Donor size

[RajToor]

How do surgeon strip the donor area? I mean the length and width? Is the width 1.7cm or 3 cm?

[Bill - Seemiller]

RajToor,

 

I'm not sure I understand your question. However, the width (and length for that matter) of the donor strip will vary for each patient. 3cm is considered a very wide strip and there are only a select group of patients with a scalp elastic enough to take a strip that wide.

 

If you figure a good size hair transplant procedure is 3000 grafts. If the patient had an average donor density of 80 FU/cm2, a strip of 1.5cm wide and 25cm long would be needed to achieve 3000 grafts.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Bill

[RajToor]

Thanks, now I got it

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

I generally try to stay under 1.4 cm in width. If at all possible I would prefer to take a little longer strip versus wider. Keep in mind that scarring is based heavily on tension at the edges of the wound. Wider wounds usually lead to greater tension and most likely bigger scars.

[Dr. William Lindsey]

Almost all of our strips are 1.75cm wide with varying lengths. Sometimes you still get surprised by tension, or lack thereof, of closure, but as Dr. Charles points out, tension minimization is the key.

 

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

[Hairy Godmother]

Typically our donor areas are 1.3 - 1.4cm wide, depending upon patient's laxity. If a patient's scalp is very lax, width can be increased. We often taper the width over the mastoid; secondary to increased tension in that area.

Jessica