Aproximately how many grafts will I need? (Photo)

Question

Hello, I am 25 years old and have beben slowly receding from my temples since I Was 18. I want to know IF I am the right age to get a FUE transplant or should I wait a couple of years, also I want to know how many grafts do I need in my current state (nw2 I think) to have a straight hairline. Thanks you. Best regards

Ken Anderson, MD, FISHRS · Answer

Dear Luiswww,Thank you for writing in with your question.  One of the things to keep in mind when looking to restore your hair is that there are non-surgical options to address hair loss, that generally work best to actually regrow hair in areas that are lost in young men like yourself.  It may be worth spending 12 months using these therapies prior to a hair restoration.  Things like low level laser therapy (LLLT), platelet-rich plasma with ACell (PRP with ACell) and finasteride can be effective in both slowing the rate of hair loss, and in some cases, especially in patients under the age of about 35, the miniaturization process that results from male pattern hair loss can appear to be reversed, and the hair can literally grow back and become thicker.That being said, it when approaching hair loss in a man your age, prevention must be a part of the picture.  Hair loss is like tooth decay in that it’s progressive.  A hair restoration surgery will fill in lost areas, but does nothing to prevent the further recession and hair loss in the future.  It would not make sense to undergo a hair restoration surgery and not think about slowing down or halting the progression of the hair loss, or else you’re setting yourself up for many more surgeries in your lifetime than is needed.  You’re only 25, and you have decades of living to enjoy, and decades of hair loss to endure.  Today I performed a surgery on a person who has had 6 previous surgeries.  That’s a lot of hair restoration surgery.  Hair is a finite resource; you’re born with roughly 100,000 hair follicles, and like fingers, you’re not going to grow any more.  Any regrowth that appears to take place with conservative, non-surgical measures is really just a rejuvenation of the existing hair follicles on your scalp.  The non-surgical treatments are not as important for older patients.  For instance, if you were 65 years old with this same hair loss pattern, then the emphasis on prevention would not be as important, as typically there are not decades and decades of life left to live, and so it is relatively less important.  Your youth dictates an increased importance on engaging with one or more therapies to slow down the progression of hair loss.  Keep in mind that there is no cure for hair loss, and so using more than one therapy to try to slow the loss is indicated, as the different therapies work by different mechanisms, and they are complementary to each other. In terms of your original question about the number of grafts, that would depend on how much you’d like to lower your hairline in the areas of loss, which would require a virtual or in-person consultation with an expert.  Somewhere in the range of 600 to 1200 grafts is indicated, in my opinion.  I hope this information is helpful to you.

Jae Pak, MD · Answer

How many grafts you may need depends on YOUR goals.  You need an examination by a doctor for a clear diagnosis or understanding of possible future hair loss.  You also need to have a clear goal of how low and how dense you want your hair to look like.  What does a straight hair line mean? These are the basic information you and your doctor need to figure out if your goals are achievable.  You can get an estimate based on the aforementioned factors.

Toby Mayer, MD · Answer

If I were you I would wait a few years before starting. In the past 35 years I've seen many patients like you who have had grafts placed only to end up with not enough hair to finish the job. See a very experienced surgeon and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different ways of fixing your problem besides hair transplants.

Michael Wolfeld, MD · Answer

It is best to wait until you are at least a few years older
prior to undergoing a hair transplant procedure.  This will give your physician a better
understanding of your hair loss pattern, and ultimately, will give you a better
outcome.  At this time, medical treatment
is preferred to maintain and thicken your existing hair. You should discuss the
medical options with your local physician.

Jeff Donovan, MD, PhD · Answer

At 25 and taking into account your current hairline, you're probably not a great candidate for surgery. Medical options are critical to consider. A flat hairline is rarely every a goal to aim for. It's important to sit down with a hair restoration physician to understand the various medical options including minoxidil, finasteride, laser and PRP.Together with your doctor plan out the next 75 years of your hair - taking into account best case scenarios and worst case scenarios. You'll quickly come to see that adjusting your hairline right now is probably not a good idea.

Aproximately how many grafts will I need? (Photo)

Answers (9)

Answer: Appropriate Age for a Hair Transplant

Answer: Appropriate Age for a Hair Transplant

Answer: Hair loss at 25

Answer: Hair loss at 25

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about FUE Hair Transplant

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.

Aproximately how many grafts will I need? (Photo)

Answers (9)

Answer: Appropriate Age for a Hair Transplant

Answer: Appropriate Age for a Hair Transplant

Answer: Hair loss at 25

Answer: Hair loss at 25

Browse related questions

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about FUE Hair Transplant

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.