3,000 Grafts = The Size of a CD?

[stewiemason]

I am scheduled to have FUE this month and, like many others, want to make sure that I get good coverage with the correct amount of grafts. I was told during consultation that 3,000 grafts is comparable to the size of a CD in coverage.

 

For those who have already had FUE, does the coverage sound about right?

[hairthere]

There are many variables a surgeon takes into consideration when deciding how many grafts he'll need to use in order to get a good outcome. Those include the size of the area being treated, caliber and type (straight, wavy, coarse, thin) of donor hair, and amount of existing/native hair, etc. So depending on these, 3k grafts could make a big or not so big impact.

 

In order to assess your particular case we'd need some pictures and to see the area being worked on. The type of session, FUE or strip, is irrelevant unless we're talking about donor issues or graft survival percentages.

[Spanker]

It depends on many many factors like the ones listed above and what your current density being treated is. A CD is 12 cm in diameter. A= 3.14 x r2= 3.14 x 36= 113.04 cm2. 3000/113=26.54 grafts per cm2. If that area is completely bald already with 3k grafts in that size of an area, it would be a little sparse.

Edited June 10, 2014 by Spanker

[Rootz]

It depends on many many factors like the ones listed above and what your current density being treated is. A CD is 12 cm in diameter. A= 3.14 x r2= 3.14 x 36= 113.04 cm2. 3000/113=26.54 grafts per cm2. If that area is completely bald already with 3k grafts in that size if an area, so it would be a little sparse.

 

Well put, that's about as good an answer as you're gonna get!

[Blake Bloxham]

Spanker's math FTW.

[Pete-from-Farjo]

It depends on many many factors like the ones listed above and what your current density being treated is. A CD is 12 cm in diameter. A= 3.14 x r2= 3.14 x 36= 113.04 cm2. 3000/113=26.54 grafts per cm2. If that area is completely bald already with 3k grafts in that size of an area, it would be a little sparse.

 

Impressive!

[stinger99]

perfect explanation from spanker

[italianstallion]

Spanker's math went way over my head

[Spanker]

Spanker's math went way over my head

 

The area of a circle is 3.14 (pie) times the radius squared.

 

Since a CD is 12cm in diameter, the radius is 6 cm. 6cm squared is 36 cm.

 

3.14 times the radius squared (36) gives you the area that the CD covers, which is 113.04 centimeters squared.

 

To get the follicular density of what 3000 grafts would do for a completely bald in the area of what a CD covers (113.04cm2) you take the graft number and divide it by the area. So, 3000 grafts divided by the area of the CD, or the area covered, which is 113.04cm2 and you come up with 26.54 grafts per cm2.

 

The general consensus is that at 50 grafts per cm2, half your original hairline density, you shouldn't look like you have thinning hair. So, 26.54 grafts will appear a little thin for most people, but can still be a considerable cosmetic improvement. Hope that helps.

[chrisdav]

This is provided that there is 100 percent yield so there would be a further reduction.

[delancey]

Spanker, thank you! Your explanation really does put things into perspective!

[WHTC-7706631290]

Stewiemason, having 3000 grafts transplanted into a CD-size area of baldness means that you have one hundred thirteen square centimeters of scalp to cover. This number of transplanted grafts yields a density of about 26.5 follicular unit grafts per square centimeter. Many patients could be satisfied with 40 follicular unit grafts per square centimeter in the crown, or the frontal scalp. A density of 26.5 follicular unit grafts per square centimeter could provide significant coverage in a CD-size area if there is already some amount of preexisting density in the area.

 

Your unique physical characteristics, hair density, and follicular unit density are factors that will determine your degree of coverage in this hypothetical equation.