47 y/o male's appearance changed by only 1 session of 1053 grafts; Dr. Mike Beehner

[Dr. Michael Beehner]

This 47 y/o male presented to us around a year ago and wanted the frontal shelf (front 40% of the scalp) filled in to help frame his face. He underwent a first session of 1053 grafts, consisting of 753 FU's and 300 DFU's (double follicular unit grafts of 4-5 hairs each). The "after" photos are from one year after the surgery. He had a second session that day of similar size to add to the density.

He was initially biopsied, to make sure that the hair loss process was typical hereditary androgenetic alopecia, and not from an autoimmune cause such as alopecia areata or lichen planopilaris. The biopsy confirmed that it was ordinary hereditary male pattern baldness and so we proceeded.

This is an example of how blending different size grafts can enable the hair surgeon to make a big difference without having the patient spend a lot of money. The attribute I like the most about using MFU grafts is that they block light better than scattered FU grafts used exclusively.

Mike Beehner, M.D.

[Since21]

Nice result for such a low graft count. Any particular reason he didn't go for more?

[Dr. Michael Beehner]

Reply to "Since21"

The graft count mainly had to do with the fact that, when you use MFU grafts in that front-central area, you don't need as many grafts in that region due to the necessary spacing these grafts should have.

It also has to do with the real world of what an individual patient can afford. I offered him the option of 2000 FU grafts dense-packed in the same area, but he chose the other "combination" approach. The number of grafts he had costs $4700 and does a nice job of covering and blocking light from hitting the scalp in the viewer's eye. The 2000 FU's would have cost $8900. It doesn't mean that one is better than the other either. I don't use the combination approach unless the patient makes it clear to me that they will come for a second session in order to fill in the gaps.

I should add that the majority of the "all-FU" patients return for a second session to achieve the density they would be happy with the reset of their lives. In around 30% of patients we "hit a home run" and accomplish everything in one session, but these patients are usually those with coarse hair and lots of 2-hair and 3-hair FU's percentage-wise. This patient had relatively fine hair.

Mike Beehner, M.D.

[TakingThePlunge]

Great plan and very nice look for this gentleman.

[TommyLucchese]

Big improvement there Dr. Beehner