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If you suffer from AGA (male pattern baldness) and are considering treatment, you may be concerned that the cost may be too high. / I am sure that you are concerned about the effectiveness of the treatment. We understand these feelings.
In fact, there are various options for AGA treatment, and they are not necessarily expensive. There is also a misconception that “AGA is ineffective even if it is treated,” but if you choose the right treatment, many people have experienced improvement.
In this article, we will provide detailed information on the cost price and effectiveness of AGA treatment, as well as how to choose a reliable clinic. From oral and topical medications to the latest regenerative medicine, we compare the features and cost-effectiveness of each treatment method to help you find the best option for you.
Use this information to take the first step toward effective and cost-efficient AGA treatment.
Symptoms, causes, and preventive measures for AGA (male pattern baldness) are summarized in the following articles.
Osaka AGA Kato Clinic provides personalized treatment for each patient. Get a free consultation to solve your thinning hair problems!。Click here to make a reservation on Line.
Kentaro Kato, Hospital director of Osaka AGA Kato Clinic group, specializing in comprehensive hair treatment.
We specialize in cutting-edge treatments for a variety of clinically proven effective treatments for thinning hair and hair loss.
Graduated from Faculty of Medicine, Kinki University in 2001
Worked at plastic surgery of Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University Hospital as an anesthesiologist from 2001 to 2005.
Worked as a head of plastic surgery at major cosmetic surgery, Hair Transplant Department from 2005 to 2011.
Opened Osaka AGA Kato Clinic in 2011.
Japan Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Regular Member.
The Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine, Regular Member.
World Academy of Anti-Aging & Regenerative Medicine, Regular Member.
What is the approximate monthly Cost of AGA treatment?
The cost of AGA treatment ranges from 15,000 to 25,000 yen per month. On an annual basis, the cost ranges from 180,000 yen to 300,000 yen. A rough breakdown is as follows;
- Initial and follow-up consultation fees
- Laboratory fees (blood test, genetic test, microscope)
- Charge for medicine
- Other options
Initial and follow-up consultation fees
Initial consultation fees range from free of charge to 5,000 yen, and most places charge 1,000 to 3,000 yen for a follow-up visit.
Laboratory fees (blood test, genetic test, microscope)
Examinations are performed at the initial visit or every six months to a year to check the progress of treatment and side effects. The cost of one examination generally ranges from 5,000 to 15,000 yen.
Recently, there are some clinics that claim to be low-cost at first glance by selling all tests free of charge.
However, clinics that reduce the frequency of tests necessary to determine the risk of side effects or unnecessarily recommend optional treatments only increase the risk to patients.
Osaka AGA Kato Clinic charges 5,000 yen for a blood test and 15,000 yen for an AGA gene test.
Charge for medicine
There are several types of AGA medications, both oral solutions and topical, that are prescribed according to the level of progression of thinning hair. The first oral medication for most people ranges from about 5,000 yen to 10,000 yen per month.
To lower the risk of side effects, it is standard practice to prescribe from a mildly effective, low-cost oral solution. In most cases, the effects are apparent after 6 months to 1 year of dosing.
The types and prices of commonly used medications are summarized in the section “Prices of Medications Used for AGA Medication”. Recently, more and more people are considering private importation to reduce the cost of medicines.
However, personal importation is not recommended because of two major risks.
Other options
Based on the patient’s situation and wishes, costs will be added for hair growth shampoos, supplements, mesotherapy or HARG therapy.
Cost rates by Treatment method for AGA
The following is a cost breakdown of the following medications and treatment modalities used for AGA medication.
- Oral medicine
- Custom-made prescription
- Topical medicine
- Hair growth mesotherapy
- HARG therapy
- Cell Regeneration Therapy
- Hair transplantation therapy
Generally, the lower you go, the more severe the hair loss symptoms, the more necessary and the heavier the cost. The following is a cost breakdown of the cost of each treatment.
The components of the medications are explained in the following article.
Oral medicine
The table below shows the typical types of oral medications and their cost rates.
|
Oral medicine |
Prescription cost price (for 4 weeks) |
Osaka AGA Kato Clinic
|
|---|---|---|
|
7,000〜8,000 yen |
||
|
Finasteride tablets (generic Propecia) |
6,000〜7,000 yen |
|
|
9,000〜12,000 yen |
（30capsules） |
|
|
Approx. 10,000 yen |
Oral medications are effective in many patients and can be highly effective, especially when used in the early stages of the disease. They are cost-effective because of their relatively low cost and long-term effects.
As a precaution, they require continuous dosing and have the potential for side effects.
Custom-made prescription
AGA medication clinics provide treatment using “custom-made prescription drugs” and other methods that are formulated to suit the patient’s symptoms and constitution, and cost between 15,000 yen and 30,000 yen per month.
The use of custom-made prescription drugs tailored to the patient’s constitution and AGA medication symptoms provides better hair regrowth than multi-drug prescription therapy.
Topical medicine
The best known is topical minoxidil, which costs 15,000-18,000 yen per month. It improves blood flow in the area where it is used and increases the thickness and number of thinning hair. Topical medications are expected to be more effective when used in combination with oral medications.
Topical minoxidil is a drug that is rated A in the guidelines of the Japanese Dermatological Association for its highest effectiveness in AGA medication. Although slightly more expensive than oral medications, they are moderately cost-effective because they can be used topically and have a low risk of side effects.
Osaka AGA Kato Clinic offers minoxidil lotion 5% (50ml) for 4,700 yen and (100ml) for 7,900 yen at reasonable prices.
Continuous use is required to maintain effectiveness.
Hair growth mesotherapy
Hair growth mesotherapy is a treatment method in which the ingredients necessary for hair growth and nurturing are injected directly into the scalp. The fee per treatment ranges from 50,000 to 80,000 yen, depending on the drug used and the hospital.
Clinics often use a combination of oral medication and hair growth mesotherapy.
Detailed methods vary from clinic to clinic, but some use needles to inject into the scalp, while others use lasers or other methods of injection. Since the active ingredients are injected directly into the scalp, immediate results can be expected.
The cost per injection is high, but considering the ease of effect, the cost-effectiveness is medium to high.
Regular treatments are required to maintain effectiveness and it may be costly in the long run.
Mesotherapy at Osaka AGA Kato Clinic uses a very fine needle, so it is virtually painless and requires no anesthesia. By injecting a peptide compound for hair regeneration, blood circulation in the scalp is stimulated and hair follicles are reactivated.
- 1 time 66,000 yen
- 4 times 220,000 yen (55,000 yen per time)
HARG therapy
HARG (Hague) therapy is an attempt to regenerate hair growth function by injecting growth factors extracted from stem cells (pluripotent cells) directly into the scalp. The cost varies depending on the extent of thinning hair and hair loss, but the market price for the entire head is approximately 150,000 yen per session.
It is also called stem cell culture supernatant solution therapy or exosome therapy. Conventional HARG therapy used “protein products derived from human adipose stem cell culture supernatant fluid”.
Since the cells themselves are activated and continue to secrete growth factors, continuous hair regrowth effects are expected. Some people finish the treatment after one session, but depending on the symptoms of thinning hair or hair loss, some hospitals use once a month for about six months.
There are also places that perform HARG therapy at a very low cost, but please be aware that they may be using ingredients of low concentration.
Cell Regeneration Therapy （PRP、SDHG）
Cellular regenerative medicine uses the body’s own cells to enhance the body’s natural “healing power” for healing. The cost is approximately 150,000 yen per treatment.
Regenerative therapy saves the dwindling hair follicle (the part that makes hair) and prolongs its life. In other words, the treatment is based on the assumption that the hair follicle is present.
Because it uses autologous cells and growth factors, it is expected to promote natural hair growth. Although the initial cost is high, the long-term effects can be expected to be moderate to highly cost-effective.
However, the effects vary greatly from person to person, and multiple treatments may be necessary. It is also important to start AGA treatment before the hair follicles are completely gone.
Typical cellular regeneration therapies are PRP and SDHG
PRP therapy, a typical regenerative treatment, utilizes the tissue repair capabilities of platelet growth factors found in blood.
PRP is concentrated platelets, which excel in their ability to heal wounds. Growth factors taken from your own platelets are injected directly into the area of concern for thinning hair. The growth factors activate the cells, improve the disorder of the hair cycle, and promote hair growth.
SDHG therapy (autologous dermal hair follicle cell transplantation) is another well-known cell regeneration therapy. It is a regenerative medicine in which cells are harvested from the scalp of a healthy hairy area and injected into the area of concern on the head.
Only Osaka AGA Kato Clinic is available for SDHG therapy in Kansai. PRP hair regeneration therapy is offered at 143,000 yen per session; SDHG therapy is 330,000 yen per session for 4cm x 4cm.
Hair transplantation therapy
Hair transplantation is a treatment method that transplants hair to areas where hair regrowth or hair growth has become difficult. The market price for 1,000 hair transplants is 900,000 yen to 1,000,000 yen, and about 300,000 yen for 1,000 artificial hair transplants.
There are two types of hair transplantation: transplanting hair from areas that are not thinning into thinning areas, and artificial hair transplantation, in which artificially created hair is transplanted. Prices vary greatly depending on the area or parts of the body to be transplanted.
In addition, the cost of transplanting artificial hair differs greatly from that of transplanting one’s own hair, and of course it also depends on the number of hairs transplanted. It is common to transplant about 1,000 hairs on the top of the head or frontal area.
The major advantage is that it can increase hair growth in areas of concern in the short term. It has an immediate hair growth effect and provides a natural look.
Although the initial cost is very high, it is highly cost-effective in the long run because of the expected lasting effect.
However, because it involves surgery, risks and recovery time must be considered. The hair transplantation procedure, its advantages and disadvantages are explained in detail in the following article.
Four ways to Reduce the Cost of AGA treatment
AGA treatment is a long-term battle that takes at least six months to be effective, so expenses are high. Therefore, we will explain how to reduce the cost of AGA treatment.
Knowledge of how to save money is important because cost is a common cause of regret in AGA treatment.
Start treatment early
Early treatment not only reduces costs, but also leads to quicker results; since AGA is a progressive disease, the longer it is left untreated, the worse the symptoms will become.
The more advanced the symptoms, the longer it will take to restore the original condition. The more drugs used, the more expensive they become. In addition, the stronger the drugs used, the more care is needed for side effects. Therefore, treatment should be performed as early as possible.
The key point is to bring the patient to a state where the medication can be reduced at a time when sufficient effects have been obtained.
A doctor who specializes in AGA treatment will be able to explain to you not only the benefits of the treatment drugs, but also the possible disadvantages and other risks.
Use generic drugs
Generic drugs are drugs that are marketed after the patent for the original drug has expired. Since they contain the same ingredients as the original drug, it is safe to assume that they are equally effective.
Propecia and Zagallo are well-known brand-name AGA drugs. The generic finasteride and dutasteride tablets, which are generic versions of those brand-name drugs, can be used to reduce the price.
Osaka AGA Kato Clinic also actively introduces generic drugs.
Use online medical care
By using online medical services, you may be able to save on consultation and transportation costs. Some AGA clinics offer discounted or free online consultation fees.
Basically, an AGA clinic requires a visit every few months. Therefore, considering the cost of transportation and time spent, it is more economical to choose an online clinic.
Clinics that use online medical support systems developed for medical use are more convenient, secure, and have more stable communication than general LINE calls or Zoom.
Utilizing the monitoring system of a clinic specializing in hair loss
Some clinics offer cost discount programs such as student discounts, transfer discounts from other clinics, and monitor programs.
In particular, we recommend that you become a monitor, as many clinics offer this service free of charge.
Advantages of the Monitoring System
The benefits of the monitoring program for hair loss clinics are listed below。
- Receive free or discounted hair loss treatment
- Receive the latest hair loss treatments
- In some cases, travel expenses are covered
- In some cases, you may be eligible to receive a gratuity
If you become a monitor, the cost of treatment for several months to a year will be waived. In some cases, if you are a clinical trial monitor to collect data on the latest hair loss treatments, you will also receive full travel expenses and even an honorarium.
Osaka AGA Kato Clinic’s monitoring system does not cover any treatment costs for six months.
Disadvantages and cautions of the monitoring system
The disadvantages of the monitoring system for hair loss clinics are listed below.
- The cost of hair loss treatment may not be fully waived
- Depending on your body type, you may not be able to take advantage of the monitoring system
- Your scalp will be posted on the website
- You may be asked to follow a restricted diet
- Clinical trial monitors may be at risk of side effects
Depending on the nature of the treatment, conscientious clinics generally offer free treatment for monitors. However, some clinics offer monitors discounts on expensive thinning hair treatments.
If you wish to use the monitoring system at a clinic specializing in thinning hair, be sure to check the fees properly.
In addition, one of the conditions for using the monitoring system is that the progress of your thinning hair treatment may be posted on the website. We give the utmost consideration to privacy, and basically only the part of your scalp that is being treated for thinning hair will be posted on the website.
Osaka AGA Kato Clinic also seeks AGA treatment monitors
Osaka AGA Kato Clinic is also regularly recruiting AGA treatment monitors, so please feel free to contact us for more information.
Below are the main conditions for monitors at Osaka AGA Kato Clinic.
- Can always visit the hospital once a month
- You can post a photo of your hair (without your face) on your blog or social networking service
- Can visit the clinic for up to one year
- Agree to the treatment plan recommended by the doctor
Please feel free to contact us as we are regularly recruiting for monitoring programs with different treatment methods.
Clinic selection is the most important point when considering long-term costs.
Choosing the right clinic is directly related to the success of AGA treatment from a long-term perspective. The following points will help you find a clinic you can trust.
- Choose a clinic that specializes in AGA: AGA clinics are more likely to offer the latest treatments and technologies than general dermatology clinics
- Choose a clinic that provides careful and detailed counseling: Does the clinic take the time to listen carefully to the patient’s wishes and concerns during counseling?
- Choose a clinic that offers multiple treatment options: AGA symptoms and progression vary widely from person to person
- Choose a clinic that clearly explains treatment costs and additional fees: Transparency of costs is an indicator of a clinic’s integrity
- Choose a clinic that offers excellent follow-up services after treatment
Evaluating these points comprehensively and choosing the clinic that is right for you is the shortcut to successful AGA treatment. In addition, comparing multiple clinics will help you make the right choice.
Ultimately, it is important to choose a clinic where you can build a relationship of trust through dialogue with the doctor.
How to Proceed with AGA treatment?
The following table roughly describes the classification of the progression of AGA and the treatment drugs used.
Please note that some thinning hair clinics that claim to be inexpensive may raise the stage of treatment without careful consideration of the treatment status and side effects.
|
degree of progression of hair loss |
Remedy | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Prevention | Finasteride (oral) | Typical drug: Propecia |
| Mild to moderate | ||
| Dutasteride (oral) | Hair loss inhibitors for people who do not respond to finasteride | |
|
Often used in conjunction with oral solutions Many over-the-counter products (e.g., RiUP) |
||
| Moderate | Minoxidil (oral) | Oral medications not handled as standard |
| Mesotherapy | A treatment in which ingredients necessary for hair growth are injected into the scalp | |
| HARG therapy | Growth factors extracted from stem cells are injected into the scalp | |
| Regenerative therapy | PRP therapy/SDHG therapy | |
| Severe |
Hair transplantation |
Is AGA treatment covered by insurance?
As AGA treatment is an unrestricted treatment, it is not covered by insurance in principle. All medical examinations, as well as tests and medications, are to be paid for by the patient.
Many people mistakenly believe that if they receive AGA treatment at a general dermatology clinic instead of an AGA treatment clinic, their insurance will cover the cost.
AGA treatment is fully covered by insurance.
Some non-AGA thinning hair treatments may be partially covered by insurance.
Conclusion
In this article, we have discussed in detail the costs, benefits, and choosing the right clinic for AGA treatment.
First, it is important to understand that there are many different options for AGA treatment. Each treatment has its own characteristics and differs in effectiveness and cost. Choosing the best of these treatments requires consideration of the extent of your symptoms, desired results, and budget.
The effectiveness of AGA treatment varies greatly from person to person, and most people usually begin to notice changes in about 3-6 months. In terms of cost, starting treatment early increases the likelihood of getting results for less money. It is also worth considering the use of monitoring and discount plans.
By choosing the right treatment and clinic, and by providing ongoing care, many people have achieved satisfactory results. We recommend that you first seek counseling at a reliable AGA clinic.
Talk to a specialist at Osaka AGA Kato Clinic to get relief from thinning hair problems. Book a free consultation easily on Line.
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