser, more controlled placement. It is not automatically superior — outcomes depend on the team's skill. Treat “DHI” as a technique, not a guarantee.
Watch for
Branded method names are often marketing labels for standard FUE. Focus on the surgeon's experience, the plan for your case, and real before-and-after results — not the name of the technique.
Clinics quote a number of grafts, but a graft can contain one to four hairs, so graft counts and hair counts are not the same. A realistic plan considers your donor area, the area to be covered, and the density that can be achieved without over-harvesting. Be cautious of unusually high graft promises — protecting the donor area matters for the long term.
What the number means
A clinic's GCR Rating for hair transplant is a single score out of 5, calculated from verified patient reviews and — increasingly — patient-reported outcomes for this specialty, using a model that accounts for how many reviews a clinic has. No clinic can pay to change it.
Use it as a strong first filter, then confirm the specifics above in your consultation. See how each GCR Rating is calculated →
See the hair transplant clinics GCR rates, ordered by their GCR Rating for this specialty:
If a clinic you are considering is not listed, you can suggest it for review.
