so what is a realistic result?

[Judge Holden]

I got to thinking about me not being completely satisfied with my HT and was wondering if my expectations were too high? I mean I wasn't expecting to look like Ronald Reagan or anything but is it not possible for a norwood 3 to get a look similar to that of a oh I don't know, chris martin from coldplay? Could this be achieved with another procedure?

[Judge Holden]

I got to thinking about me not being completely satisfied with my HT and was wondering if my expectations were too high? I mean I wasn't expecting to look like Ronald Reagan or anything but is it not possible for a norwood 3 to get a look similar to that of a oh I don't know, chris martin from coldplay? Could this be achieved with another procedure?

[Atomic]

Hey Judge,

 

What is impossible is for a surgeon to be able to mimic the density that nature gives you.

 

Even with multiple procedures.

 

So yes maybe your expectations are to high.

 

Atomic

[aska]

disagree.. It depends on your hair loss size.

I mean... a NW2 can have fully density from a HT.

Dr. Rahal, is an example. It takes many grafts, but can be done.

[hair_care]

Did Dr Rahal have a HT?

[chantal]

no

[Dewayne]

Personally, I'm very satisfied with my ht. Although I wish I would have chosen to get 1,000 more or so, but I'm miles ahead of where I was.

 

I would advise giving your transplant time to mature though. For me, I've noticed quite a change even from 12 - 15 months.

[aska]

Originally posted by hair_care:

Did Dr Rahal have a HT?

 

No but he has a lot of agressive transplants. When he grafts 3000 or more in the first 1/3.

In those cases the natural density can be restored sometimes.

[Atomic]

No but he has a lot of agressive transplants. When he grafts 3000 or more in the first 1/3.

In those cases the natural density can be restored sometimes.

 

I think any doctor on here will tell you that natural density cannot be restored.

[aska]

Look at this

 

http://hair-restoration-info.c...21087683/m/827105491

 

And this may not be his natural density, but i bet it's pretty close.

 

http://hair-restoration-info.c...21087683/m/667103552

[Bill - Seemiller]

Judge Holden,

 

What can be accomplished with hair transplant surgery is different for each patient. The phrase "illusion of density" is thrown out a lot to illustrate that though many hair transplants can look full and dense, they're typically not going to be as thick as your natural hair prior to any hair loss. Thus, transplanting hair as closely together without sacrificing coverage may create an optical illusion of density, but under certain lighting and at various angles, it may appear see through.

 

It usually takes about 50% of your original density in order to achieve an adequate illusion of density with surgical hair restoration. Those with larger areas of baldness will never be able to achieve both full coverage and enough density to portray a the illusion of a full head of hair.

 

The patient with a higher number of grafts in itself doesn't necessarily produce the best looking result. What can be realistically accomplished depends on the area of baldness to be covered, available donor hair, hair characteristics, and placement of the grafts.

 

Chris Martin from Coldplay seems to have a pretty thick head of hair as far as I can tell. Assuming you want "true density" (no thinning on top) as he appears to have, it would take a great number of grafts on a Norwood 3 to accomplish true density.

 

Let's talk about sheer numbers for a minute apart from the other qualities that make for an optimal hair transplant result.

 

The average head has approximately 100,000 hair follicles, approximately 50,000 of which fill the top of the head in the norwood 5 region. Since the average number of hairs per graft is approximately 2.2, a Norwood 5 patient would need approxomately 23,000 grafts to achieve true density, a number well beyond donor availability. To achieve an adequate uniform illusion, the patient would require approximately 11,500 grafts, a number achievable by a select few. Most physicians don't spread the grafts out uniformly, but place most of the grafts strategically in the front and taper off as they go back. This allows for a thicker head of hair in the front and a natural fade into the back, much like male pattern baldness typically progresses. The goal is to usually bring the patient up a few norwood levels.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Bill

[TheEmperor]

Bill response is right on.

 

I am also somewhat dissatisfied with the density, and I think much of it has to do with hair shaft diameter. The guys that get amazing rsults have thick hairs.

 

A fine head hair on a northern european patient, may have 1/5th the density of a coarse body hair. That means it might take 5x as many hairs to achieve same density as a patient whose head hairs are THICK.

 

Look at women. Some women have thick luxurious MOPS of hair. Each hair is very substantial. Other fine haired women struggle to achieve certain hairstyles because their hair is so fine (even young women without loss).

 

So it really comes down to hair quality and area to be covered.

 

Using Billero's math, I received about 9K hairs which would be one fifth the hairs I had on top as a teenager. I am now a NW5.

 

So I have 1/5th the hairs I had before. I do not look bald, I am out of the bald stigma group and look more youthful, but Im not going to lie and say that the hair looks "good". Although there are tranplant patients who do look good. Some of those guys with smaller heads, thick hairs, and high graft numbers get very impressive results.

 

Just not everyone.