Stem Cell Hair Transplants: Cost, Effectiveness & More

If you’re experiencing hair loss, you might be exploring various treatments or hair restoration techniques. One effective option is a stem cell hair transplant.

Stem cell research — specifically, stem cell hair restoration research — is a growing and complex field showing promise for hair regeneration. Unlike a regular hair transplant, this hair restoration treatment uses stem cells to generate new hair follicles.

If you’re considering getting a stem cell transplant to help fix your thinning hair, it’s important to weigh the possible benefits against the risks. Here’s what you need to know.

Stem cell hair treatments aren’t a first-line treatment for hair thinning. Still, it can be a promising procedure for those with advanced hair loss. Here’s a quick rundown on what this treatment involves. 

What Are Stem Cells?

Stem cells are a type of cells that don’t yet have an assigned purpose. They exist in various tissues and can develop into any cell type. They can also regenerate, which is why stem cells are used for regenerative medicine.

Stem cells exist in both adults and embryos. Advancements in the field have made harvesting stem cells from fetal tissue mostly a thing of the past though. 

How Stem Cell Hair Transplants Work

Stem cell hair transplants can be performed in several ways. But generally, stem cells are harvested from autologous tissues — that is, tissues from your own body. 

These could be fat or mesenchymal stem cells (harvested from bone marrow cells, adipose tissue, or dental pulp). They’re typically collected under local anesthesia, during what’s known as a punch biopsy. A “punch biopsy” is a puncture procedure that reaches the layer of skin where your hair follicles live.

After the cells are harvested, a centrifuge separates unneeded parts of the sample from the stem cells to create a cell suspension.

The suspension solution is then injected into areas of the scalp where the stem cells will be converted into follicular cells, theoretically stimulating new hair growth.

Recovery Time for Stem Cell Hair Transplants

Stem cell hair transplant recovery is often quick. 

A traditional hair transplant involving skin grafts can require days or weeks of healing in the donor area. But there’s very little cutting or surgical damage to the harvest site or the area of hair loss with stem cell transplantation.

That said, hair transplant surgery does come with a risk of scarring. While stem cell harvesting doesn’t typically cause scarring, it can leave bruises similar to the bruising that happens with the removal of fat cells during liposuction surgery.

Typically, the area heals entirely with little to no sign of the surgery.

Ultimately, the healing time depends on the exact retrieval technique used. 

The price of a stem cell hair transplant can vary significantly. Most estimates range between $3,000 to $12,000.

The cost will depend on: 

• The severity of your hair loss

• The clinic’s location

• The clinic/surgeon’s popularity

• The number of follow-up appointments you need

Many people in the U.S. opt to travel overseas for hair restoration treatments — Turkey, for example, is a popular destination. If you choose this route, you’ll also have to factor in travel and accommodation costs.

The best way to find out how much the transplant will cost is to speak with a specialist clinic. Most offer an initial free consultation.

Most stem cell treatments aren’t approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For this reason, insurance companies won’t cover the stem cell hair transplants, instead qualifying them as cosmetic treatments, investigational therapies, or clinical trials.

There’s not enough data to suggest an average success rate of stem cell injections for hair loss. Right now, most of the data is anecdotal or limited in scope due to small sample sizes.

One study of 11 people aged 38 to 61 reported a 29 percent increase in hair density with stem cell treatment.

In a study with 22 participants (half men, half women), those who got stem cell treatment reported significant increases in hair growth compared to a placebo. However, researchers noted some adverse effects, including post-procedure pain.

Modern stem cell therapy doesn’t typically involve embryonic stem cells, so ethical concerns are no longer a hot-button issue.  

But there are other concerns about this type of procedure. For one, it’s not yet approved by the FDA, and it’s still considered an experimental treatment. 

While any hair loss treatment, procedure, or surgery has pros and cons, it’s always best to speak with a licensed health professional when weighing your options.

Since research is ongoing, there’s no official list of stem cell hair transplant therapy side effects or risks. But, as with all medical procedures, it can have side effects and complications. 

These risks include: 

• Pain

• Infection

• Serious tissue injury 

The risks are higher if the person performing the procedure is inexperienced or careless.

If you’re considering a stem cell hair treatment, it’s best to discuss the individual risks with a healthcare professional so you’re informed when you make your decision.

You might also consider going with a different hair loss treatment.

Hair loss solutions don’t have to involve surgery or potentially-painful procedures. 

While there’s no cure for androgenetic alopecia (male or female male pattern hair loss) several FDA-approved, research-backed hair loss treatments are available. 

They include:

• Medications like oral finasteride, minoxidil foam, minoxidil solution and topical finasteride & minoxidil spray

• Surgical procedures like FUT and FUE hair transplants (short for follicular unit transplantation and follicular unit extraction, respectively) and NeoGraft

• Non-surgical procedures like laser hair growth treatments and PRP (platelet-rich plasma) therapy

• Cosmetic procedures, such as scalp micropigmentation and microneedling

Many hair loss treatments are available online from Hims, making it easy to explore and access various options.

If you want to learn more, explore our articles on tips for natural hair growth and our guide to healthy hair care for men.

Your hairline may not look like it used to. Whether your hair loss is due to male pattern baldness or another type of alopecia like telogen effluvium or alopecia areata, finding the right way to deal with hair loss is about finding a treatment that suits your unique needs.

Let’s recap what we know about stem cells for hair loss:

• Stem cells might help if nothing else has worked. You might consider stem cell hair therapies if you haven’t responded well to other treatments — like minoxidil and finasteride.

• There are risks with stem cell transplantation. Stem cell hair transplants are not FDA-approved, and while the initial research is promising, it’s still ongoing. 

• Other treatments are available. If a stem cell hair transplant or hair restoration doesn’t sound like the right choice for you right now, many other treatments are available over the counter and by prescription.

Your best bet is to consult a healthcare professional or hair loss expert to learn more about non-invasive treatments like minoxidil and discuss what might be best for you.

Are you ready to take action against hair loss? We can help with telehealth treatments, education, and more. Connect with Hims today.