Body Hair transplant – Main facts to consider before using beard or chest hair graft in hair transplant in India

Body Hair transplant – Main facts to consider before using beard or chest hair graft

There are many patients coming from different countries who require grafts more than what their scalp can donate in single sitting . So they want the option of grafts from beard or chest to cover large area in same sitting of hair transplant . But you have to consider following facts regarding body hair transplant 

Types of Body Hair Transplant:

  1. Beard grafts:  are thicker than scalp hair grafts. But most of scalp grafts are having 2 or 3 hair but 90 % beard grafts have one hair. So effectively 1000 beard grafts = 600 – 700 scalp grafts. But good thing is that they can become longer like scalp hair. Single session harvest limit is 1500 – 2000 depending on density of Beard.
  2. Chest hair grafts – they are thinner than scalp grafts. There are more chances of residual scars in chest after harvesting grafts. Their hair length does not go beyond 1.5 inch. In few studies it has been found that they can grow longer but in most of patients it is maximal length they can achieve. because of this fact 1000 chest grafts = 400 scalp grafts . Single time harvesting limit is 1000 – 1500 grafts in most cases.Body Hair Transplant
  3. The graft numbers in active anagen stage varies for body hair . While 80 – 85 % beard grafts grow simultaneously to provide you a result but other body hair may not regrow in such numbers . Active anagen may be in less than 50 % body hair at a particular time. So The surgery result and density appears low even after so many chest hair and other body hair .

So in our opinion we should use scalp hair in multiple sessions rather than considering hair from the body if scalp donor area is adequate. If scalp donor area is not adequate we can select beard hair as donor. But we should not use chest or leg hair or any other body hair if donor area is available in your scalp and beard.

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Is high density hair transplant in India with density of 60 – 80 or 100 grafts per sq cm is possible?

There are many websites which mention the high density hair transplant in India claiming densities 70 , 75 or 80 or 100 or 120 grafts per sq cm in your hair transplant. Lets solve this query As there are many patient who ask this question from us

Article written by – Dr Akhilesh Jangid

First of all i want to go back to basics of mathematics. We have to calculate the area of baldness in square centimetres . Then we have to decide density. When we multiply

Bald area in sq cm multiplied by hair density required = total hair graft requirement to cover bald area

Bald area   X  hair density  = Hair grafts requirement

Calculation of bald area

Now first thing you to be sure is your area in sq cm . You can take a normal scale which has 6 inches or 15 cm markings . Now you can mark your area. Now take a marker pen to divide the bald area into multiple rectangle and triangles . Area of rectangle is Length X breadth . Area of triangle is Base X height divided by 2 . By this way you can calculate your bald area in sq centimetres if you have taken every measurement in centimetres.

Calculation of hair transplant density

Suppose we have 40 Sq cm area and we transplant 2000 grafts in that. So density is 2000 grafts / 40 sq cm = 50 grafts per sq cm . If we want to give density of 60 grafts per sq cm then same area will require 40 X 60 = 2400 grafts . If we want to give density of 80 then requirement will be 80 X 40 = 3200 grafts .

What is you normal hair density

Normal density is between 80 – 120 grafts in occipital area ( back area ) and 40 – 80 grafts per sq cm in temporal area ( area around your ear ) . Each graft may contain 1, 2 or 3 hair or follicles .

What is target hair density in hair transplant

  • World wide acceptable figures in front area is between 35 – 50 grafts per sq cm .
  • In hairline we can go up to 55 – 60 grafts per sq cm . I
  • n mid scalp and crown area usually 30 – 40 grafts per sq cm is adequate .
  • The reason of giving around half of natural density is that , it will look normal in photos or videos or visually . People can only detect when you apply hair oil , hair gel or bright sunlight that density is lesser than your normal hair .
  • High densities are possible but donor area get depleted as we extract more number of grafts and it may be difficult to do hair transplant in future if you get bald from other places .

Do high densities like 80 , 90 or 100 grafts per sq cm get successful in hair transplant

We have to understand that to create high densities we have to make holes very close to each other.

  1. As we increase number of holes per sq cm the existing blood circulation in the skin also get damaged.
  2. As blood supply becomes low so there are chances of skin wound formation ,
  3. There are chances of permanent numbness of scalp ( because of extensive nerve injury )
  4. Because of decrease in blood circulation graft survival rate also decreases.
  5. It may be successful if done in very small area like 5 – 10 sq cm but making so much holes in the entire bald area may lead to massive skin necrosis and wound formation .
  6. Graft survival rate decreases rapidly when we try to cross density of 55 – 60 in majority of patients. Density more than that can be successful in very few patients .

Are clinics really using densities of 75 , 80 or 90 or 100 or 120  grafts per sq cm in hair transplant

  • In vast majority of cases clinics cover 60 – 80 sq cm with 3000 – 3500 grafts providing you average density between 40 – 50 grafts per sq cm .
  • But there are clinics which claim density of 75 , 80 , 90 or 100 grafts per sq cm in their website and YouTube .
  • You have to understand that density of 80 will require 6400 grafts to cover 80 sq cm area .
  • Most of time the clinics don’t use this much number of grafts but give false claims . Beware of such misleading claims .
  • When anyone says that then immediately measure your area and match the graft requirement given by clinic in that area. Now you can calculate yourself what density you will get by number of grafts quoted by clinic .
  • Sometimes they mislead you by term follicle . They said that on website it was written 90 follicles ( or hair ) per sq cm . As every graft contains 2 follicles on an average so it is equivalent to 45 grafts per sq cm . This explanation may come when you catch their false claim
  • Sometimes some clinic claim to do 7000 grafts in 90 sq cm to provide you density of close to 80 grafts per sq cm. But all these are fake claims . After two days of your hair transplant your transplanted hair develop black scabs . by taking photograph of scabs you can calculate the number of grafts implanted by clinic. They may claim 7000 and charge you for 7000 and do 4000 – 4100 grafts because most of patient don’t know how to confirm number of grafts done by clinic.

What should you do if you desire density of 80 – 100 grafts per sq cm

  • You should consider the donor area available and possibility of requirement of donor area for baldness .
  • You should not do such densities if your age is less than 35 because you may become bald in future so more grafts may be required from your donor area

If you are actor or celebrity then you can go for such densities in front hairline zone of 2 cm . First go for density of 50 – 55 grafts per sq cm . After you get result of first hair transplant , we can supplement it in second session for target density of 80 .

 

 

 

 

Which one is better – FUE or FUT ?

There are many hair transplant doctors who promote FUT as better technique but slightly more painful in post op period. They try to justify that by posting video on YouTube showing you no scar after FUT in their technique.

Most of dermatologists are not well versed with surgical methods , they only learn FUE because cutting , stitching is not part of their training . So most of them are biased with FUE as they don’t know FUT at all . They never tell that they are not able to do FUT , instead they promote FUE as latest Method with less pain in post op period. Some plastic surgeons are biased with FUT Technique and they promote it extensively as better method than FUE.

Before answering the most frequently asked question Let me summarize both techniques and then take questions one by one

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FUT Technique

In FUT technique a strip is taken from the donor area

FUT and FUE

 

Above picture tries to explain FUT Process in which we first harvest a skin strip from donor area. It creates a wound in donor area . Which we covers by pulling the upper and lower edges of wound and apply stitches.

It very complex topic to understand for normal patients but i will try to answer most queries about it

Is Graft damage rate in FUE more than FUT ?

Yes Damage rate in FUE is more than FUT. In inexpert hands damage in FUE can reach 30 – 50 % also. But in expert hands it varies from 2 – 5 % . The in experienced surgeons damage 30 – 50 % extra donor area to harvest same number of grafts. SO FUE requires really a expertise and You should do FUE only with selected highly trained doctors.

Never go to a clinic where graft extraction is done by assistant or technician.  But in really expert hands the volume of hair is much more in same number of FUE grafts even if you get 2 – 3 % damage. Reason is thicker grafts in FUE as we can select graft before harvesting it . In FUT we cannot select graft so their average thickness is less than FUE grafts.

Is FUE is not from safe donor area ?

Safe donor area is defined a around 7 cm height area where hair are relatively stable until your old age. FUT utilizes just 1.5 cm height. FUE utilizes 5 – 7 cm height. So a Standard FUE procedure of 3000 grafts is also from safe donor area. Request your surgeon to remain confined to safe donor zone.

Is FUT result better than FUE ?

Suppose we are doing 3000 grafts by FUE and 3000 grafts by FUT . Then FUE result will be having better thickness and better volume than FUT. The reason is that when we do FUE we tend to choose better grafts in term of hair thickness and number of hair per graft. In FUT we cannot control the thickness of graft and average number of hair per graft.

In Microscopic hair transplant ( MAGP ) the specificity of FUE is further enhanced due to Microscope use. And graft will have more thickness and more average number of hair per graft. Because of these reason FUE or MAGP will yield better result in same number of grafts . If we want to obtain same result with FUT , we will have to do 20 % more grafts than FUE to gain same volume.

Can trichophytic closure prevent scar formation in FUT technique ?

Answer is No. Trichophytic closure is done so that one or two row of hair grow inside the FUT scar So that it can be hidden if it is not broad. If the FUT scar is broad then trichophytic closure will also not help much.

Is it possible to do FUT without scar ?

You cannot prevent scar formation in FUT but its width will be minimum if strip is taken after assessment of donor area skin laxity and width of strip is less than 1.5 cm . If you have been shown a FUT donor area after 6 -7 months of Hair transplant without scar , then insist to see that patient photo after 2 – 3 years .

Does the life of FUT graft is more than FUE graft ?

No . FUE grafts taken from safe donor area will have same life. If FUE graft is taken from unsafe donor area then its life will be lesser than FUT graft.