Do I have enough donor area for 6000 grafts? (Photos)

Question

I'd like to receive professional opinion on my case, and there are many pro's helping on this wonderful website. So, I had a FUE transplant done that failed previously, and had I known what I do now I would've asked if the surgeon could handle curly hair. Long story short, I've lost 2100 grafts on a FUE transplant that did absolutely nothing besides giving me scars. Can I jump on the horse and try again, or should I throw in the towel? Many thanks for the insight you provide beforehand!

Jae Pak, MD · Answer

I'm assuming from your photos that you are African American.  The thing to remember with hair transplants is that we all have a finite amount of donor hair.  Asians and African Americans are born with fewer hair follicles than caucasians.  Therefore, the donor hair supply is much less and every hair graft is more precious.  Not all surgeons have the same level of experience with different types of hair. Unfortunately for you, you seem to have lost those 2,100 grafts.There are a two options for you:1-Do some research and book a consultation with a different hair transplant doctor to get his opinion on if you have enough donor hair left for another surgery that will yield positive results for you and not positive results for his bank account.2-If you do not have enough donor hair supply for a satisfactory hair transplant, then you may want to consider the "bald" option and shave your head.  As for the scars from your surgery, you should consider Scalp MicroPigmentation as a form of permanent concealer.  SMP is a medical-grade tattoo that mimics short cut hairs or a shaved head.  Don't go see a tattoo artist because his needles are not fine enough to perform the procedure correctly.  Google SMP or Scalp MicroPigmentation and learn more for yourself.Best of luck.

David Deutsch, MD · Answer

It is difficult to estimate your donor area based on your photos but 6000 grafts is an incredibly large number.If you have already had 2100 grafts harvested it is likely there are only a few thousand left.I would strongly recommend an in person consultation with an experienced Hair Restoration surgeon.

Baubac Hayatdavoudi, MD · Answer

You most likely have enough scalp donor for another procedure for the frontal region, then if you have sufficient body hair you could do a 2nd procedure for your crown with beard, chest and back hair for light to moderate coverage.Be careful to choose your next surgeon carefully as your donor region is limited.A great first step would be an online consultation. Often you can submit photos to top hair restoration surgeons for a complimentary evaluation and assessment. This should help lead you in the right direction. Having multiple consultations with different doctors will let you know your best options.

Amit Gupta, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

Thank you for asking this question.
It is very unfortunate to hear about the bad experience. Also the picture which you have sent is not very clear to access the exact density of the hair at the back of the scalp. Although with the pictures that you have sent we fell that you very low density and curly hair. 6000 grafts is a very huge number to even transplant in a person who have got very good density in one single session. Nevertheless, in your case it is unlikely that you can donate much to make any difference. Hence, we feel it won’t be of any use to opt for a hair restoration program unless you go for combination of hairline making with the patch.
  
Good luck!
  
Regards, Dr. Amit Gupta

Cory Torgerson, MD, PhD, FRCSC - Account Suspended · Answer

It is highly unlikely that you will have 6000 hairs available in the donor area. Most people only start with that amount to harvest safely without making the donor area look thin. If you have already had 2100 grafts taken, it is more likely that you may have at the very most 4000 grafts. I would recommend that you seek an in person consultation with a reputable hair transplant doctor and get a proper assessment. You definitely still have some options available so don't "throw in the towel" yet.

William Rassman, MD (retired) · Answer

To find out if you can have 6000 grafts, look at the web reference which has an article that allows everyone to calculate the maximinum number of FUE grafts you can get. On the surface, your photos looks like you have a low donor density but a measurement is critical. If you do not adhere to this formulae, you will develop a balding donor area

Do I have enough donor area for 6000 grafts? (Photos)

Answers (6)

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