If you’re thinking of undergoing hair transplant surgery, you must have a lot of questions regarding the procedure. One of them involves the actual number of grafts that will give you a full crown of hair. This figure also plays a role in determining the cost of your restoration. Dr. Joseph Williams will perform a thorough evaluation of your hair loss pattern before answering this question.
Why You Need a Hair Loss Assessment?
This evaluation is necessary because it confirms the number of grafts that will achieve the required density. This figure depends on factors such as the extent of baldness and your hair thickness. The Norwood Scale helps Dr. Williams solve this question by assigning seven stages to male pattern baldness. Stage 1 shows minimal or zero hair loss, while stage 7 is the most severe form.
According to the Norwood Scale, stage 1 and 2 of hair loss don’t need hair transplant surgery. Although each patient’s needs are unique, hair experts have a way of estimating how many grafts you’ll need. They multiply your Norwood Scale number by 1000 to 1500 grafts. The actual figure depends on other individual factors.
Individual Factors That Affect Graft Count
After an initial estimate, Dr. Williams assesses some unique factors to determine a more accurate figure. They include:
- Hair Color
If there’s a sharp contrast between your hair color and that of your scalp, you’ll need more grafts. Lower skin to hair color contrast means fewer grafts will achieve the same desired look. Your hair color blends better with the skin so that sparse hair isn’t easily noticeable. Examples are dark hair on dark skin and blonde hair on Caucasians or other light skin individuals.
- Hair Thickness
The thicker your hair is, the fewer follicular units you have per square part of the scalp. You’ll therefore need fewer grafts during hair restoration compared to a person who has thinner hair.
- Hair Curliness
Since curly hair spreads over larger surface areas, it tends to appear denser then straight hair. It does a better job of covering the underlying skin. These features mean you’ll require fewer grafts during your hair transplant procedure.
Does The Type of Hair Restoration Influence Graft Count?
During a hair transplant, you might receive fewer grafts per square centimeter than your natural hair. Higher follicular density translates to lower chances of survival of the transplanted hair. Dr. Williams offers solutions that deliver the highest possible hair density with the best chances of survival. The two most popular hair transplant procedures are:
Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)
It transplants a strip of hair from a donor area. The graft count depends on how lax your scalp is, as well as the hair density in the donor area. If you have a more relaxed scalp, you can receive wider strips of hair, which translates to a higher graft count. While some people attempt to loosen their scalps manually and through medication, it only provides short term results.
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)
Unlike strip surgery, FUE transplants individual grafts. Since scalp laxity is not an issue, Dr. Williams can comfortably hit the recommended graft count without leaving scars on the donor area. FUE is the most effective of the two restoration procedures.
Let Your Hair Be Restored by the Best Cosmetic Surgeon in Nevada
At the Advanced Medical Hair Institute, we combine skill, experience, and the latest technology to give you the most natural result. Having conducted countless successful transplants, Dr. Joseph Williams understands the intricacies of various hair types. After a detailed assessment, he’ll create a customized treatment plan that will give you a thick head of hair in a few months. Please schedule a consultation today for more details. You can also call us at 888-357-0888.
