Thoughts on donor

[MisterBreakfast]

Hey folks- I was wondering what you think of my donor.  I've had it evaluated, and I have approximately 80-85 FU / cm and about 2.6 hairs per FU, so 200+ hairs per cm2.  Statistically, I've seen people with these numbers get incredible results.  He also estimated that I need about 5000 grafts (over 2 sessions).  (I'd like to do a large FUT first, then save an FUE for later if I need it.)  I'm 37 and haven't had additional loss since my mid 20s.

 

I was having my hair looked at by a surgeon, and he said my donor is pretty thick, at least average, but probably above.  I can see my back looks pretty thick in these photos, but my sides kinda look average, or maybe thin? 

 

I wanted to ask for some input, because I don't know if my skin / hair contrast is throwing me off, or if maybe some of my grey hairs are making it look a little less dense.  Hell maybe my hair was a bit dirty in these pics and clumped up. What do you think? I wanted some input to balance out the surgeon since they are all financially motivated at the end of the day.

 

1st Pic Donor Profile (this is the one I don't think looks as dense)

2nd Pic Donor Back (looks thick enough)

3rd pic Recipient.

 

 

 

Edited September 12, 2022 by MisterBreakfast

[HairEnthusiast101]

2 questions. So where your hair is now it has been stabilized wether due to medication or genetics like this since your mid 20s? Finally just wanted to make sure your surgeon is of high quality hopefully? In my opinion your donor looks very dense. Of course no one knows the specifics but I think you have plenty of grafts to fill in your loss. If I had to guess based off photos and not doing the math then somewhere in the neighborhood of 7k-8k available but could be less some too. Either way it looks good to me and to hear you’ve been stable for over a decade is also great.

[MisterBreakfast]

6 minutes ago, JoDimaggio22 said:

2 questions. So where your hair is now it has been stabilized wether due to medication or genetics like this since your mid 20s? Finally just wanted to make sure your surgeon is of high quality hopefully? In my opinion your donor looks very dense. Of course no one knows the specifics but I think you have plenty of grafts to fill in your loss. If I had to guess based off photos and not doing the math then somewhere in the neighborhood of 7k-8k available but could be less some too. Either way it looks good to me and to hear you’ve been stable for over a decade is also great.

I started medication within the last 8 months (dutasteride and minoxidil), but my hair loss stabilized by itself in my late 20s.  

I'm looking at H&W for my FUT, since they (in my opinion), have the most reliable results for FUT scaring, and have the capacity for larger sessions. FUE wise I have not decided yet.  That will likely be a few years from now (depending on how far the FUT can cover grafts wise).  I'm hoping to leave my vertex untouched, and get by as a NW3 vertex after FUT.

Another reason I consider FUT is i have a gigantic head. Like huge.  It's almost 40 cm from temple to temple.  I'm hoping to use this to my advantage.  

[HairEnthusiast101]

Just now, MisterBreakfast said:

I started medication within the last 8 months (dutasteride and minoxidil), but my hair loss stabilized by itself in my late 20s.  

I'm looking at H&W for my FUT, since they (in my opinion), have the most reliable results for FUT scaring, and have the capacity for larger sessions. FUE wise I have not decided yet.  That will likely be a few years from now (depending on how far the FUT can cover grafts wise).  I'm hoping to leave my vertex untouched, and get by as a NW3 vertex after FUT.

Another reason I consider FUT is i have a gigantic head. Like huge.  It's almost 40 cm from temple to temple.  I'm hoping to use this to my advantage.  

Oh wow. Great to hear H&W. They will be great. Crazy your hair loss stabilized even before use of meds. The meds I’m sure will continue to improve everything. I’d say the route you are taking is very wise. It is clear you have done your research. To me your donor looks incredible. The area you brought up as either thinning or gray hairs I assumed where gray hairs but if you look at the photo of the back of your head that is very very dense donor. Reminds me of many individuals on here who have had gigassesions. I agree fut will maximize your lifetime grafts so I will be very interested to follow this journey. I think you will have impeccable results when said and done. Your head doesn’t look that big in the photos of anything longer/skinner but probably a lot different in person.

[HairEnthusiast101]

Will you be doing temple work or primarily hairline?

[civic]

Donor looks great!  5k grafts sounds right on pont for such patern.

[Melvin- Admin]

Donor looks good, though you do have diffuse hair. That hair is liable to be lost in time. Assume you will be a Norwood 6 and plan accordingly. 

[MisterBreakfast]

4 minutes ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

Donor looks good, though you do have diffuse hair. That hair is liable to be lost in time. Assume you will be a Norwood 6 and plan accordingly. 

Thanks Melvin!

 

57 minutes ago, JoDimaggio22 said:

Will you be doing temple work or primarily hairline?

Not planning to have temple work.  I think at my age, my temples are more or less at an OK position, and I'd like to avoid the situation where you have to chase them over the years.

 

[Hairy Henderson]

10 hours ago, MisterBreakfast said:

I started medication within the last 8 months (dutasteride and minoxidil), but my hair loss stabilized by itself in my late 20s.  

I'm looking at H&W for my FUT, since they (in my opinion), have the most reliable results for FUT scaring, and have the capacity for larger sessions. FUE wise I have not decided yet.  That will likely be a few years from now (depending on how far the FUT can cover grafts wise).  I'm hoping to leave my vertex untouched, and get by as a NW3 vertex after FUT.

Another reason I consider FUT is i have a gigantic head. Like huge.  It's almost 40 cm from temple to temple.  I'm hoping to use this to my advantage.  

How are you measuring the temple to temple for 40 CMs?  You take a string and run it straight across (over the eyebrows) and you got 40?

[Hair4Days]

You wouldn’t measure it from temple to temple to calculate surface area of your recipient zone. Chances are your hairline design would have some sort of conservative curvature lessening the surface area within your frontal third versus going straight across like that. 
 

also, if you’re saying you have 80-85 fu/sq cm AND you have a big head, these seem like two golden reasons to do Fue lol.. but yeah, i guess if you’re going for a reliable fut scar, h&w. Not many options nowadays due to it becoming less desirable. 

[Hair4Days]

2 minutes ago, Hair4Days said:

Or bloxham- he’s pro fut

 

Edited September 13, 2022 by Hair4Days

[MisterBreakfast]

1 hour ago, Calihome1 said:

How are you measuring the temple to temple for 40 CMs?  You take a string and run it straight across (over the eyebrows) and you got 40?

Around the back of the head. From the middle part of my temple point to the other.  I just measured it sitting down it's actually 48cm.

 

(I know the strips can't be that long, I'm just mentioning it for reference.)