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Donor Supply

D

Donor Supply

Member
Whats the average donor supply of a person in the nw3-5 range? I regulary see patients where 3000 to 6000 grafts have been transplanted via strip and their donor area still looks extremely good. How many can be removed before the donor area begins to have a thinned out look? Just an average ballpoint figure as I know all patients differ somewhat.

Alternatively, what would the figure be via Fue?
 
Bigmac

Bigmac

Administrator
Staff member
I heard its roughly 10,000 grafts providing you have good hair characteristics and your hairloss is not progressing.
 
Nervousnelly

Nervousnelly

The Coolest Member
I think that the figure of 10,000 gets used regularly as a template but I figure that 8,000 is more realistic for the average person. There are always going to be exceptions ofcourse but to be on the safe side I would estimate a little lower.

NN
 
sl

sl

BHR Clinic Patient Advisor
Obviously the average donor is going to change dependent on the person's genre and hair characteristics, but we base an average density around the 75 follicular units per cm2 mark, 80 and above being good and 60 being poor and potentially not a candidate. Then there is the approx amount of hairs per FU, skin laxity to address also.

To max the number of grafts on most candidates it is best to go Strip first if the pattern of hair loss is high and a lot of grafts are needed. With good healing of the suture another Strip could then be taken, smaller than the first and then FUE at the same time or later, probably still leaving room for another smaller op or two with good planning and harvesting of the grafts.

If the density is very high then FUE can be used and continued to be used and still get a meaningful amount from a Strip later, so if the hair loss pattern is still relatively minimal and FUE is preferred under the circumstances then do smaller FUE sessions as long as the harvesting pattern is well thought out, this will minimise the density loss to the donor and enable a decent Strip if the pattern of loss increases dramatically in the future.

Over harvesting with either technique can be a problem, the skin laxity changes with every strip so the position of the suture is important, taking it in a safe area where even with aggressive hair loss it will not be visible, but also with FUE; over harvesting will thin the donor and leave it see through, and this could expose the suture line area or leave an unbalanced appearance of density around the donor if not harvested correctly.
 
M

mountinvan

Valued member
Lets assume average to above average density. How many strips of 2,000-2,500 do you think can safely taken. 3? Thanks.
 
sl

sl

BHR Clinic Patient Advisor
Hi mountinvan,

It's not really as simple as that because you have to look at the hair groupings, the laxity of the skin, there are many variables to think about. You have to question where each strip will be removed from, the length and width, would it be possible to remove the strips from different areas of the scalp or would it mean englobing each one, thus effecting the laxity more. Every time a linear cut is made, and dependent on the technique used by the doctor is it going to impair the skin healing and laxity, so this will have a knock on effect for future procedures, especially as the Strip safe zone is relatively limited in size, that is unless you start taking the strip from different angles and positions.

Multiple strips is obviously possibly but the amount that can be taken per strip over time is harder to assess. Also there is the question why do relatively small strips that will leave a linear scar when FUE is probably more suitable if around 2000 grafts is required, especially if the example has average to good density.

It may also be possible to utilise FUE and even leave a band of virgin scalp in the donor for later use of Strip if the hair loss progressed and required a larger procedure. This is possible with smaller FUE procedures and maybe worth doing with average density donor as it gives an uncorrupted Strip zone with original density.

This all comes down to planning from the first op and you and the doc being on the same page, obviously a personal consultation is had before, or at least very good educational dialogue between clinic and you to thrash out the possibilities prior to the day, and then on proper assessment the choices and reasons are already known and understood.

 
H

hairtech

member
According to one particular clinic there is 20,000 available grafts for transplant. This is rubish...
 
Bigmac

Bigmac

Administrator
Staff member
Hopefully people reading these type of topics will educate themselves enough to realise whats truthful and whats not.


 
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