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Hair Transplant Doctors: I Pair AI Scans With ABHRS Checks

Updated: October 16, 2026

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Start with a physician-led specialist who holds ABHRS board certification and ISHRS membership, and who personally performs the critical steps of your procedure. We built MyHair.ai as an AI-assisted directory so you can scan your hair, shortlist vetted clinics, and walk into consultations prepared. Compare the shortlist below, then book two or three consults.

TL;DR:

  • Before paying a deposit, confirm the surgeon’s license and board certification, then get written confirmation naming who performs extraction and placement.
  • Book two consultations with surgeons who differ in method or philosophy, and add a third only if their graft estimates or candidacy assessments conflict.
  • Ask for a medical evaluation before contacting commercial clinics; conditions such as alopecia areata may rule out transplantation, and surgery carries risks.
  • Leave each consultation with a reasoned graft estimate, a long term plan, repair case photos, and an itemized written price breakdown for comparison.
  • Treat an AI hair scan as preparation, not diagnosis, because only a surgeon examining you in person can confirm candidacy and assess donor supply.

Table of Contents

Which hair transplant doctors and clinics should you shortlist?

Here is how the options on our shortlist differ, including ours.

  • MyHair.ai (directory and AI-assisted pre-consult analysis): We pair an AI hair scan with a clinic and doctor directory, so you start consultations with a personalized baseline. Our monthly plan costs $9.99 per month. We are a shortlisting tool, not a surgical practice.
  • Hair Restoration Institute of Minnesota (HRI, MN): A dedicated clinic focused on surgical and non-surgical hair restoration, suited to patients who want an established, clinic-based specialist with several restoration options under one roof.
  • Dr. Roy Stoller: A named practitioner with a clinical profile offering hair restoration procedures, a fit if you prefer surgeon-led care built around one individual's reputation.
  • Louis Mariotti, DO: A practicing DO with surgical training and a hair restoration focus, relevant if you want a surgeon with an osteopathic and surgical background.

Compare all of them on the same dimensions: credentials, how much the surgeon (not a technician) does, methods offered (FUE, FUT, SMP, regenerative therapies), years of specialization, consult availability, and price guidance. Public price details for individual practices are limited, so ask each clinic for a written breakdown rather than assuming.

Book your visits in this order:

  1. Start with the practitioner whose credentials you have already verified, so you set a quality baseline.
  2. Visit a second surgeon with a different method or philosophy to see how plans differ.
  3. Book a third consult only if the first two disagree on graft numbers or candidacy.
  4. Hold your decision until you have all written estimates side by side.

For context on why we do not crown a "best" surgeon, the American Hair Loss Association cautions against online rankings that reflect marketing visibility rather than validated long-term outcomes. Treat any list, ours included, as a starting point for your own verification.

How do you choose a hair transplant doctor you can trust?

Run every candidate through the same checklist, and do it before you pay a deposit.

  • Confirm the license. The NHS notes that a surgeon must be licensed to practice in their jurisdiction.
  • Check board certification. The American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery certifies surgeons who pass written and oral exams, and pairing it with ISHRS membership gives you a baseline of professional standing.
  • Ask who does what. Find out whether the doctor or a team of technicians performs extraction and placement. Some practitioners commit to performing every critical step themselves to avoid an assembly-line environment.
  • Ask about graft numbers. Why this count, why this hairline, and what is the staged plan if you keep losing hair?
  • Ask about repairs. A surgeon who fixes other clinics' work understands what goes wrong.
  • Review the portfolio. Look for before-and-after photos that match your hair type and pattern, including repair cases.

Walk away from assembly-line scheduling, vague answers about who holds the instrument, thin photo evidence, and pressure to book on the spot. A plastic surgeon route can also work: the American Society of Plastic Surgeons advises choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon and offers a way to find one.

Pro Tip: Ask each clinic to put the name of the person performing extraction and placement in your written estimate. A clear answer on paper is the fastest filter you have.

Estimate links names to extraction and placement

For more on what separates strong outcomes from weak ones, our guide to successful hair transplants walks through the common pitfalls.

What are FUE and FUT, and who is a good candidate?

FUE (follicular unit extraction) removes individual follicles from the donor area and places them in thinning zones. FUT (follicular unit transplantation) removes a strip of scalp, divides it into grafts, and places them. Your surgeon should explain which method fits your donor supply, hair type, and long-term plan, and a good one will recommend what suits you rather than what the clinic prefers.

Know what to weigh before you commit:

  • Some causes of hair loss, such as alopecia areata, are not suitable for transplantation, which is why a medical evaluation comes first.
  • The NHS describes transplantation as generally safe, while noting risks including infection, bleeding, allergic reaction to anesthetic, and the possibility that the transplant may not take.
  • Your surgeon should explain these risks and how they would handle complications before you consent.
  • Reputable surgeons sometimes advise against surgery when a patient is a poor candidate.

Our reading of the guidance: the NHS recommends seeing a GP before any commercial clinic to rule out underlying conditions. That one step can save you from an unsuitable procedure.

If your health system does not fund transplants, expect to go private. Guidance from St George's NHS notes that transplants are not routinely available on public services in many systems, and advises choosing clinics registered with local regulators.

What happens in a first hair transplant consultation?

A strong first consultation is a planning session, not a sales pitch. ISHRS guidance stresses that it should include a frank discussion of expectations and long-term planning so your finite donor supply is used strategically over your lifetime.

Expect these steps, in roughly this order:

  1. Diagnosis of the cause and pattern of your hair loss.
  2. Evaluation of your donor supply.
  3. A graft estimate with the reasoning behind it.
  4. A staged plan for future loss, not just today's hairline.
  5. Informed consent covering risks, recovery, and alternatives.

Leave with documents in hand: a written graft estimate, a before-and-after portfolio that includes repair cases, and an itemized pricing breakdown. Then confirm in writing who will perform extraction and placement. If you want to see how graft planning works before you sit down, our piece on AI-assisted graft planning covers the inputs.

Why do we pair AI with physician judgment?

We think the best surgeon search combines two things that do different jobs. Our AI scan gives you a personalized baseline: a read on your pattern and hair health that you can bring to a consult, along with the questions that baseline raises about donor supply and likely graft needs. Our directory points you toward clinics to consider for your shortlist. But a scan is triage, not a diagnosis. Only a surgeon examining you in person can confirm candidacy, and only you can verify credentials and who holds the instrument on surgery day.

— Cyriac

How can MyHair.ai help you find a doctor and prepare for consults?

We built a short path from "I think I need a transplant" to "I know who to call."

  • Download the app and run an AI hair scan for your personalized baseline.
  • Browse our hair clinics directory to find clinics worth contacting.
  • Open our hair restoration doctors directory for individual surgeon listings and contact pages.
  • Take your scan results into each consult so your questions are specific.

Myhair

Start with a free plan at Myhair, then reach out to the clinics on your shortlist this week.

This article is general information, not a substitute for advice from a qualified doctor. Consult a qualified healthcare professional about your own circumstances before acting on anything here.

FAQ

What is a hair transplant doctor called?

A hair transplant doctor is usually called a hair restoration surgeon. Many are dermatologists or plastic surgeons who added dedicated hair restoration training, and some hold ABHRS certification in the specialty.

Can a dermatologist do a hair transplant?

Yes, a dermatologist can perform hair transplants if they have the surgical training and are licensed to practice. Some surgeons combine dermatologic or plastic surgery training with a dedicated hair restoration fellowship.

Who is best for a hair transplant: a plastic surgeon or a dermatologist?

Neither specialty wins on its own. What matters is board certification, hair restoration experience, and that the surgeon personally performs the critical steps. The American Hair Loss Association also advises focusing on demonstrated outcomes over rankings.

How much does a hair transplant cost?

Cost depends on graft count, method, and the clinic, so prices vary widely. Ask for an itemized written estimate from each surgeon, and use guidance on choosing a surgeon to compare transparent pricing and repair-case experience.

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