How Many Hair Transplant Grafts Can I Get in My Lifetime?

I’m a 30-year old male and i’m interested in getting a hair transplant, specifically FUE. How many total grafts can I get over my lifetime?

That’s not something I can answer for you because everyone is different. The number of hair transplant grafts depends on the person. If you want to stick with Follicular Unit Excision (FUE) only, the average is around 5,000-6,000 grafts. Combining Follicular Unit Strip Surgery (FUSS) and FUE maximizes your donor supply. On average, you can get an extra 3,000 grafts when you combine both techniques, according to Dr. Ron Shapiro, hair transplant surgeon pioneer.

Donor Supply is Everything for Hair Transplant Grafts

Your donor supply will determine how many grafts you can get over your lifetime. If you have a dense donor supply, you will be able to get more grafts. Simple math, really. However, the number of grafts isn’t everything. Your hair characteristics play a major role in the appearance of fullness. If your hair follicles are thick in diameter and you have curly or wavy hair, you will look like you have more hair. Now, if you have thin/fine hair, you will need double the number of hair transplant grafts as someone with thick and coarse hair.

Numbers Aren’t Everything

You might hear astronomical numbers floating around online, some surgeons performing 10,000 FUE grafts on patients. Obviously, the prospect of getting 10,000 grafts sounds exciting. But one, do you have enough donor supply to withstand that number, and two- even if you have the donor supply, will the grafts be permanent? Those are important questions to ask yourself.

Find Out Your Specific Number?

The only way to determine how many grafts you can have harvested is explicitly to consult in person with a quality hair transplant surgeon. Your donor density has to be checked, and your hair needs to be examined for miniaturization. Even if you have hair right now, if there’s significant thinning, that hair is temporary. Given the current global pandemic, you can quickly obtain an approximate number by submitting virtual consultations to the world’s best hair restoration physicians by clicking here and consulting with a surgeon in your area.