What do graft numbers mean?

[jimbrann]

Hi all,

 

Thanks to all who helped with my questions.

 

I also wanted to ask what the graft numbers mean (cant seem to find the information).

 

Usually in the hair restoration results threads there is the following:

 

Single:

Double:

Triple:

Multiple:

Average number per graft:

 

What do these mean?

Is it single, double, triple etc. hair strands per graft?

[Shera]

Hi all,

 

Thanks to all who helped with my questions.

 

I also wanted to ask what the graft numbers mean (cant seem to find the information).

 

Usually in the hair restoration results threads there is the following:

 

Single:

Double:

Triple:

Multiple:

Average number per graft:

 

What do these mean?

Is it single, double, triple etc. hair strands per graft?

 

Yes, you are right in presuming it means hairs per graft, a single being 1 hair, a double meaning 2 and so on...

 

Therefore the 'average number per graft' is the number of total hairs divided by the number of grafts.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Shera,

 

Many of us hair transplant veterans take a lot for granted so when questions like this are asked, it's eye opening and reminds us that there are a lot of people who are still learning and that the explaining the basics is extremely important. Given this information and logic, you can apply this to the other terms.

 

A "graft" can mean many things in surgery but in hair transplantation, it refers to a grouping of hairs that's transplanted at a single time. The term "follicular unit graft" refers to hair groupings as they occur naturally in the scalp. For example, if you evaluate the scalp under magnification, you will see that hairs typically grow in groups of 1 to 4. Each group of hairs are referred to a follicular unit.

 

So to answer your question, when someone refers to a double, they are typically referring to a 2 haired follicular unit graft.

 

When people refer to the "average number per graft", they are typically referring to the average number of hairs in a follicular unit graft over the entire scalp. For instance, if you understand averages, you would count all the singles, doubles, triples, quadruples and "multiples" if there are greater than 4 haired follicular units, do the necessary math and then find out the average number of follicular unit grafts each patient has. Overall, it's said that the average number of follicular unit grafts is approximate 2.1 to 2.2 across the board.

 

Here's some more info for you.

 

The average human scalp has approximately 100,000 hairs or approximately 45454 follicular units. Approximately 50,000 hairs 22,727 follicular units make up the Norwood 5A recipient area. It takes an average of 50% of original density to obtain an adequate "illusion of density" so that there is no obvious signs of balding. This number would be 25,000 hairs or 11,363 grafts (follicular units).

 

Thus, in order for a Norwood 5A to obtain 50% density across the entire recipient area and show no obvious signs of balding, they'd require just over 11,000 grafts.

 

Now there are other factors than density that aids the appearance and naturalness of a hair transplant. Since most Norwood 5A patients don't have the donor to harvest over 11,000 grafts, grafts are strategically placed in such a way to maximize the appearance of density and naturallness.

 

Hopefully this information will help you in your research.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[jimbrann]

Hi Shera, Bill.

 

Amazing, I honestly was not expecting such thorough answers! Thank you both, especially Bill. I am glad to have registered with this community.

 

When people refer to the "average number per graft", they are typically referring to the average number of hairs in a follicular unit graft over the entire scalp. For instance, if you understand averages, you would count all the singles, doubles, triples, quadruples and "multiples" if there are greater than 4 haired follicular units, do the necessary math and then find out the average number of follicular unit grafts each patient has. Overall, it's said that the average number of follicular unit grafts is approximate 2.1 to 2.2 across the board.

Does this mean then when going in for a HT, the clinic will examine your entire scalp to gauge how many total follicular unit grafts you have (i.e. count up all of the single, double, triple, quadruple etc. haired follicular unit grafts as a total number) and divide that by how many grafts you have; which means its not possible to understand your average number unless the clinic examines the entirety of your head?

 

The average human scalp has approximately 100,000 hairs or approximately 45454 follicular units. Approximately 50,000 hairs 22,727 follicular units make up the Norwood 5A recipient area. It takes an average of 50% of original density to obtain an adequate "illusion of density" so that there is no obvious signs of balding. This number would be 25,000 hairs or 11,363 grafts (follicular units).

 

Thus, in order for a Norwood 5A to obtain 50% density across the entire recipient area and show no obvious signs of balding, they'd require just over 11,000 grafts.

Thank you very much for the insight. Similar to the previous question, does this means that the clinic and HT surgeon can determine with accuracy how much available donor grafts you have as well (and more accurately, the numbers of single, double, triple, quadruple etc. haired follicular units), in addition to how many grafts and specific haired units your head has overall?

[Shera]

Hi Jim,

 

That's a great explanation provided by Bill.

 

In my experience, most patients will fall approximately within 10% either way of the 2.2 average hairs per graft quoted by Bill. There has been no need for my affiliated clinic to go to the lengths you describe to determine an exact average. Therefore it is probably safe to assume you will fall within this average category.

 

Some clinics do use Apps such as the IPad App, 'Graft Calculator' to measure the total number of hairs per graft placed in different zones of the scalp during surgery and provide you with fancy charts to represent these figures post surgery. Other clinics will provide you with a more straightforward graft breakdown as described in your first post.

 

I've not come across any machine/software that will determine the exact amount of singles, doubles, trebles etc, for the whole scalp; I suppose there's not really been a demand for such a contraption.

 

A good doctor should be able to provide a good estimate of each patients available grafts during consultation or by viewing good quality pics.

 

Personally, I don't think any contraption is needed here either, just the doctors knowledge and experience should suffice in order to get the accurate estimated figure needed to help devise an individual surgery plan.

 

Also there is a difference between FUT and FUE, without going into a debate, FUE does allow the surgeon to possibly select more multi-hair grafts subject to availability.