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Are Higher Hair Densities Superior with Hair Transplantation?- Monday, November 05, 2007

Many hair loss sufferers seeking hair transplantation surgery as a hair loss treatment typically ask the following question: "What is the highest density in follicular units per square cm that can be achieved with a hair transplant?"

Though it is certainly a valid question, the answer to this question could be potentially problematic and lead to a number of false assumptions about hair density. 

Listed below are some of the false assumptions that a hair transplant patient typically makes when receiving their answer.

• False Assumption 1:  If a hair transplant doctor can achieve 80 follicular unit grafts per square cm, that must mean, I can expect to achieve this.
• False Assumption 2:  All patients, no matter what their level of hair loss can expect to achieve the highest possible level of density.
• False Assumption 3: Patients who receive lower levels of hair density must have received a sub-par hair transplant. The hair restoration physician therefore must not be as adequate as those hair transplant physicians who deliver higher density hair transplants.
• False Assumption 4:  Hair transplant clinics that report that they can achieve higher levels of density must be better hair transplant doctors.

All of the above are false assumptions - however in particular cases, they may be true. The question a seeking hair transplant patient may be asking is: "In what cases are the above true, and in what cases are they false?" In order to answer this question, I've listed below some of the things one must understand about hair transplantation and hair density.

Hair density is typically measured in follicular unit grafts per square cm.  Since follicular units contain 1s, 2s, 3s, and 4 haired grafts, the appearance of hair density will vary depending on how many hairs are contained in each follicular unit graft.  That means it is possible that 40 FU grafts/square cm containing mostly 2 hair grafts will appear more dense than 60 FU grafts/square cm containing mostly 1 hair grafts.

For patients with higher levels of hair loss, one cannot achieve both high densities and full coverage.  One will have to be sacrificed to achieve the other since the donor supply is finite.  Therefore a patient measured higher on the norwood scale (typically used to measure hair loss in men) or the ludwig scale (typically used to measure hair loss in women) may choose hair coverage over hair density.   That being said, a particular hair transplant clinic therefore may very well be able to deliver the highest possible level of hair density in a single hair transplant session, but you the hair restoration patient may not receive a satisfactory hair transplant due to the lack of hair coverage. Some hair transplant patients are simply not elligible for higher density hair transplants because their hair would look unnatural.

In my opinion, older hair transplant patients with lower levels of hair loss are ideal hair transplant patient to receive super high density hair transplants.  Younger hair transplant patients with minimal hair loss are typically not good candidates for higher density sessions due to unpredictable nature and additional risks of further hair loss. With a finite donor supply, the hair restoration doctor and hair transplant patient must work together to form a long term game plan that will be in the best interest of the hair loss sufferer. Older hair transplant patients with higher levels of hair loss would look unnatural with densely packed transplanted hair leaving the patient with and unnatural balding pattern.

All quality hair transplant physicians who offer ultra refined follicular unit grafting, can achieve high level of densities when appropriate for the hair transplant patient, up to approximately 80 follicular unit grafts per square cm. I believe however, that hair transplant patients shouldn’t get too hung up on the numbers.  Whereas higher numbers sound ultra-impressive - it doesn’t signify a superior hair transplant.  Instead, work with a quality hair transplant physician to determine the best course of action for you to meet your long term hair restoration goals.