How many grafts do I need?

[ZeroMoustafa]

My goal is to thicken my hairline up front. I've seen three surgeons and between them I've received a range from 1,300 to 2,500 grafts, which is a pretty big range! I don't know which number to trust.

 

What number do you guys think will be enough to fortify my front hairline so no scalp shows?

 

Many thanks in advance for your advice!

Edited July 27, 2014 by ZeroMoustafa

[FUE2014]

To be honest, you are asking lay people online to judge and give you advice from two pictures when you have already seen (in person it seems) three doctors. Just go with the doc you feel most comfortable with, or see a couple more docs if you are still unsure.

[Mickey85]

I think you will have much bigger problems to face in the near-future other than your frontal third... Sadly the whole mid-section as well as the top of the crown are showing signs of thinning... Didn't any of the 3 surgeons you consulted with mention this?!

[1978matt]

I would suggest forgetting about surgery for now and starting a daily regime of finasteride and minoxidil for a period of at least 12 months. Take a monthly photo diary to see how effective it is.

 

If you don't, in a short space of time you will probably have to go back 2 or 3 more times to add hair.

 

Assuming the meds worked, 2000 grafts would probably give you a nice even hairline but I would not shoot for too much density at this stage.

[tsemusko]

ZeroMoustafa.. Don't jump into surgery until you know where you are exactly diffusing and how much.. if you will fix the front and lose the back.. you will have to do many HTs to fix it... if you have enough hair to transplant..

 

if you plan on cutting your hair in the future very short.. you will not want FUT scars.. you can always cover the fut scar .. but it is a headache..

[ZeroMoustafa]

Wow, thank you all for your feedback!

 

Tsemusko.. I don't think I am currently diffusing. I don't see many hairs on my pillow or in my shower drain, and hair doesn't fall out during styling either. I think over 90% of my hairloss occurred during a brief period right after I turned 20. In other words, I've been essentially stable for well over a decade. That's one of the main reasons HT sounds like an attractive option to me right now.

 

1978matt.. Same thing, I'm not losing hair currently (although looking at my mother's side of the family, it will happen at some point). I will keep in mind what you said about being conservative with density right now. I think I'm going to opt for 2,500 FUT with Dr. Lindsey in McLean, VA.

 

Mickey85.. I suppose the surgeons didn't worry about this too much since I told them I wasn't currently losing hair. However I must admit I was shocked when I saw the top photo of my head. The thinning up there, while from some time ago, was worse than I thought, although my wife says it was also a bad photo and my hair was styled badly as well.

 

FUE2014.. sound advice for sure. I've already decided to go ahead with the HT. It is scheduled for this week with Dr. Lindsey in McLean, VA. He was the one who came in at 2,500 grafts. In addition to his having the best reputation out of the surgeons I saw, looking around the forums, I didn't find anyone complaining of too much density and quite a few complaining of not enough density.

[ZeroMoustafa]

The other two surgeons recommended 1,300 and 1,500 grafts respectively. If I had gone with them, I would have done FUE for sure. But at 2,500, FUT seems the more appropriate option. I never intend to shave my head or wear a buzz cut because I don't like the shape of my skull