Hair transplants are much more effective than other hair loss treatments in providing a long term solution to hair loss. However, many people who might be a candidate for hair transplant are unsure about what exactly the process will involve.
The number of grafts that the patient will need depends on the situation. Anything between 500 and 6,000 grafts can be transplanted.
The typical hair transplant involves approximately 4,000 grafts. However, it all depends on the size of the area to be covered.
Anyone who is affected by hair loss and is researching hair transplants will sooner or later come across the term “grafts”. In a hair transplant, this means the follicular units. In other words, the hair follicles that have to be removed in order to fill in bald spots.
The hair roots, from which the hair is formed, are located in the follicles. Hair grows in groups. There can be up to three hair roots in one follicle.
How many grafts can be harvested?
Normally, there are up to 100 grafts on one square centimetre of scalp. But for a satisfactory result, 10 – 25 grafts per square centimetre are sufficient. It depends on how far the hair loss has progressed and how large the bald patches are that need to be filled. The quality of the donor area also plays an enormous role.
For example, one person can have 50 grafts per square centimetre, and another can only have 10 grafts per square centimetre. This varies from person to person, as it also depends on hair characteristics, the type of hair, and the quality of hair in the donor area.
For example, with thin and straight hair it is difficult to remove many grafts without the remaining hair losing its fullness. With other types of hair such as thick or even curly hair, more grafts can be harvested, as they appear fuller on their own. A hair analysis can provide more information about your situation.
What does the number of grafts depend on?
The number of grafts that need to be transplanted to make the hair beautiful and full again depends on how far hair loss has progressed. This will affect the design of the transplant.
A guideline for assessing the development of the balding area is the Norwood Scale, which is used to determine the number of grafts to be transplanted on a suitable candidate.
The scale divides hair loss into 6 stages.
Stage | Stage of hair loss | How many grafts to be transplanted |
|---|---|---|
Stage I | The hair is still full or the recession of the hairline is not very pronounced | no hair transplantation is necessary |
Stage II | The hairline is already receding slowly and/or a receding hairline is appearing | 500 to 1500 grafts |
Stage III | The receding hairline is already pronounced and is moving towards the back of the head | 1500 to 2000 grafts |
Stage IV | The hair loss is more advanced (for example, the so-called tonsure is already visible) | 2000 to 2500 grafts |
Stage V | The hair loss is now very pronounced both at the hairline and at the back of the head. However, tonsure and receding hairline are still separated by a narrow hair band | 2800 to 3200 grafts |
Stage VI | Hair loss has progressed to the point of semi- baldness | 3500 to 4300 grafts |
Stage VII | Now only a few hairs remain. These form a ring of hair between the ears | 5000 to 6000 grafts |
Stage II patients need about 500 to 1500 grafts to regain a full head of hair, while stage IV patients need 2000 to 2500 grafts. On average, about 4,000 hair grafts are transplanted during an operation.
The cost of a hair transplant often depends on the number of grafts that are removed. Cosmedica Clinic offers interested patients a free hair analysis, which also includes a cost estimate. You can contact the clinic today. We offer fixed prices so that even large numbers of grafts remain affordable.
What does the donor area look like after the hair transplant?
The grafts are taken from the donor area at the back of the head. This is located in the hairline area between the ears. The special thing about the hair that grows in this area is that it is relatively insensitive to the hormones that cause hair loss.
A reputable hair surgeon will not extract too many grafts. This way, a good amount of donor grafts are left over for subsequent hair transplant sessions. This can be important as hair loss is progressive.
With the FUT (Follicular Unit Transplant) method, a narrow strip of skin is taken from the back of the head, from which the grafts are then extracted. The resulting wound is then sutured using a special technique so that only a narrow scar remains.
With the FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) method, the grafts are removed individually with the help of a hollow needle. An experienced doctor will distribute the removal of the individual hairs over the back of the head in such a way that it is not noticeable afterwards that hair has been removed there.
A further development of the FUE method is the Sapphire DHI hair transplant. Here, the hairs are removed with the help of a special implanting pin and directly reinserted. This method is very popular, especially for receding hairlines. Cosmedica Clinic specialises in this most modern and method.
Get a free hair analysis today from Cosmedica Clinic’s highly skilled Dr. Acar for an accurate estimate for your desired number of grafts.
