How many grafts would I need

[Dav7]

I am just wondering if somebody could give a rough estimate as to how many grafts I may need in order to achieve a full look after a transplant? I reckon, that I am a Norwood 3-4, so I was thinking 3000-4000 grafts perhaps?

[gillenator]

Hi Dav,

Depending on where the commencement of your hairline would be, your frontal zone alone could support that range with nothing in the crown.

I say this because of your stated goal of having a full look. Keeping in mind that approximately 50 % density level for that frontal zone alone.

Are you taking low dose finasteride for the mid scalp and crown?

[Dav7]

Hi Dav,

Depending on where the commencement of your hairline would be, your frontal zone alone could support that range with nothing in the crown.

I say this because of your stated goal of having a full look. Keeping in mind that approximately 50 % density level for that frontal zone alone.

Are you taking low dose finasteride for the mid scalp and crown?

Yes, I started Fin 1mg a month ago. Unfortunately, I've known about it since early this year but was afraid to take the dive given all the stories I was hearing about side effects etc. So I guess its too early to tell how fin and rogaine will work.

Do you wreckon that 6,000 grafts would be enough, whether over one or two transplants? If say 3,000 - 4,000 FU's would cover in the frontal area to give a full look at 50 grafts per cm2, then would 2,000 or thereabouts do a descent enough job at covering the rest?

Also, does anybody know if first time patients can get beard hair grafts? Say 4,000 scalp grafts and 2,000 beard grafts? I want to preserve some donor hair, but also think that the beard hair might blend in with the scalp. I've heard that 5,000 grafts can be extracted from below the jawline, so that is interesting. And lastly, I don't care if I can't grow a beard that isn't a goatee or something small like that as I never have, nor never would grow a full beard.

I realise that 6000 grafts may be stretching it, but I am becoming desperate to do something once and for all, and when I do, I don't want to regret getting only a job that's only half good enough.

[35YrsAfter]

Yes, I started Fin 1mg a month ago. Unfortunately, I've known about it since early this year but was afraid to take the dive given all the stories I was hearing about side effects etc. So I guess its too early to tell how fin and rogaine will work.

Do you wreckon that 6,000 grafts would be enough, whether over one or two transplants? If say 3,000 - 4,000 FU's would cover in the frontal area to give a full look at 50 grafts per cm2, then would 2,000 or thereabouts do a descent enough job at covering the rest?

Also, does anybody know if first time patients can get beard hair grafts? Say 4,000 scalp grafts and 2,000 beard grafts? I want to preserve some donor hair, but also think that the beard hair might blend in with the scalp. I've heard that 5,000 grafts can be extracted from below the jawline, so that is interesting. And lastly, I don't care if I can't grow a beard that isn't a goatee or something small like that as I never have, nor never would grow a full beard.

I realise that 6000 grafts may be stretching it, but I am becoming desperate to do something once and for all, and when I do, I don't want to regret getting only a job that's only half good enough.

Your result depends upon your donor characteristics and the doctor performing the surgery. Before I went to Dr. Cole for repair work several years ago, I considered getting 700 grafts. Graft numbers can be vague. For instance our patient today has an average of 2.29 hairs per graft. We charge by the graft, not the hair. Some clinics split follicular units and charge by the hair.

A few months before my first surgery with Dr. Cole, I cut a couple of inches off the ends of my hair and counted out 700. I placed them on the palm of my had and it was not impressive. I decided to have a lot more after seeing the coverage 700 of my hairs would provide. At that time I didn't know that they charged by the follicular unit. I think the average is about 2.6 hairs per follicular unit. Another huge factor related to the illusion of density is hair shaft diameter. If you have fine caliber hair, your result will be more subtle.

35YrsAfter also posts as CITNews and works at Dr. Cole's office
forhair.com
Cole Hair Transplant
1045 Powers Place
Alpharetta, Georgia 30009
Phone 678-566-1011
email 35YrsAfter at chuck@forhair.com
I am not a doctor and the content of my posts are my opinions, not medical advice.
Please feel free to call or email me with any questions. Ask for Chuck

[gillenator]

Dav7,

Ok, lots to cover. Yes, it is still too early to judge the full efficiency of both finasteride and minoxidil. One full year of use as directed will tell.

Now, you don't need to make a decision on the overall graft count right now. Why do I say that? Because you still don't know how efficient the hairloss meds are going to be over the long term. Worst case, if the meds don't work you stand to lose the native hair on top of your scalp as you progress with MPB. Your lateral humps will gradually pull down as you progress to the higher classes on the Norwood scale.

So I think the range of 3,000 to start will give you a nice result but it will not be a full restored look as you desire. If the meds do work efficiently, then yes you can schedule your next procedure and go for more coverage and/or density.

Ask your surgeon to calculate your donor density and then I would not recommend that you go over 50% of that density in the recipient area. If you have average hair characteristics, that should provide some good visual coverage and a big improvement.

[Dav7]

So I think the range of 3,000 to start will give you a nice result but it will not be a full restored look as you desire. .

Would 4,000 grafts not be the minimum for somebody at my stage, say 3,000 at the Front/ Mid-scalp and 1,000 in the crown?

Also, what Norwood level would you say I could achieve with two hair transplants, say if they were 7,000-8,000 FUs overall?