A 500 graft hair transplant costs between $2,000 and $3,000 in the USA, making it one of the most affordable surgical hair restoration procedures available. In Turkey, the same procedure runs $500 to $1,000, roughly 70% less than American pricing.
Cost by Country: 500 Grafts
| Country | Cost per Graft | Total Cost (500 Grafts) |
|---|---|---|
| USA | $4-$6 | $2,000-$3,000 |
| Turkey | $1-$2 | $500-$1,000 |
| UK | $3-$5 | $1,500-$2,500 |
| India | $0.50-$1.50 | $250-$750 |
| Europe (avg) | $2.50-$4.50 | $1,250-$2,250 |
These prices reflect the surgical fee only. For Turkey and India, add $800-$1,500 for flights, hotels, and local transport. Many Turkish clinics bundle accommodation into package deals that still come in well under US pricing.
Who Needs 500 Grafts?
A 500 graft procedure fits patients at the earliest stages of visible hair loss. On the Norwood scale, this graft count applies to:
Early Norwood 2 Patients
Norwood 2 requires 800-1,500 grafts for full correction. But patients with very mild Norwood 2 recession, where only one temple has receded slightly or the hairline has only retreated 0.5-1 cm, can achieve meaningful improvement with 500 grafts placed precisely along the frontal hairline edge and one temple point.
Targeted Density Enhancement
Some patients are not receding but have naturally thin hair in a specific zone. A 500 graft session can boost density in one localized area, such as the mid-scalp part line or a single temple, without requiring a full transplant procedure.
Scar Revision
Patients with a small scar from a previous FUT strip procedure sometimes use 500 grafts to camouflage the linear scar with transplanted follicles. This is a focused procedure with excellent results given the small target area.
What 500 Grafts Actually Looks Like
At an average of 2.2 hairs per graft, 500 grafts produces approximately 1,100 transplanted hairs. Placed at a standard density of 35-40 follicular units per cm2, that covers roughly 12-14 cm2 of scalp area. For reference, that is slightly smaller than a credit card.
The visual impact of 500 grafts depends entirely on placement. When concentrated in a high-visibility zone like the hairline edge, 1,100 hairs create a noticeable frame for the face. Spread across a larger area, the results will be subtle.
FUE vs FUT for 500 Grafts
FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction)
FUE is the standard choice for a 500 graft procedure. The session takes 3-4 hours, leaves no linear scar, and recovery takes 7-10 days. At 500 grafts, donor area impact is negligible. FUE can extract up to 5,000 grafts per session, so 500 is well within a single session.
FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation)
FUT is rarely recommended for only 500 grafts. The strip excision method can yield up to 4,000 grafts per session, but leaving a linear scar for such a small procedure is disproportionate. FUT may make sense only if the patient plans a larger session later and wants to preserve FUE donor capacity.
Recovery and Results Timeline
With 500 grafts, recovery is faster and less visible than larger procedures:
- Days 1-3: Mild swelling, redness in recipient area
- Days 7-10: Scabs fall off, redness fades
- Weeks 2-4: Transplanted hairs shed (this is normal)
- Months 3-4: New growth begins
- Months 8-12: Full result visible
For a more detailed Turkey vs USA cost comparison, including clinic recommendations and what to expect from medical tourism, see our full guide.
Want to know exactly how many grafts you need? Use the free graft cost calculator or upload a photo at myhairline.ai/analyze for an AI-powered assessment.
FAQ
How much does a 500 graft hair transplant cost?
A 500 graft hair transplant costs $2,000-$3,000 in the USA, $500-$1,000 in Turkey, $1,500-$2,500 in the UK, and $250-$750 in India. Turkey and India offer the lowest per-graft pricing, though travel costs should be factored in.
What does 500 grafts cover on a head?
500 grafts covers approximately 1,100 hairs (at 2.2 hairs per graft on average). This is enough to fill in minor temple recession, reinforce a thinning hairline, or add density to a small targeted zone. It is not enough for full hairline reconstruction.
Is 500 grafts worth getting a hair transplant for?
Yes, 500 grafts is a legitimate procedure for patients with early Norwood 2 recession or localized thinning in one specific area. It offers a quick recovery, minimal donor impact, and noticeable improvement in the treated zone within 8-12 months.