Factors that determine the number of hair grafts needed for a hair transplant procedure?

When potential hair transplant patients approach professionals, one of the first few questions on their minds is how many hair grafts are needed for the hair transplant procedure. There is no predetermined answer to this because the amount of hair grafts required depends on several factors and will vary from person to person. Therefore, an adequate response to this question can only be determined unless a licensed hair surgeon has evaluated the patient's hair type and hair density in the donor area.

What are hair grafts?

It is important to understand hair grafts and what they are before your transplant procedure. Interestingly, hair always grows in groups of one, two, three, or four strands, varying from person to person. These groups are known as grafts, which differ from individual sections of hair.

How many strand transplants can be done in one hair transplant session?

Hair grafts are taken from the donor area, usually at the back of the head. Around four thousand grafts can be applied in one hair transplant session using the FUT procedure. In FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction), approximately two thousand grafts can be applied in a single session. Each hair graft typically consists of 2 hairs, equivalent to about 4,000 hair follicles by the FUU method and 8,000 strands of hair by the FUT method.

The area from where the hair follicles are to be taken out may not have enough hair grafts for the transplant procedure for some patients. Therefore, it is essential to consult a hair surgeon who has a detailed look at your hair and make sure that he has enough grafts to extract and transplant.

How many hair grafts will I need?

As mentioned above, a surgeon will first need to look at your hair loss and a few other factors before determining the number of hair follicles required, which will help you have a successful hair transplant procedure. The number of hair grafts you will need will depend on the following factors:

The size of the balding patch: The number of hair grafts required largely depends on the size of the bald area that the patient needs to be covered. The larger the site, the greater the number of grafts needed.

Hair thinning: Your hair type and how thin your hair is can determine the number of grafts needed to make your hairline look natural. Hair loss is progressive and cannot be cured entirely. Therefore, hair restoration procedures should consider the current and future extent of hair thinning for best results.

Quality of hair in the donor area: Hair grafts are removed from the donor area, usually at the back of the head, and transplanted to the bald area. Therefore, considering the quality and quantity of the donor area's hair is an essential factor. For example, if your donor area hair is thick, the number of grafts required may be less.

The type of hair restoration surgery chosen.

As previously mentioned, the maximum number of grafts that can be transplanted via FUT is 4,000, while through FUE, a maximum of 2,000 grafts can be transplanted. Therefore, the hair transplant technique you choose is vital in determining the number of grafts needed.