Hair Transplant in Malaysia: A Consumer Guide (Updated for 2020)

“Hair transplant Malaysia” is one of the most Googled aesthetic clinic related terms locally, with more than 500 searches each month. We've been asked the following questions frequently: What is actually hair transplant? Does hair transplant work for hair loss? What is the success rate of hair transplant? Is hair transplant permanent? How much does hair transplant cost in Malaysia? FUE vs FUT vs ARTAS? Where is the best place to get a hair transplant in Malaysia?

This guide will explain what a hair transplant is and address what you need to know about getting a hair transplant in Malaysia.

What causes hair loss?

Hair loss is more common than you think and it can happen to both men and women. Causes range from, androgenetic or hormone-related hair loss, stress related-hair loss, also called telogen effluvium, and dandruff. Medications, vitamin deficiencies, thyroid disorders, excess styling, and autoimmune disorders can also cause hair loss and thinning. But the good news is, there are viable solutions.

Finding one that works for you, however, can be easier said than done. Most likely, you have seen many advertisements and used many hair loss products and gone to many hair loss centres. No doubt hair loss is a common problem but is not a simple problem to solve.

As simple as it may sound, the first step is to find out the cause of your hair loss. Doctors will call this as 'diagnosis'. The cause of hair loss will need to be determined before you consider the hair loss treatment solution that is right and effective for you.

A hair loss treatment solution is not a one size fits all solution. Most hair loss centres in Malaysia have over-simplified solutions and do not dig deep enough to your problem. A medical doctor will normally take history and perform physical examination as well as necessary blood tests to rule out easily treatable causes of hair loss before making recommendation/s on hair loss products, treatment or hair transplant. You may have medical problems or taking medication that are causing you to lose hair? For whatever the reason, an effective hair loss treatment solution needs to be personalised and 'tailor-made' for you.

That said, the most common cause of hair loss in Malaysia is genetically related. For men, is called 'male pattern hair loss'.

What is a Hair Transplant?

Hair Transplant is a surgical procedure where hair follicles are transplanted from one part of the body to the scalp or face of a patient. The types of hair transplants can be based on method such as FUE, FUT or ARTAS; or based on site such as forehead or forehead reduction hair transplant, eyebrow hair transplant and beard hair transplant.

The part of the body from which the follicles are taken is called the donor site and the part of the scalp or face where follicles are placed is called the recipient site.

FUE hair transplant malaysia
Severity of Hair Loss

Hair restoration starts with knowing the type and severity of hair loss. Most hair transplant specialists use the Norwood-Hamilton classification scale for males. In general, if you fall under grade VI (6) or above, hair transplant is not for you.

Here are some common situations in which a hair transplant is suitable:
  • Medical treatments for hair loss were unsatisfactory
  • Frontal or temporal hair loss (hair loss from these areas do not respond to Propecia)
  • More facial hair desired (e.g. beard, thicker eyebrows)
How much does a FUE hair transplant in Malaysia cost?

The average total hair transplant cost in Malaysia can range from RM 9,000 - RM 15,000. The average cost for hair transplant in Malaysia on a per graft basis is about RM 9 (USD 2.17) per graft, i.e. if you are going for 1000 grafts, it will cost you RM 9 x 1000 = RM 9,000 (USD 2,170).

The hair transplant cost may vary from centre to centre in Malaysia. The final cost is highly dependent on your hair loss condition. To get a more tailored estimate for a Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) transplant according to your particular hair loss condition, you can send an enquiry to us here.

The price varies according to the number of hair grafts, the doctor's fee, the price for each hair graft, the size of the area to be transplanted as well as the required density.

The most important factor in determining the cost of your hair transplant is the number of hair grafts you need.


As you can see from the above illustration, someone with moderate hair loss will require about 2,000 grafts.

Do note that the number of grafts is different from the number of hairs. For example, 1 graft can have 4 hairs in it or with only 1 hair in it. Therefore, there is a difference between 'cost per graft' and 'cost per hair'. One graft may have 1 - 4 hairs. Some clinics may quote you on a per hair basis. So, if the cost is RM 6 / hair and one graft has 3 strands of hair; your cost will be equivalent to RM 18 / graft.

Another important point is that everybody seems to be comparing prices on how much a graft costs. However, much more important than the price of each graft, is the actual survival rate of the grafts implanted.

Your hair grafts are a finite resource. You only have a certain number on the back and sides of your head, and any grafts that don’t survive are essentially gone. Lower survival rate translates into higher cost per survived graft.

ARTAS Hair Transplant Malaysia: Is ARTAS better than manual?

ARTAS is a robotic hair transplant system, meaning your hair transplant is performed by machine instead of human.

The Clifford Clinic is Singapore was the first to purchase the ARTAS system in Singapore in 2013. Here's what they have to say:

The robot proved to be a wonder, with great precision and results to show for it. It does not easily tire out, and is able to consistently provide high-quality grafts at a startling speed.

However, like any other treatment, it does come with certain downfalls. For example, certain types of scalp do not provide a good yield of quality grafts for our doctors to work with. In addition, the robot does not adapt well to certain areas, such as the sides of the head, and areas of the scalp that are too hard or too soft...

The more traditional machine assisted FUE technique is non-robotic, but comes with great results and a much more affordable price-tag.

Is hair transplant permanent?

A successful hair transplant procedure have results proven to last for up to 40 years. That said, you need to take care and maintain a healthy lifestyle that will prolong the success of your transplanted hair and remaining hair.

Hair Transplant vs Hair Salon Treatments

Hair transplant may appear to have a pricey price-tag as compared to hair salon hair loss treatments. Most hair salon hair loss treatments consist of treatments of up to 10 to 20 sessions. So, you will need to consider the total cost when you are comparing.

Does it work? That's the main question. No doubt there are hair loss products and tonic that might work but as mentioned above, a hair loss treatment solution is not a one size fits all solution. If you have tried a hair salon treatment package and if it's not working, it's time to see a hair loss medical specialist. 

As mentioned above, a medical hair loss specialist will normally take history and perform physical examination as well as necessary blood tests to rule out easily treatable causes of hair loss before making recommendation/s on hair loss products, treatment or hair transplant.

FUE vs FUT Hair Transplantation Methods



FUE treatment removes individual follicular units directly from your scalp, which are then replanted into the required site of the scalp.

FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) process involves removing a small strip of tissue from the back of the head, from which the donor hair follicles will be extracted. The hair follicles are harvested from the strip by a skilled clinical team before being individually transplanted to the recipient areas.

The per-graft cost of a FUT procedure is generally lower than that of a FUE procedure. Lately however, in response to the rising popularity of the FUE technique, many hair transplantation clinics have started lowering the per graft cost on FUE procedures, so that the cost difference between the two types of procedure are not as much as most people think.

What is BioFibre Hair Implant?

Biofibre is biocompatible (compatible with the human body) artificial hair which is CE Certified for Hair Implant.

Getting a hair implant involves implanting synthetic hair into the scalp while a hair transplant involves the removal of hair follicles from one part of the scalp and implanting them into another part of the scalp.

The cost of biofibre hair implant is around RM 10 per hair in Malaysia. The average amount of hair required is around 2,000 with an average cost of RM 20,000 for the procedure.

However, based on answers by doctors on Realself, biofibers are not recommended due to safety issue in the United States and many European countries.

When will your new hair start to grow?

You will start to see result after 3 months. A good result will be witnessed after 6 months. The best aesthetic results happen after 9 – 12 months when the transplanted hair follicles develop fully.

It’s important to note that implanted hair will shed temporarily over the first 2 - 3 months.

Your hair grafts will start to gradually grow back after 3 months, following which you can expect 10% more hair growth with each passing month. 

How can you get the best results for your transplanted hair?

Good hair graft survival depends on proper execution over the 2 main phases of hair transplantation:
  1. The extraction phase
  2. The implantation phase
If both phases are well-performed, transplanted hair grafts have a survival rate of more than 99%.

1. Extraction phase

An expert hair technician is able to extract hair follicles in the same direction as your hair, with minimal trauma to the donor site. This vastly reduces hair transection (accidentally cutting through your hair) and improves hair graft survival.

2. Implantation phase

Transplanted hair needs to be well hydrated to survive.

You must take the most care during the first 2 weeks of recovery. Good hair care will prevent infection and implanted hairs from dislodging.

If your implanted hairs survive these 2 weeks, they are unlikely to fall out thereafter. Here are some tips to take note of during the first month:
  1. Be very gentle when washing your hair
  2. Avoid sweaty and dirty environments, which may cause infection or irritation of the transplanted site
  3. Avoid swimming
  4. Avoid excessive sun exposure as it may damage the scalp where your new hair is implanted
  5. Avoid alcohol and smoking, which reduces blood supply to your scalp  
How can you find the best hair transplant centre in Malaysia?

The success of your hair transplant depends a lot on the experience and training of the team.

If you are looking to find the best licensed hair transplant clinics in Malaysia for your hair transplant procedure, check out best hair transplant clinic in Malaysia. The selection of the best hair transplant clinics is based on Google search results, reviews and track records, and information available on blogs and forums.

If you need us to assist, you could send in an enquiry.

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