Is it Better to Have More Hairs or Grafts Transplanted in Hair Transplantation?
I would like to know the difference between the number of [tag]follicular unit graft[/tag] and number of [tag]hairs transplanted[/tag]. For example: if a [tag]hair transplant patient[/tag] had 2700 follicular unit grafts transplanted which amounted to 7900 hairs, did he get a better deal than [tag]hair transplant[/tag] patient who received 3250 grafts with only 6800 hairs?
A follicular unit graft is a bundle of hairs that can contain up to 4 and even 5 hairs as they grow naturally in the scalp. An individual’s hair characteristics will ultimately determine how many 1, 2, 3, 4, and very rare 5 [tag]hair grafts[/tag] are available for extraction.
The number of hairs per follicular unit graft will vary on a number of things including how the follicular units are cut.
- Some [tag]hair restoration physicians[/tag] will occasionally subdivide a follicular unit graft to create additional single hairs for the hairline to create a more natural look. This is a perfectly acceptable approach but will ultimately impact the number of counted grafts – though some hair restoration clinics adhere to the original follicular unit graft count before any splitting, therefore, charging less than those who count the subdivided follicular unit grafts as a separate hair graft.
- There are some [tag]hair restoration[/tag] physicians who will regularly sub-divide follicular unit grafts creating a greater number of grafts but with a similar number of hairs than someone with fewer grafts would have. In my opinioin, the primary problem with this approach is pricing. Typically [tag]hair transplant clinics[/tag] who regularly subdivide grafts as part of their standard practice will charge you for each subdivided graft rather than each true follicular unit graft. It may even look good because a “discounted” price may be offered for the sub-divided hair graft but one might end up paying more than someone paying more money per graft for true follicular unit transplantation. There is no indication that sub-dividing follicular unit grafts on a regular basis will produce a more natural result than true [tag]follicular unit grafting[/tag].
- [tag]Hair characteristics[/tag] play a significant role in how many hairs will be produced per graft on average. This is out of the [tag]hair transplant doctor[/tag]’s control. Naturally some hair transplant patients will have a greater number of 3 and 4 haired follicular unit grafts than others. Some hair transplant patients won’t have any 4 haired follicular unit grafts.
The most important factor however, in ensuring you receive a quality hair transplant is selecting the right hair restoration physician. Our coalition hair restoration physicians have a proven track record of providing [tag]state of the art hair transplantation[/tag]. Our Hair Restoration Discussion Forum is a powerful research tool with over 5 years of patient provided [tag]hair transplant photos[/tag] and experiences.
Bill
Associate Publisher