How Many Sessions and Grafts Per Session Can You Have?

[nm76]

Ok, the number of grafts in a first session (barring how bald I am) depends on the quality of my donor area and the mobility of my scalp (correct?) With that said, if I have a first session of about 2500, would it be possible to have 2 more sessions of 2500 each? For a total of 7500 grafts? Now if I assume in a worst case scenario that I have 2 hairs per graft, that would be a total of 2x7500 = 15,000.

Based on that the second part of my question would be - assuming for the most part my transplant(s) focuses on the front, vertex and a bit of the crown - what if i were to lose all my native hair in those areas and the only surviving hairs are the transplanted ones. That would mean I'd have about 15,000 hairs covering that area - what would that end up looking like? Would I be right back where I started - prior to the trasnplant?

Or am I looking at this all wrong?

[nm76]

Ok, the number of grafts in a first session (barring how bald I am) depends on the quality of my donor area and the mobility of my scalp (correct?) With that said, if I have a first session of about 2500, would it be possible to have 2 more sessions of 2500 each? For a total of 7500 grafts? Now if I assume in a worst case scenario that I have 2 hairs per graft, that would be a total of 2x7500 = 15,000.

Based on that the second part of my question would be - assuming for the most part my transplant(s) focuses on the front, vertex and a bit of the crown - what if i were to lose all my native hair in those areas and the only surviving hairs are the transplanted ones. That would mean I'd have about 15,000 hairs covering that area - what would that end up looking like? Would I be right back where I started - prior to the trasnplant?

Or am I looking at this all wrong?

[Bill - Seemiller]

mm76,

 

Simply put, there is not enough donor hair to cover an entire bald head with full density. So if you end up losing all of your native hair down to a norwood 6, if you are lucky and you have the donor for it, you can have pretty close to full coverage and ok density, giving off the illusion of density in most lighting for at least the frontal half and a thinner crown.

 

If you were to go for max sessions with the same physician each time, your surgeon will most likely acquire slightly fewer grafts with subsequent surgeries.

 

Remember the donor strip removed the first time won't include a scar. The second time and third time around, though some laxity will return, it most likely won't be as much, plus those strips will contain the scar from previous surgeries(s), lessening the number of follicular unit grafts.

 

The best thing to do is narrow it down to a few elite surgeons you are considering and consult with each and discuss long term hair restoration plans, available donor, etc.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[nm76]

The best thing to do is narrow it down to a few elite surgeons you are considering and consult with each and discuss long term hair restoration plans, available donor, etc.

 

 

When you say narrow it down to a few surgeons - is that just to see if theres any difference of opinion or to get multiple sessions from multiple surgeons - well - i guess you meant the first part?..

[Bill - Seemiller]

mm76,

 

When I say narrow it down to a few surgeons, I mean for the selection process for your hair transplant. Though some patients choose to have their second surgery with a different physician (like me), it is probably best to select the surgeon who impresses you the most first and foremost and then stick with them.

 

I hope that helps explain what I meant

 

Bill

[Dr. Timothy Carman]

mm76-

How Many Sessions and Grafts Per Session Can You Have?

I concur with the above posts, to summarize-

In general, the # of grafts you can obtain in a given session depends on three things:

1) The size of your head (hence the length of the donor strip)

2) The density of your follicles (average = about 100 FU's/cm2), and,

3) The laxity (looseness) of your scalp (this determines how wide your strip can be)

As Bill points out, each subsequent procedure will also remove the previous scar; depending on the size of the previous scar, this can reduce subsequent yields by no more than 10%.

In general, scalp laxity increases with age, so that this is one area where being "older" has it's benefits.

Overall, the number of sessions you can have depends on the size of your donor area along with the ability of your scalp to accommodate after each procedure, returning to it's pre-surgical tension (or close to it)

Hope that helps.

 

Sincerely,