Is my donor area too small to have a hair transplant? (photos)

If you are looking for a second or third opinion on if you would be a candidate for surgery it would be best to see a doctor in person. Photos cannot assess your donor hair.

Thank you for your question.  You would be a good candidate for FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) involves removing healthy hair follicles directly from a donor area on the scalp (usually at the back of the head where the hair is plentiful) and grafting them onto the bald or thinning areas.  The procedure is performed under local anaesthetic, and can take between 12-18 months to see the final results.
Please make sure you find a reputable and qualified plastic surgeon who can assess you properly to give you a realistic idea of what outcome you can achieve.  All The Best 

Without seeing you in person it's impossible to give you an exact answer. However based on the pictures I would say the two opinions you got seem like they are about correct- if you could have a transplant, it likely would only be with a few thousand grafts and it wouldn't be enough for a full head of hair.

Your donor area does appear limited.  You should be a candidate for a conservative procedure, focusing on the front/hairline area and perhaps onto the top of the scalp, but not into the crown.
You should also discuss with your surgeon ways to prevent further hair loss and to maintain your hair. such as laser, finasteride (Propecia), platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and minoxidil (Rogaine). 

The average person can have 6,000 – 8,000 grafts safely harvested without the donor region appearing thinner or over harvested. Once those grafts are used then you have the additional option to use body hair such as beard, chest and back hair for additional density and coverage. 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. 

Thanks for posting your question and concern. I agree with your thought that you do not appear to have enough donor hair to cover the entire head. Though it would be ideal to meet you in person, from the photos your hairline speaks to me. I see reinforcing and defining your hairline as a major goal at this time.  Mostly, people see you face on and having a defined hairline will be very meaningful for you. I would consider having a focused transplant to improve your hairline. Best of luck from NYC,Dr. Paul

It all depends on your goals and expectations. A face to face evaluation is best, but based on your photos, you could be a candidate for FUT (strip) procedure, to improve the hairline and front/top areas. Trying to cover the whole pattern might result in too light a coverage, and a "diffuse balding look". Adding PRP to the transplant procedure might improve the overall results. Depending on your hair density in the donor zone, you could consider having a second procedure in 1 year to improve coverage in the top/back and crown. Again it all depends on your goals and on realistic expectations. 

The 'success' of a hair transplant depends on a patient's expectations of the results. Suitability cannot be judged just from a photograph but needs a face to face consultation with an experienced hair transplant surgeon. Determining the 'safe' donor zone, both current and future, is critical and this needs to take into account age, family history, age of onset of hair loss, rate of progression, as well as a detailed examination of the scalp.Patients with a low donor:recipient ratio will often achieve a greater number of grafts and therefore coverage in one, and multiple, procedures with Strip FUT rather than FUE.in order to determine the best option, you should see a doctor who offers both techniques and can give you professional advice on the advantages and disadvantages of both methods in order to give you realistic expectations. 

The donor area of most Caucasian men is adequate for up to 7000 grafts, assuming that you have an average donor density and healthy donor hair.  What is your donor density? Most people can have a full head of hair even with an advanced balding pattern, especially when combined with Scalp Micropigmentation (see below)