Hair loss is something experienced by many people all over the world, including in Japan. There are a range of services and products in Japan to help those who would like to combat this issue. We briefly cover various hair loss treatments in Japan, including hair transplants and its costs.
First posted: 2020/05/13
Updated: 2024/06/03
Table of Contents
- Brief Intro to Hair Loss Treatments in Japan
- The Cost of Hair Transplants in Japan
- Hair Growth Agents and Other Methods
- To Close
Brief Intro to Hair Loss Treatments in Japan
Hair loss is one common problem many people may face in their lives. It is said that genetics is one of the most common reasons for hair loss, while for others, factors such as age, diet, stress, lifestyle changes, etc. may lead to losing hair, whether temporarily or permanently.
But Japan has a variety of treatments available, including
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over the counter hair growth agents
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hair loss prevention treatments
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hair growth agents administered by health care professionals
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hair transplants
We will be covering each of these in this article, starting with hair transplants.
Writer's Pick
The Cost of Hair Transplants in Japan
Hair transplants, also known as Hair Restoration or Hair Transplantation, means adding hair to parts where hair loss happens or hair is thin. According to the National Center for Biotechnology information, the first hair transplant ever was done in Japan in 1937 by Dr. Shoji Okuda, although it wasn’t for the head. Since then, hair transplant methods and technology has developed, bringing it to the modern day procedures.
※ National Center for Biotechnology Information, "Donor Harvesting: Follicular Unit Excision"
Basic Procedure of Hair Transplant
As suggested by the word transplant, this is a surgical operation. Hair transplant is basically the transfer of hair growing in one area to a place where there is no hair. The surgery administers local anesthesia, meaning patients are usually awake (although you can sleep) during the process of hair follicles being transferred usually from and to your head.
There are two types of hair transplant, Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT), also known as Follicular Unit Strip Surgery (FUSS) and Follicular unit extraction (FUE). Both procedures usually take several hours (4-8 hours) or days to be done (if done in separate sessions). The basic difference is that FUT takes a strip of skin from the donor area, divides it into individual follicular units before transplanting them, while for FUE, individual follicles are removed and embedded into the transplant area.
These two methods have both benefits and flaws. Both have excellent results, but the most important thing is that whatever method is used depends on the patient’s needs and current conditions.
Costs of hair transplants
The cost varies per clinic but we will give a general range based on two bilingual clinics, Shinwa Clinic which has 5 locations across Japan and Yokobi Clinic in Yokohama, as well as AGA Skin Clinic which is found nationwide.
The consultation is free for most clinics, including all 3 clinics listed.
Prices of the hair transplants are calculated based on the number of grafts to be transplanted. Each graft is a follicular unit usually containing 1~4 hairs.
Yokobi Clinic
For FUT at Yokobi Clinic, the price changes based on how many grafts you require. For example, 500 grafts is 467,500 yen while 2,500 grafts is 1,650,000 yen, making the range from around around 660 ~ 950 yen per graft depending on how many you need.
For FUE, it costs 1,100 yen per graft at Yokobi Clinic.
※Yokobi Clinic, “Price”
Shinwa Clinic
At Shinwa Clinic, they use an advanced FUE method, and they calculate their price as the following:
Basic cost (220,000 yen) + Transplant Cost (990 yen x number of grafts) = Total Cost
Thus for 500 grafts, the cost is 715,000 yen total.
※Shinwa Clinic, “Price”
AGA Skin Clinic
And at AGA Skin Clinic, the price depends on the basic fee + how long the hair is that you transplant.
The basic fee is 220,000 yen. If the hair follicle is shaved and transplanted, it’s 533,500 yen for 500 grafts. However, if it’s 3mm to 5 mm, it’s 1,045,000 yen for 500 grafts, and if it’s the natural length up to 10 mm, it’s 2,145,000 yen for 500 grafts.
※ AGA Skin Clinic, “Price”
These are just various examples of price ranges presented by clinics, but the final cost depends on the individual and their needs. Each clinic may have a range of treatment options as well, which also changes the price.
However, choosing the procedure based on the cost alone is not recommended. It’s important to consider selecting the hair restoration method best suited for you to have a successful and natural-looking result, and that can be done through consultation and getting professional advice.
Hair Growth Agents and Other Methods
Perhaps the idea of surgery is a bit daunting, or the cost is. Well, there’s several other options that you can turn to instead! We’ll briefly cover them here.
Over the Counter Hair Growth Agents
You can find various products at drug stores and online in Japan that claim to prevent hair loss, stimulate hair growth, and strengthen and vitalize hair.
These products include:
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serums
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vitamins and supplements
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scalp treatments
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special shampoos
There will be a range of results, so make sure to check the ingredients, reviews, and recommended length of time to use them.
Hair Loss Prevention Treatments
If hair loss runs in the family, some people opt to slow down or prevent hair loss. This can be done by using some of the over the counter products mentioned above, or ones prescribed by medical professionals. There are also lifestyle tips recommended by doctors to prevent hair loss, including watching your diet to carefully managing how you wash and treat your hair.
Medication can be prescribed by consulting a medical professional, including at the clinics mentioned above.
Hair Growth Agents Administered by Health Care Professionals
And hair growth agents, also sometimes called formulas, can also be prescribed and administered by health care professionals.
The clinics mentioned in the hair transplant section also offer medication as another method to combat hair loss.
This includes injections (offered with needles and also needle-less) into the scalp, oral medications, etc.
The prices range from being charged per treatment or per month.
Summary
For those experiencing hair loss, we hope we provided a range of options to consider in Japan. No matter which option you are considering, it's important to consult a professional first to get the best available product or service for you.
