Subsequent Hair Transplant

[bingunginter]

Roughly how much hair graft will be lost during subsequent hair transplant compare to new strip.

[gillenator]

Could you elaborate a bit more? Are you referring to FUE compared to strip?

[bingunginter]

For the second strip hair transplant instead of creating 2 strip scar, most surgeon will take out the existing strip scar so it will be just one scar.

[mattj]

I'm sorry bingunginter, but it's not totally clear what you're asking.

Are you asking if a smaller number of grafts are available in a second procedure due to the doctor needing to remove a strip that contains scar?

[bingunginter]

yes

Example 1 Hair transplant of 2000 graft and 2 hair transplant 1000 graft each. If I don't want 2 scar, there will be some graft loss with the latter right ?

[gillenator]

If the second strip is harvested at approximately the same width as the first strip, then yes chances are the second strip will produce fewer grafts because of the scar tissue excised. Many docs will want to take out the first scar with the second strip to avoid having two strip scars.

This is why scalp strectching exercises are so important in subsequent procedures and/or when scalp laxity is less than desirable.

[bingunginter]

right, my question is how much fewer grafts ? is it significant ?

[gillenator]

That really varies between patients. Depends on the width of the second strip and how much scar tissue is in the second strip which again varies.

In addition, donor density decreases as the FUs gain more distance between themselves from susequent procedures. They get more spread out as the scalp surface is stretched. This spacing also varies between pateints.

The best way to determine it is by using a videoscope to examine the donor area where the next strip will be excised.

[mattj]

If the first procedure was for 2000 grafts then it's very possible that a higher number could be obtained in a second session. It's common for patients undergoing large strip procedures (in the 4000+ graft range) to have already had a smaller strip session in the past.

If the donor area just doesn't have the available grafts then it won't be possible, but equally important is scalp laxity, and that's something that can be improved.