Bosley Logo

Bosley

star star star_border star_border star_border
LAST UPDATED: March 30th, 2023

Since its founding in 1974, Bosley has become a household name in the men's hair loss and hair transplant industry. Approximately two-thirds of men will begin to experience some hair loss by their 35th birthday, and 85 percent will experience a significant amount of thinning, hair loss, or baldness by the age of 50. For over 40 years, men and women have come to Bosley seeking solutions for hair loss. Bosley offers a variety of financing options for a number of surgical and non-surgical hair restoration options paired with the latest advancements in hair restoration technology. It is a trusted name and brand having performed over 298,000 hair restoration procedures since its founding. 

Additionally, Bosley hires some of the best hair transplant surgeons with many boasting over 10 years experience in the hair restoration industry. No matter how much hair loss you have experienced, there is no need to worry about having a "bald spot" or a receding hairline, Bosley will work to find some solution to help you regrow your hair. 

This Bosley review will discuss the good, the bad, and the bottom line. It should help you better understand the hair care, hair transplant, and hair loss treatments offered by Bosley. 

Top Ranked Companies

thumb_up

The Good

  • Surgical Hair Transplant Procedure
  • Non-Surgical Hair Regrowth Treatment
  • Professional Hair Transplant Surgeons
  • Free Consultation
  • Location
  • The Bosley Guarantee

Surgical Hair Transplant Procedure

A hair transplantation procedure involves transplanting hair follicles from one area of the head to another. The area where the hair is taken from is called the "donor area" and the area where the hair is being placed is called the "recipient area." Taking the healthy hair from the donor area and introducing it to the recipient area/thinning area helps increase the density of growing hair on the scalp. Bosley provides a number of different surgical hair transplants. The most common of its procedures are the Follicular Unit Excision (FUE) transplant and the Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT).

FUE is known as a minimally invasive transplantation technique and consists of taking follicular unit grafts of between 1–4 hair follicles from the donor area, and individually transplanting them into the recipient area. This technique typically creates a natural-looking hairline and is said to be undetectable. It is important to note that no stitches are needed during this procedure and scarring should not occur.

FUT is a slightly more invasive transplant procedure in which all of the donor hair follicles are extracted as a group from one part of the back of the head. Once removed, the hair transplant surgeon will transplant the hair follicles individually into the recipient areas. This transplant surgery does leave a small linear scar on the back of the head. As the scar is thin, most haircut styles cover the scar making it undetectable. 

Non-Surgical Hair Regrowth Treatment

For those who are not interested in having a surgical transplant procedure done, the following non-surgical hair regrowth treatments are available:  

  • Trigen+ with Power Matrix PRP — This solutions combines the advanced hair growth potential of platelet-rich plasma therapy with a low-level laser therapy. It is administered in three treatments by a Bosley professional.
  • Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP) — This solutions works to replicate the appearance of thicker and fuller hair. A physician will apply an ink to the scalp with very fine needles creating thousands of tiny impressions. This result provides the illusion of hair follicles similar to stippling.
  • Low-Level Laser Therapy — This solution has been deemed one of the most effective non-surgical methods of treating hair loss. Laser are used to providing a specific wavelength of light to the scalp helping stimulate the tissue molecules that are known to strengthen hair.
  • Bosley Professional Strength Hair Loss Products — This kit provides a 5-step system helping to prevent further hair loss and strengthen your thinning hair. Hair regrowth typically occurs within 4–6 months with ongoing usage.
  • Prescription Propecia (Finasteride) — This prescribed medication is approved by the FDA to be taken once a day. Its main function is to inhibit DHT from forming. DHT is the hormone that causes your hair follicles to weaken and slows or stops its growth. In order to be effective, Propecia must be taken on an ongoing basis.

Professional Hair Transplant Surgeons

Bosley prides itself in hiring the finest hair restoration physicians and surgeons in the industry and guarantees professional treatment. Patient care is one of its top priorities. These professionals are available at a number of locations with some working in a number of different cities and states. To find a local physician, you can search by state on Bosley's webpage. The locations that currently offer services are listed below (see location).

Free Consultation

When looking at undergoing a hair transplant procedure, you should take advantage of the free consultation. The consultation will provide you with in-depth information about the transplantation procedure, follow up treatment, hair transplant cost, and other helpful information from a local Bosley physician or surgeon.

Location

As of 2019, Bosley has 70 hair restoration and transplant clinics and offices throughout the United States. Offices are found in various cities in the following states:

  • Alabama
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • District Of Columbia
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii 
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming

The Bosley Guarantee

To ensure customer satisfaction, Bosley offers a guarantee that it will replace any non-growing hair transplant grafts free of charge. This guarantee is contingent upon a customer's willingness to comply with the following requirements: 

  • Waiting a minimum of 12 months after your Bosley procedure
  • Abstaining from other treatments from other entities that could affect hair growth
  • Complying with all post-operative care instructions and other medical recommendations made by the Bosley physician and attending all postoperative consultations
  • Attending a consultation with a Bosley physician to assess how many grafts need to be replaced.

The final decision regarding your eligibility will be made by your examining physician if you have met all other requirements. 

thumb_down

The Bad

  • Appointment Wait Times
  • Excluded States
  • Bosley Hair Transplant Cost
  • Varied Results
  • Reviews

Appointment Wait Times

One frustration found consistently in negative consumer reviews is the extensive wait times in the office. After being scheduled for early morning appointments, it is not uncommon that customers will wait for as long as 45 minutes after their allotted time to see the physician. Bear this in mind when visiting the office so that you don't end up being late to another appointment or commitment.

Excluded States

Unfortunately, Bosley Medical does not have offices in every state. Offices and doctors are currently available in 34 states in the United States, but if your state is not on the list above (see Location), Bosley currently does not service your area.

Bosley Hair Transplant Cost

The Bosley hair transplant cost differs with each patient. It is based on the type of procedure that you select, the number of grafts, hair transplants, treatments, etc. that you will be receiving. Customers have complained that the pricing is high with some spending as much as $10,000–$13,000. If you are interested in finding out what the cost of treatment might look like for you, you can get a free cost estimate and personal hair and scalp analysis by signing up the Bosley website.

Varied Results

Though Bosley guarantees that its hair transplants and growth treatments are permanent, this unfortunately has not been the case according to customer reviews. Some customers have complained that a couple of years after their treatment, their hair has thinned significantly leaving the scalp and scarring exposed. Any type of procedure that you may undergo has the potential to not work even though the vast majority have been successful.

Reviews

The company showcases many reviews of its products on its own site, but reviews can only be sorted by city and can't be viewed all together. Almost all of the Bosley reviews are 5 stars as well, showcasing only a one-sided opinion of the company.

gavel

The Bottom Line

Are you or someone that you know afraid of becoming bald? For men looking to improve their hair care and avoid male pattern baldness at any age, Bosley is a company to consider. Though Bosley hair products and Bosley hair transplant cost is high, the success rate of close to 300,000 patients is impressive. As a whole, the cost of Bosley is higher than some of its competition. It would be good to research pricing of other hair care and transplant providers. That being said, whether you are looking to have a surgical hair transplant, or receive personalized non-surgical treatment, Bosley has an option for you.

Was this content helpful?
thumb_up Yes thumb_down No

Star Rating

info
star star star_border star_border star_border

5 Reviews

Review Breakdown

5 grade

20%

4 grade

0%

3 grade

0%

2 grade

0%

1 grade

80%

Sentiment Criteria

Value

star star star_border star_border star_border

Quality

star star star_half star_border star_border

Service

star star star_border star_border star_border

Trustworthiness

star star star_border star_border star_border
cancel

Filter by:

arrow_drop_down

Sort by:

arrow_drop_down
info
star star star star star

John Harmon Madison, WI

I'm 66 years now. This was my 8th visit to Bosley/Chicago. For some like me, upkeep is what is needed. If it were 1-&-done, that would be great. Unfortunately that isn't my case. Retired last year, and moved in to take care of mom. Maybe that caused all of my stress ;) Anyhow, I needed to see the Bosley team for some crown hair loss. I met w/Dr. P, and he decided that I could get approx. 2K grafts in the area that needed attention. His staff from PA/RN/techs was first rate. I had a wonderful experience during my visit. The total time in the chair was probably 7 hrs. People who complain about the time or expense just amaze me. It's all about what makes you happy and comfortable right? I have never had a bad experience at Bosley. I'm treated very well, my comfort is their main concern and I get the results that I expect. I must say, that this last visit was especially postive. Dr P has surrounded himself w/extremely qualified personnel. The level of care and the way that all of the staff worked through this project left me very impressed. I started my Bosley experience a wee bit older than most, probably in my mid-30's. But through these 8 procedures over a spam of 25+ yrs, I can honesly say that I have no regret choosing the services of Bosley/Chicago, and would encourage those who feel that pursuing this type of hair restoration to look into a Bosley clinic near you.

2 years ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

Josh Poso Phoenix, AZ

Don't waist your money with Bosley. You'll need at least 3 sessions with hair transplants. I supposedly got like a 1000 pieces free for a total of 2800 pieces, and it only covered 1/3 of my head. $8K for my implants and I refuse to go back. Even where the transplants were done its very thin 4 years later. They have some sort of guarantee, but you're better off going out of the country.

11 months ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

lorena perifano ,

I went to Bosley for one year. I bought the 2000 $ laser cap and I did four PRP sessions for thousend $ as prescribed. I kept taking Finasteride and applying daily Minoxidil foam. On each visit, the doctor didn't know anything about my problems and I needed to tell him all my story and to any of my questions he answered that it is normal to lose hair. After 9 months of therapy, he said that If I want I could see a dermatologist and find out the cause. After almost one year that I spent thousands the doctor had the illumination that maybe there is a cause. He gave me dermatologists names that are not even specialized in hair loss. Every time I went to Bosley a different assistant did the procedure. Every time slightly different. In the end, I checked the pictures before and then. No difference. They said that PRP may help the thickness of hair. My hair is the same. My hair loss is the same. I am just poorer. Bosley is a chain very well advertised that takes advantage of people's desperation for making money but your hair will not change.

3 years ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

Carly Gomez New York, NY

SMP for women. Terrible experience. Save your money. Go to someone else for a fraction of the cost. I paid $6k for the procedure and it did nothing for me. What a waste. Plus, I paid $1500 for their laser cap which made my hair constantly fall out. No refunds on this. They made big promises and fell short by afar. Women - do not give them your business! I want my money back!

2 years ago

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

james halbert Salem, OR

It is a rich person's endeavor. 1 procedure will cost roughly $12,000 and that will not ensure a full head of hair. It will also minimally scar the side of your head and leave the top of you head numb for a year. The products that you are encouraged to buy are snake oil. In the end you will shed hair all the time and either be forced to have another procedure or end up back a square one. Do yourself a favor save the money buy a new car or redo your kitchen it'll be a better use of time and money.

2 years ago