Evaluating a hair transplant clinic becomes significantly easier with a structured process. Instead of relying on gut feelings or marketing materials, this 10-step plan gives you a repeatable system to assess any clinic objectively. Patients who research clinics independently have 45% lower revision rates. Follow each step in order.
Step 1: Establish Your Baseline (Before Contacting Any Clinic)
Before reaching out to a single clinic, know your own numbers. This prevents clinics from inflating graft counts or misclassifying your hair loss to increase the procedure scope.
What to determine:
- Your Norwood stage (1-7)
- Estimated graft range for your stage
- Your budget based on regional pricing
- Your preferred technique (FUE, FUT, or DHI) based on initial research
Reference graft ranges by Norwood stage:
| Stage | Grafts Needed |
|---|---|
| Norwood 2 | 800-1,500 |
| Norwood 3 | 1,500-2,200 |
| Norwood 3V | 2,000-2,800 |
| Norwood 4 | 2,500-3,500 |
| Norwood 5 | 3,000-4,500 |
| Norwood 6 | 4,000-6,000 |
| Norwood 7 | 5,500-7,500 |
Use the free AI assessment at myhairline.ai/analyze to determine your Norwood stage and graft estimate.
Step 2: Build Your Initial Clinic List (5-8 Clinics)
Search these sources for candidates:
- ABHRS.org surgeon directory
- ISHRS.org member directory
- IAHRS.org recommended surgeons
- RealSelf top-rated hair transplant providers in your area
- Reddit r/HairTransplants community recommendations
- HairRestorationNetwork.com forum recommendations
Pass/fail criteria at this stage: Each clinic must have at least one surgeon with ABHRS, ISHRS, or IAHRS credentials. Remove any that do not.
Step 3: Audit Each Clinic's Website (Narrow to 4-5)
Spend 15-20 minutes on each clinic's website looking for:
| Check | Green Flag | Red Flag |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon bios | Named surgeons with credentials and experience listed | No surgeon names, only clinic branding |
| Before/after gallery | 20+ cases with multiple angles and clear timelines | Few cases, single angles, no dates |
| Pricing information | Per-graft pricing or price range published | No pricing, "call for quote" only |
| Educational content | Blog articles, FAQs, procedure explanations | Only promotional content and testimonials |
| Physical address | Verified address with street view available | No address or PO box only |
Remove clinics with 2 or more red flags from this check. For detailed guidance on this process, read our guide on how to research clinics effectively online.
Step 4: Cross-Reference Reviews (Narrow to 3-4)
For each remaining clinic, check reviews on all of these platforms:
- Google Business reviews
- RealSelf
- Trustpilot
- Reddit r/HairTransplants
- HairRestorationNetwork.com
What to look for:
- Overall rating of 4.0+ across platforms
- Mix of 3, 4, and 5-star reviews (all 5-star is suspicious)
- No pattern of identical review language (suggests fake reviews)
- Clinic responds professionally to negative reviews
- Detailed patient stories with photos, not generic praise
Remove clinics with fewer than 20 total reviews across platforms or those with clear patterns of fake reviews.
Step 5: Verify Surgeon Credentials Independently
For each remaining surgeon, verify their credentials directly:
- Search their name on ABHRS.org
- Search their name on your state medical board website
- Search "[surgeon name] complaint" and "[surgeon name] lawsuit" in Google
- Check their license status and disciplinary history
Any active complaints, license restrictions, or malpractice history is a disqualifying factor.
Step 6: Book Consultations (2-3 Clinics)
Schedule consultations with your top 2-3 clinics. Request in-person consultations if geographically feasible. Video consultations are acceptable for initial screening but should be followed by an in-person visit before committing.
Before each consultation, prepare:
- Photos of your hair loss from the front, both sides, crown, and back
- List of current medications and supplements
- Family history of hair loss
- Your baseline Norwood stage and graft estimate from Step 1
- Questions from this guide
Step 7: Evaluate Each Consultation
During and after each consultation, score these elements:
| Evaluation Point | Score (1-5) |
|---|---|
| Surgeon personally examined my scalp | |
| Norwood classification discussed with visual aids | |
| Graft count within standard range for my stage | |
| Technique recommendation explained with reasoning | |
| Realistic expectations discussed (not guarantees) | |
| Per-graft pricing transparent and within regional norms | |
| Post-op care plan detailed and included in price | |
| Revision policy explained clearly | |
| No pressure to book or pay deposit immediately | |
| Surgeon answered technical questions confidently |
A score below 35 out of 50 should give you serious pause. Below 25 is a clear disqualification.
Step 8: Compare Treatment Plans Side-by-Side
After completing all consultations, create a comparison document:
| Factor | Clinic A | Clinic B | Clinic C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surgeon name and credentials | |||
| Norwood stage assessment | |||
| Recommended technique | |||
| Graft count | |||
| Cost per graft | |||
| Total estimated cost | |||
| Recovery timeline | |||
| Number of follow-ups included | |||
| Revision policy | |||
| Consultation score (from Step 7) |
Graft count differences of 10-15% between surgeons are normal. Differences of 30%+ mean someone is significantly off in their assessment.
Step 9: Review the Contract
Before paying any deposit, review the financial agreement against these criteria:
- Deposit is 10-20% of total (not more)
- Per-graft pricing matches what was quoted verbally
- Follow-up appointments are included in the total cost
- Revision/touch-up policy is documented in writing
- No non-disparagement clause preventing honest reviews
- Cancellation terms are reasonable (full refund minus deposit with 2-4 weeks notice)
Step 10: Final Decision and Booking
Make your decision based on data, not emotion. The clinic that scores highest across Steps 7, 8, and 9 is your strongest choice. Book your procedure date and:
- Pay the deposit (10-20% maximum)
- Confirm the surgeon who will perform your procedure
- Receive written pre-operative instructions
- Schedule any required pre-op blood work
- Set a calendar reminder for each pre-op preparation milestone
The Complete Checklist
Print or save this quick-reference version:
- Norwood stage and graft estimate established independently
- 5-8 clinics identified from professional directories
- Websites audited and narrowed to 3-4
- Reviews cross-referenced on 3+ platforms
- Surgeon credentials verified through independent sources
- 2-3 consultations completed and scored
- Treatment plans compared side-by-side
- Contract reviewed for fair terms
- Decision based on objective criteria
For the full breakdown of every warning sign, read the complete clinic red flags overview.
Medical disclaimer: This article provides general educational information about evaluating hair transplant clinics. It is not medical advice. Always consult with a board-certified hair restoration surgeon for personalized treatment recommendations.