Graft number v. scar length

[lollipopman]

Well done to all concerned on a wonderfully informative and responsibly moderated forum dedicated to the fascinating area of hair restoration! New here, and was just wondering whether anyone could give an indication of the relationship between graft number and scar length resulting from FUT. I realise it will be dependent on several factors, but let’s assume ‘average’ donor density and scar width (what would this be, by the way?). I seem to have developed a permanent small area of thinning hair behind my hairline (and feel a recent affliction by a very rare skin disease is likely to have contributed to this, though I realise medical professionals often claim that such episodes are temporary), and FUT has caught my attention. Not so keen on FUE – just a personal preference – even though I reckon the area concerned is no more than about 12 square centimetres (i.e. about 3 x 4, not twelve centimetres squared). That brings me to another question – does anyone reckon any of the top guys would consider such small procedures (say 750 grafts or less) given how busy they appear to be. I appreciate that only they can really answer that, but perhaps there are users who’ve undergone this.

 

As an aside, on the subject of vanity, it seems to me that – given how relatively easy and fast a procedure hair transplantation is becoming – perhaps it’s actually vanity that keeps the afflicted from pursuing this option! I guess that sounds mad, but it’s predicated on the presumption that we’d all rather have hair than be bald. Now I realise there are some who are much less concerned about the prospect of hair loss than others (and, frankly, look better without hair that with it), but I’m sure they’d at least like to have the option of growing it even if they decide to not make use of it and resort to regular use of the clippers. This being the case the only thing aside from cost holding them back would seem to be concern about what others might think of them for undergoing the procedure, and this – to my mind – is a much worse and more noxious form of vanity. Just a thought – please feel free to ridicule it (I can take it)!

[Cant decide]

I would say on average, a harvest that is the width of a stick of gum and ear to ear woul yield about 3500 grafts. Of course its patient specific but assuming an average donor density and uniform donor width, I think this number is about right.

 

But seriously, if your only looking for 700 grafts, I strongly suggest FUE. Not because

the scar would be aweful but why take the ultra short hairstyle option away from yourself if you do not have to?

[lollipopman]

Many thanks Cd - so normally about 150 per cm at that width. I take on board your suggestion re. FUE, although on reflection I think I underestimated the size of the area / number of grafts I'd need (I imagine it's not uncommon to do so). Sorry I waffled a little, by the way!

[mattj]

Patients often ask about the dimensions of the strip but even the doctor won't be able to give an exact figure as this depends so much on donor density. However, the width is typically about 1.25cm.

 

Most doctors would be happy to perform a small procedure like the one you propose. After all, eyebrow restoration procedures are becoming more and more common and they require very small graft numbers.

 

Why aren't you keen on FUE? You could opt for FUT and that's fine, I'm just curious because so many patients request FUE for procedures which are really too large for that extraction method, so your choice is kind of the opposite to what I normally hear.

[lollipopman]

Many thanks too mattj. Yeah - I realise that dimensions can only really be loosely estimated, but it's still helpful. Re. FUE, I suppose I have a couple of concerns. The first, and the most trivial, is not being able to keep the hair sufficiently long to cover the work until it's healed, bearing in mind my area could be disguised quite easily this way (I guess that makes me a hypocrite when it comes to vanity!). However, as I stated last time, I reckon I underestimated the size (rather - overestimated how big a cm is) and it's probably closer to 5 x 5 cm. I realise this would be a temporary situation, though, and so shouldn't really influence one's choice of treatment too heavily.

 

The second is scarring. Despite claims by the advertisements of some practitioners I've seen to the contrary, as I understand it, regardless of the skill of the surgeon, this will still occur with FUE. Although in all likelihood it will do so to a much lesser extent, I figured I'd just be more comfortable with a more pronounced linear scar (though I know of the closure technique - the term escapes me - that reduces this) than a less conspicuous pattern of 'dots'. I used the past tense, however, because I am reconsidering. Just depends on the relative severity I suppose and at what hair length scarring would become visible.

[mattj]

Well, you can cut your hair shorter without FUE scarring being visible, but it does cause scarring. The degree to which this is visible when the hair is shaved depends on the number of extractions and your own healing characteristics. Scars tend to be less pigmented than the surrounding skin but the actual contrast varies.

 

With those dimensions you may be looking at around 1000-1200 grafts, depending on native density in the area.

 

I do think there's a lot of hypocrisy out there when it comes to HT procedures and the claim that it is vain to want to do something about your hair loss. It's often the media that criticizes men who have hair transplants - the same media that will mercilessly expose a celebrity who is suffering from hair loss. I think the choice of whether to have a procedure or not should be based entirely on how you feel it will improve your self-esteem in your own life. What wider society thinks is of no importance.

[lollipopman]

Indeed, and thanks again - I've been fed some good info. As an afterthought, when I initially wrote "given how relatively easy and fast a procedure hair transplantation is becoming", I in no way meant to detract from the skill of the surgeon - just easy in the sense of being relatively complication free!

[Dr. William Lindsey]

MattJ gives a bunch of good pointers. Particularly about FUE scarring.

 

Our strips are almost always 1.75 cm wide and the length is the variable. There is so much discrepancy in donor density and hair quality, its tough to make a blanket statement about how much hair will be yielded. One guy may have dense hair and yield 4000, another with sparse hair might give 2200. And then there is the issue of singles vs multis...Some guys grow more of one than another...and then you might need more singles if you are doing the front, whereas in the crown...what use is a single??? But you still get singles and you just have to use them.

 

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA