Donor Area Analysis

[HairEnthusiast101]

Who can I go to to get an in depth analysis about how much donor hair I have to give? I don’t live near any HT surgeons so didn’t know if Bosley or a doctor or something could tell me how much donor grafts I have available? Is it true if you have a certain number of donor grafts you can get HT earlier since you have more to last long term?

[JoeMan]

Post pictures on here and people can give you an idea. How old are you? Are you on medication? 

[NARMAK]

6 hours ago, JoeMan said:

Post pictures on here and people can give you an idea. How old are you? Are you on medication? 

As a guess, that works but i do think the way OP phrased it, he wants an in depth analysis to see hair calibre and how much miniaturised hair there are that could benefit from medication etc. 

I do wonder, that even though you might not go to these other hair transplant places for a procedure, maybe getting a free or reduced price consultation could answer some of those more technical burning questions. 

[JoeMan]

Missed the in depth part sorry. But I think people can at least tell if you have a strong donor if you post some pictures. 

[NARMAK]

12 hours ago, JoDimaggio22 said:

Who can I go to to get an in depth analysis about how much donor hair I have to give? I don’t live near any HT surgeons so didn’t know if Bosley or a doctor or something could tell me how much donor grafts I have available? Is it true if you have a certain number of donor grafts you can get HT earlier since you have more to last long term?

OP, i do apologise but i should have replied directly too and point out a slightly flawed part of what you said. 

Having "more grafts" is a luck of the draw if such a thing even exists. We all have a finite donor area but the difference is that depending on donor quality, some people are considered a poor candidate, some average, some good and extremely few may be considered an excellent candidate. Some of this depends on things we can try control like for example taking medication to block DHT with Finasteride. If genetically we're lucky and our hair loss isn't aggressive, then that DHT blocking will help good responders for many, many years to come. The main goals to slow or halt hair loss through blocking DHT. 

Usually a good candidate has a generally good donor area with no signs of retrograde alopecia around or thinning there as well as a usually higher calibre of hair in thickness rather than being more fine. 

Density is a tricky concern because some have average of 80 follicular units in a square CM but could be thin hair and it doesn't look as good as say somebody with the same number but thick hair follicles. 

Similarly a person with 100+ follicular units with fine hair might look as good as somebody with around 80 FUs but with thick hair. So that's why it's always called "Illusion of Density" when they try to match your native hair by following a rule of thumb around 50% of the original density. 

Medication will be your best weapon to hopefully slow and halt hairloss leading to less grafts needed for any hair transplant. On average we have 6K grafts and if possible, it wouldn't cover all your head if you went slick bald at whatever age to Norwood 7. So no, getting more grafts so you can get a hair transplant earlier isn't a thing. 

Being on medication, proving you slowed/stopped hair loss for a few years and being around 25+ would probably put you in a better position as being a good candidate with realistic expectations. 

[gillenator]

We all have a finite limited number of usable grafts for transplantation in our lifetimes...so, using the best hair loss medications along with employing a realistic restoration plan working within our limitations and resources is the best approach IMHO.

It is also considered critical and imperative to have the entire scalp including all donor areas microscopically examined in order to attain the most accurate assessment possible.

[gillenator]

Narmak, am sure enjoying some very thoughtful comments from you my friend!

[NARMAK]

54 minutes ago, gillenator said:

Narmak, am sure enjoying some very thoughtful comments from you my friend!

Thank you very much for the kind words. 

I'm simply but an eager learner with probably still a long way to go but i do have a passion of preserving my own hair and making it look as good as possible which probably helps

I want to try pay it along where i can and help others

[gillenator]

And you are doing a meaningful and thoughtful way of paying it forward!...😄