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Before you book: what to watch for

1. Get the graft count in writing, before and after

   The single most common complaint in low-rated reviews is paying for one number of grafts and believing far fewer were implanted, for example 6,000 promised and around 3,000 delivered. Ask for the planned graft count in your written quote and a written count of extracted and implanted grafts on the day of surgery.

2. Ask who performs each step

   Many unhappy patients say the doctor they chose only drew the hairline or appeared briefly, while technicians did the extraction and implantation. Some describe loud, joking teams or a TV show running during surgery. Ask which steps the doctor personally performs, how many patients the clinic operates on per day, and who exactly will be in the room.

3. Protect your donor area

   Over-harvesting comes up again and again: visible thinning or patchy spots at the back of the head, sometimes permanent and leaving no reserve for a future procedure. Be cautious of very large graft promises, and ask the surgeon how many grafts your donor area can safely supply over your lifetime.

4. Confirm the plan for your crown and hairline in advance

   Several patients discovered on the day of surgery that the crown had been dropped from the plan, or that grafts went to the hairline when they wanted the crown. Agree on the zones and the drawn hairline in writing before you travel, and do not let the plan change without a clear explanation.

5. Price changes, surcharges and add-ons

   Reviews describe prices rising after arrival, a 10–18% surcharge for paying by card, extra donor zones at around €250 each, and expensive add-ons such as PRP or "stem cell" packages. In Brazil several patients were told only after surgery that a medication package costing thousands was not covered by the contract, and others spent weeks chasing an invoice for money already paid. Ask for an all-inclusive written quote that states the payment method, what is included and what is not, and get a receipt at the time you pay.

6. Read the deposit and refund terms

   Non-refundable deposits are a frequent source of disputes, including when patients cancel months in advance. Check the refund policy and the contract before paying. Be very careful with any contract that forbids you from leaving negative reviews.

7. Aftercare often disappears after payment

   A recurring pattern: attentive service before surgery, then slow or no replies once results disappoint. Results take 12–18 months, and reviewers who judged too early usually revised their opinion, so plan to assess density at 8–12 months. Ask who will review your progress photos at 3, 6 and 12 months, how to reach them, and what exactly the "guarantee" covers. Patients in Mexico and India describe guarantees that turned into an offer to pay for a second session, or were refused outright once the result disappointed.

8. Know who you are really booking with

   Some brands are sales agencies that send patients to other clinics, and some listings no longer match the business behind them: clinics rebrand, a Google listing can point to a different company, and a website in the listing can be dead. Surgeons also move on - several patients found that the doctor whose results convinced them had left the clinic. Ask for the exact address and legal name of the facility, confirm the name of the surgeon who will operate, and check that the clinic is in the country and city you expect.

9. Look at reviews the right way

   Most five-star reviews are written days after surgery, before any result is visible. Look for reviews written 12 months or more after the procedure, ideally with photos. Warning signs include one-star ratings with glowing text, reviewers with only one or two reviews, staff asking for a review before results are in, and clinics answering criticism with legal threats.

10. Honesty is a good sign

    Some of the most convincing positive reviews describe a clinic telling the patient they were not a good candidate, or suggesting medication before surgery. Be cautious if a clinic keeps pushing you to book after other surgeons said your donor area is too weak.

11. Special cases need specific experience

    Afro-textured and curly hair, female hair loss, beard and eyebrow transplants and repair of a previous failed transplant are all mentioned as cases where results varied a lot. Ask to see results for patients like you, not just the clinic's best general cases.

12. A hair clinic is not always a surgical clinic

    Several well-known brands in our catalogue mainly sell non-surgical courses - PRP, PRF, mesotherapy, lotions and laser caps - and their reviews are about treatments rather than transplants. Patients describe paying for packages of $2,000–3,000 with little change, and consultations that moved straight to a treatment plan without discussing the cause of the hair loss. Ask whether surgery is performed in-house, by which surgeon, and how many transplants the clinic did last year.

13. Confirm the appointment, the surgeon and the address before you travel

    Patients flew in from other cities and countries only to be told the doctor was away, that the appointment had been cancelled minutes before, or that a paid consultation would be held by a salesperson instead of the surgeon. Reconfirm the date, the person you will see and the exact address a day or two before you set off, and keep that confirmation in writing.

14. Design and expectations belong in writing, with photos

    Beyond the hairline, patients describe beard transplants with asymmetric sidelines, crowns left out of the plan, and hairlines drawn lower or higher than agreed. The clearest reviews describe a surgeon who photographed and drew the plan, explained what was realistic, and repeated it in the written quote. Agree on the drawn design, the zones and the expected coverage before the day of surgery - and take your own photo of the drawing.

15. Get a fit-to-fly note before you leave

    This one is from my own trip. At boarding the agent saw the bandages on my head and asked for a note from a doctor confirming I was fit to fly. I had the surgeon on WhatsApp and got it within minutes, but without that contact I would have missed the flight. Ask the clinic for a fit-to-fly note on the day you are discharged, keep the surgeon reachable until you are home, and expect a dressing or a cap to attract questions at the gate.