Extra Information Worth Knowing

You must know this

Treat the information supplied on this page as some basic education which is essential to know before you start consulting with hair transplant clinics.

The topic of “grafts”

• One graft (i.e. follicular unit) can hold 1, 2, 3 or 4 hairs

• 75-90% of the extracted grafts will contain 2 or 3 hairs

• As a basic general formula, 1 graft = 2 hairs. This means that 2500 grafts may equal about 5000 hairs.

• 4 haired follicular units exist but are very rare (usually represent only 5% of the grafts extracted)

• The ratio of 1, 2 and 3 haired follicles that one possesses is an individual trait

• Thicker hair shaft size means a thicker end result

• The higher portion of 2 and 3 follicular units that you have, the more total hair that will result from the hair transplant. This is because having more 2s and 3s will result in a lesser percentage being single haired follicular units. Review this example:

Example A

Bob has had 2000 grafts extracted
They comprised of 500 single haired follicular units
The remaining 1500 grafts were 2 and 3 haired follicular units
Total hair:
500 x 1 = 500 hairs

1500 x 2.2 = 3300 hairs (2 haired follicular units are more common than 3s)

500 + 3300 = 3800 total hairs
This means that Bob has had a total of 3800 new hairs transplanted in his 2000 graft procedure.

Example B

Pete has also had 2000 grafts extracted.
It is comprised of 200 single haired follicular units
The remaining 1800 are 2 and 3 haired follicular units
Total hair:
200 x 1 = 200 hairs

1800 x 2.2 = 3960 hairs

200 + 3690 = 4160 total hairs

This means that Pete has had a total of 4160 new hairs transplanted in his 2000 graft procedure.

To compare, both Bob and Pete had 2000 grafts extracted during their respective hair transplants. However Pete ended up with 360 more hairs than Bob simply because his total grafts were made up by a smaller percentage of single haired follicular units (Pete had 200 singles versus the 500 from Bob). From this example you can understand how it is possible for a person with less grafts, can have more total hair transplanted than some with higher graft numbers.

1.8 – 2.2 hairs per graft average in 99% all cases

• The total number of hairs that result from a set number of grafts will average out to anything between 1.8 – 2.2 hairs per graft. Therefore 2500 grafts can equal anything between 4500 – 5500 total hairs.

• Some clinics will quote a “3 hairs per graft” average during your consultation to impress you E.g. 2500 grafts or 7500 hairs. In our long experience of performing follicular unit grafting on thousands of patients, we have never had a patient that averaged 3 hairs per graft. If you hear them advise you of this absurd estimation, ask them how this is possible considering that 2 haired grafts are the most common. Also know that for every 1 haired follicular unit extracted, two 4-haired units must be extracted to keep on par with this 3 hair per graft average. It's not going to happen! The fact is that 4 haired follicular units are rare.

• The 2-hair follicular unit is always the most common graft within a person’s donor region, accounting for 50-60% of the total number. Then next most common is the 3-hair follicular unit, followed by the 1-hair and 4 hair follicular units.

Some clinics quote total HAIRS and others total GRAFTS

• Do not get “hairs” and “grafts” confused. You are aware from the information already provided that 1 graft equals about 2 hairs.

• It is possible to have clinic “A” quote you a price for 1600 grafts and clinic “B” quote you a price for 3000 hairs. Both quotes equal approximately the same amount of hair. An unaware client can easily get the two quotes confused and believe that they are getting more value out of the one quoting 3000 hairs which is obviously not the case.

Important things to realise

There is no magic cure! There is no secret that one clinic knows that others don't

• Hair loss clinics will often market that they have some new special treatment that nobody else does which works wonders. This magic secret does not exist!

• For hair loss there are only 4 proven treatments men can consider which are Minoxidil, Propecia, a hair transplant or a hair piece (often called a hair graft or a unit). Your level of hair loss determines which may best suit you and this is why a consultation is often necessary. Each of the 4 options contains benefits and disadvantages.

• Minoxidil (Rogaine) and Finasteride (Propecia) are fantastic at slowing (or stopping) further hair loss and they can grow hair in a certain number of individuals. These are the only two treatments that have been proven in clinical trials to grow hair and are more suited to persons in the early stages of hair loss. (Propecia is for men only)

A non-surgical procedure is a wig

• A number of hair loss clinics offer the non-surgical hair restoration option which during your consultation is sold to you as some form of advanced procedure. Later you find out that it is just a wig which has to be glued to your scalp.

• The clinic always calls the wig a “hair graft” or a “unit”.

• You will never be told that it is a wig during the consultation

• If you are concerned that a clinic may actually be selling you a wig, simply ask, “Does the hair graft have to be stuck to my scalp with glue or sticky tape?”

• If it has to be glued or taped to your balding scalp, it is a wig.

• If they avoid answering your questions but continually insist that their technology is not a wig, ask them to confirm this in writing that their technology is not a wig and that you will receive a 100% refund of your money if it does prove to be the case. (They will never agree to this)

• Do not confuse a hair graft with a hair transplant as they are two totally different things.

• If you see a photo of a totally bald guy who then has a thick head of hair in the after shot, it could only be due to hair transplantation surgery or a wig. If their treatment is “non surgical” then it is definitely a hair piece.

• Refer to Question 8 within the FAQs for more details about hair grafts/units.

To achieve a dramatic increase in density there are only two certainties:

• Have a megasession hair transplant
  or

• Wear a wig (unit or hair graft)

Understand that lotions and tablets are unlikely to produce growth in individuals that are in the advanced stages of hair loss