Section 1
When is a second opinion worth getting?
You do not need one for every consultation, but some situations raise the stakes enough that a second look is sensible.
- The graft number is large, or much larger than you expected
- You are younger and still actively losing hair
- Your thinning is diffuse, or female pattern
- You were told you are not suitable and want to understand why
- You are considering a repair of an earlier transplant
- You are comparing a UK plan with one from abroad
- You simply do not understand the plan you have been given
Section 2
Who should give the second opinion?
Choose a clinic with no connection to the first: not another branch of the same group, and not a clinic introduced by the same agency. That includes us, if we introduced you to the first clinic.
If your question is about the cause of your hair loss rather than the transplant itself, your GP can assess it and refer you to dermatology where appropriate. The NHS does not usually fund cosmetic hair transplants, but diagnosing hair loss is a separate matter.
Section 3
What should you bring?
The more of the first plan you can share, the more specific the second opinion can be.
- The written plan and quote
- The graft estimate, and any drawing of the area to be treated
- Clear daylight photos of your hairline, temples, crown, and donor area
- Your relevant medical history and any medication you take
- The specific questions you want answered
Section 4
How do you compare two plans that disagree?
Put both plans against the same questions: how many grafts and why, where the hairline sits, which technique, how future hair loss is planned for, and how much of the donor area is kept in reserve.
Where they differ, ask each clinic to respond to the other's reasoning. A clinic that can explain why it disagrees is usually more trustworthy than one that simply says the other is wrong.
Section 5
Does a second opinion cost anything?
Many clinics offer a free first consultation, including us, so a second opinion from a clinic often costs nothing. A private appointment with a dermatologist to investigate the cause of hair loss will usually be charged.