HOW MANY HAIRS DO I NEED?

People often neglect the hair loss at an early stage thinking of self resolution but regret at later stages when it becomes noticeable. Hair loss extend vary from individual to individual depending on the various stages of baldness. The extent of hair loss could be most commonly assessed by Norwood’s classification. 

How many hairs do I need?

People often have doubts that how many hairs would be required for their kind of baldness. The justifiable answer to this question could be sorted only after a primary consultation as it depends on many factors which can only be decided by the hair transplant surgeon. During the primary consultation, multiple things are been examined by the surgeon based on what judicious assessment of number of hairs required are decided to deliver best possible natural results as per your extent of baldness.

The factors which led to conclusion of number of requirement of hair follicles for hair restoration are as follows:

1. Extent of bald area: The number of grafts will increase to cover a larger bald area as compared to initial stage cases. Norwood class VI and VII are advanced cases and involves the requirement of more than 4000 grafts.
2. Density of donor area: The density of donor area is also assesses to calculate how much hair could be extracted from that area without depleting the excess density, over harvesting or violating the safe donor area.
3. Quality of hair: If the hair in donor area is thick, lesser number of grafts could fulfill the requirement of same recipient area as larger number would be required if the hair in the donor area is thin. 
4. Male pattern baldness: In cases of progressive hair loss, number of grafts extracted should be decided judiciously as further sittings of hair transplant could be required. If maximum number of graft will be extracted in first sitting further grafts harvesting in future sittings will lead to depletion of density in donor area.
5. Age of the patient: If the baldness appears at younger age it is always better to preserve follicular grafts for future sittings as hair loss would be usually progressive and need future sittings for hair loss. Hence, the decision of extraction of number of grafts should be made judiciously.
6. Clinical expertise: Number of grafts extraction for same bald area also varies from clinic to clinic. As decision depends on expertise of clinician because it affects the survival rates of grafts majorly. An expert surgeon tends to deliver better survival rate of grafts and least damage to follicles. Hence, inexperienced surgeons extract more numbers of grafts in advance so as to overcome the wastage of damaged grafts by them. Hence, it is of utmost importance to choose an expert surgeon as every follicular graft could be precious for your hair loss presently and for future as well.
7. Patient’s expectation: Although nothing can be done for patient’s unrealistic expectations but if relevant expectations require relatively larger number of grafts it could be extracted from the donor area. But an expert surgeon only can judiciously identify the outcomes prior as overharvesting could lead to depletion of density at donor area and worsening of final results.

Dr Suneet Soni, founder of Medispa centre believes in delivering genuine suggestions in the best interest of patient and judiciously decides the number of grafts for delivering best possible hair transplant results. His farsighted approach not only delivers the best possible hair transplant results in first sitting but also benefits the patient for future sittings if required. He is also well known for his expertise in graft harvesting with least damage rate of <1%.