Grafts/Hair per cm2 needed for good density

[rfeng2003]

Just curious, in terms of getting good density, how many grafts per cm2 would be needed?

[Ernie]

My answer to your exact question is "I'm not sure."

 

BUT I feel like my work was dense and at the hairline it was placed at 60grafts/cm2. I may be wrong but I've seen "dense-packed results" anywhere from 45-70 gr/cm2, depends immensely on hair caliber though

 

Try searching "dense packed" using the search function

[rfeng2003]

My answer to your exact question is "I'm not sure."

 

BUT I feel like my work was dense and at the hairline it was placed at 60grafts/cm2. I may be wrong but I've seen "dense-packed results" anywhere from 45-70 gr/cm2, depends immensely on hair caliber though

 

Try searching "dense packed" using the search function

 

i would agree that your HT was considered densely packed. That's a lot of grafts for a small area, which gave you a great result!

[milo12]

Just curious, in terms of getting good density, how many grafts per cm2 would be needed?

 

Be careful! Too many grafts per cm is a bad thing.

 

Good question.

[milo12]

 

Hair characteristics play a vital role in the overall illusion and success of a HT.

Hair transplants are all about the art of illusion ;-)

 

Hey spex,

 

It is interesting you say that. On another thread I posted on women's hair transplants I asked something somewhat similar. It seems that men's hair placement in hair transplant is different from women's. Most importantly is, can a surgeon place a man's follicles angled the same way as he would on a woman? In that way - in my opinion - the male patient may look more youthful because he would have an illusion of thicker hair.

 

What do you think? Possible?

[gillenator]

Would just like to add that achieving a 50% density level of original scalp density is a good goal to start with.

 

It's been said that achieving 50% density will provide a good basis to support the illusion of coverage. Obviously in some cases a little more and in others with outstanding hair characteristics, a little less.

 

So the bottom line is that it will vary between individuals, depending on the degree of loss and their individual hair characteristics.

 

The thing about women is that many wear their hair length longer and generally speaking, they also are more talented with styling their hair in ways that can hide a lot of thinning.

[hsrp10]

In my experience if you have normal to fine caliber hair like me, you should aim for 60cm2 if you want to achieve results that are close to "real hair" meaning not so very see through in harsh lighting.

 

In real life we can't control factors like lighting and as we all know people more often than not expect others to have "thick hair" as a societal norm.

If you have dark coarse hair then lower density levels will work out.

 

This was one area I didn't do enough research on when initially starting out:

taking into consideration hair caliber when planning for density.

[milo12]

Would just like to add that achieving a 50% density level of original scalp density is a good goal to start with.

 

Hello gillenator,

 

I need to ask you two important questions:

 

Do you think it is possible to achieve 70 - 80% of original density? Are there actual cases of patients with such density?

 

I was told by a surgeon that he can give me 30% more hair. Do you think it is possible to get a bit more? If so how much do you think without invoking shock?

 

 

The thing about women is that many wear their hair length longer and generally speaking, they also are more talented with styling their hair in ways that can hide a lot of thinning.

 

Now may make sense. But I still notice women's hair transplants having denser hair than men's.

[hsrp10]

Just curious, in terms of getting good density, how many grafts per cm2 would be needed?

 

In addition to that already mentioned above here's a good read from Dr. Lorenzo.

http://www.injertocapilar.com/English/density.htm

 

In summary 45-70cm2 are the ranges (I'd love to see who is doing 70cm2 these days...), and the coarser your hair is the lower you can go. For fine hair go high as possible.

[ModernHair]

I really think a highly skilled surgeon can make a lower number of grafts go considerably further with the "illusion" of thick hair - you see it on this Forum often. I have only had a bit over 2,000 grafts and had a dramatic transformation from where I started and I've seen some very high "dense packing" grafts with poor end results.

 

Doctor skill plays an enormous part in this, in my opinion (and personal experience), so I'd focus on that and finding a super skilled surgeon rather than seeking a set density expectation.

[gillenator]

Milo,

 

While I do think it's possible to achieve 70-80% of original density in some individuals, I would never recommend it be done in one session because of the higher level of trauma and corresponding lower yields.

 

And I assume your 30% question is 30% higher density that your native level? I really don't think that's achievable without involving transection of the existing hair. In fact, I don't think you get to 100% of native density without some level of transection. The surgeon is somewhat limited in how close in proximity the recipient incisions are made to one another.

 

The larger point is that it's really not necessary to achieve those extremely high levels to look remarkably restored....

[Ernie]

In addition to that already mentioned above here's a good read from Dr. Lorenzo.

density

 

In summary 45-70cm2 are the ranges (I'd love to see who is doing 70cm2 these days...), and the coarser your hair is the lower you can go. For fine hair go high as possible.

 

Hey hsrp, what docs are willing to go to 70g/cm2 in the front these days? I'd be interested to know. My doc wouldn't let himself go any higher than 60g/cm2 on me.

 

Bet he'd let me come back for a 2nd round though. I think he was more discouraged about pushing 70g/cm2 all at once ((I.e one single procedure)

[hsrp10]

Hi Ernie,

From Dr. Lorenzo's link concerning region "A" (frontline 2cm of the hairline)

http://www.injertocapilar.com/English/density.htm

 

Our advice is to always aim for 45 to 70 units per cm2 (in exceptional cases even more) given that we can only use follicular units of 1 or maximum 2 hairs per unit in the second or third line.

 

So it seems in some cases Dr. Lorenzo does transplant at 70 grafts/cm2, and another FUE doctor Dr. Keser in Turkey is another one of the few who seems to transplant at 70 grafts/cm2.

Dr. Keser was "almost" recommended here on HRN in the past. You can read his pros and cons here (biggest concern with him from my limited experience is long communication times).

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/139030-potential-recommendation-dr-abdulmuttalip-keser-turkey-9.html

 

Btw I think I've seen some cases by Dr. Hasson at 65 grafts/cm2 or higher but don't have the direct links, and I also think Dr. Rahal sticking to 60cm2 on the first pass is a smart move for graft survivability, considering the rare case of failure and also for future planning etc.

 

In my case 60cm2 plus areas of my hairline are the areas which give me the most confidence and freedom with styling and look most like "real hair." Some were transplanted over multiple procedures and my temple corners done by Dr. Bisanga were done at 60cm2 in one shot. One small area just behind my hairline is certainly in the 45cm2 range and I need to have small touchup there maybe next year because thinking to cut my hair super short in the future.

 

Are you happy with your density? Looks great in pics btw. Or are you thinking to tweak it some time in the future?

[KO]

Lorenzo's clinic recently posted a "Coverage Value Tutorial" which answers your question taking into account hair caliber and FU/cm. It's interesting, looks like more clinics will start thinking like it.

[hsrp10]

Hey hsrp, what docs are willing to go to 70g/cm2 in the front these days? I'd be interested to know. My doc wouldn't let himself go any higher than 60g/cm2 on me.

 

Bet he'd let me come back for a 2nd round though. I think he was more discouraged about pushing 70g/cm2 all at once ((I.e one single procedure)

 

I was surprised to read this but according to this site's Dr. Bisanga page, Dr. Bisanga is another one.

Dr. Bisanga typically densely packs up to 70 follicular units per square centimetre (FU/cm2) when appropriate for the patient.

 

Surprising as his reputation is more on the conservative side.

Dr. Christian Bisanga*Hair Transplant Surgeon in*Brussels,*Belgium

[gillenator]

I think the key words to his statement of opinion are "when appropriate" for the patient.

[aWidowsPeek]

"when appropriate" = almost never haha

[hsrp10]

Lol probably true but he does get up to 60cm2 on occasion.

 

What is Nader's maximum transplanting density btw? Curious.

[MrGio-WHTCClinic]

Just curious, in terms of getting good density, how many grafts per cm2 would be needed?

 

Depends on the details: a young patient with straight, light brown hair of a medium fine caliber and fair skin can have the world in the average hands of doctors. Location of the recipient area, hair characteristics, and forehead shape would factor.

[aWidowsPeek]

hsrp10 i really have no idea lol.

[hsrp10]

That makes two of us and that's why I asked lol.

Ask him at your next procedure, there's not much information on him as we know.

[Ernie]

Just curious, in terms of getting good density, how many grafts per cm2 would be needed?

 

For me, a hair-greedy guy with fine straight hair? -- at least 60 grafts/cm2 in the very front.

 

Different for everybody though, and I agree with hsrp' post. Maybe do it in 2 passes