So, just how dense is the average '45grafts sq/cm" anyway?

[GodAwfulLuck]

Like, I have a kind of thin density and fine hair shafts all over, would a 45 grafts per cm leave me looking thinning? and etc...

[irishsailor]

It really depends where the hair is being placed, how much native hair you already have, thickness of your hair, colour of yr hair.

It might be best to post some picks and see what responses you get then. But 45 grafts per cm2, can give a good outcome, may want a little more dense if it's hairline but then it depends how much area to cover and future loss.

[GodAwfulLuck]

Hardly perfect, but here's an example of my hair.

[xtatic5]

I'm 9 months post-op with 45/cm2 transplanted to the forehead (so no pre-existing hair). At this point the scalp is still visible in dim lighting. I'm hoping for more thickening in the coming months but I'm starting to think I'll need a 2nd small procedure.

[GodAwfulLuck]

Ah, so being out in darker harsh lighting would look really thing and balding?

[GodAwfulLuck]

Another question, I guess.

When a HT doctor claims they did a 'dense pack', just how many grafts is this really?

[Blake Bloxham]

Luck,

 

There is no formal definition or quantification for the term "dense packing." It will vary between physicians and depend on the patient's balding pattern and hair characteristics as well.

 

Just for reference:

 

Normal density (in non-androgenic alopecia/female pattern hair loss scalp) is 80-100 follicular units/sq cm.

 

Hair loss/thinning is visible when approximately 50% of the native hair sheds; this means it is visible at roughly 40-45 FU/cm^2.

 

Most physicians implant anywhere between 45 (some use 50 as a minimum) - 70 (some as high as 80-90 when indicated) FU/cm^2.

 

Hope this helps!

[GodAwfulLuck]

Thanks for the reply, I was just confused.

Like some clinics call 45 grafts a dense packing, while others say it's 60 and up. I'm assuming it's the 60 grafts and up, though.

[Blake Bloxham]

Hi Luck,

 

Again, I think it's a subjective term. On some patients, 45 grafts/sq cm may be a "dense pack," while others may require 60 (etc) to meet the same level of thick, natural coverage.

[patricksuss]

Hi, I just heard that everything over 50 grafts/sq cm will getting lost after the transplantation anyway. That we have normally 70-80 grafts/ sq cm, but with transplantation the stem cells are not accepting more than 50. is this true?

[GodAwfulLuck]

The more grafts the more likely it is for them to not survive and grow I I'm not mistaken, so high numbers if grafts like 60-70 a probably done better over 2 procedures.

That may be why surgeons like bhatti treat 45 as the standard number to reduce the risk of this happening, but it s possible to get a large number of grafts and have them survive

[augustya]

The more grafts the more likely it is for them to not survive and grow I I'm not mistaken, so high numbers if grafts like 60-70 a probably done better over 2 procedures.

That may be why surgeons like bhatti treat 45 as the standard number to reduce the risk of this happening, but it s possible to get a large number of grafts and have them survive

 

Yep very correct, even I was gonna ask everyone here that how much sense does it make sense to do a dense packing and invite the possibility of a risk of some graft not surviving and hence what is the ideal dense packing but 45-55 Grafts per Sq.Cm looks a safer option.

 

But my question here is, if some one is just a Norwood 2 or maybe 3 and most likely he is not gonna repeat a HT ever in his life with a say 45 Grafts per sq.cm he may be left with a see through result so should one attempt a High density in the first attempt or even not willing still go for a second procedure to increase density is really a catch 22 situation !!