A Health Adventure

In my research in hair transplantation, I keep hearing about people talking about how many follicular unit grafts they have received.  But how many hairs are in a hair graft?

This is a great question and one not often asked enough!

In a hair transplant, follicular unit grafts are hair groups that occur naturally in the scalp.  Each follicular unit grafts contains hair in groups of 1s, 2s, 3s, and 4s.  The average number of hairs in a follicular unit graft is different for every hair transplant patient however, overall it is said to be around 2.2 hairs per follicular unit graft. 

Personally I think it is beneficial when a hair restoration physician provides detailed hair counts with hair count breakdowns so that the hair transplant patient truly understands what they are receiving.

As an example, a hair transplant patient that received 4000 follicular unit grafts but only 7000 hairs may have a similar result as a hair transplant patient that received 3000 follicular unit grafts with 6900 hairs.  Though hair transplant patient one has a far greater number of follicular unit grafts, the hair count is pretty similar.

Of course, the number of transplanted hairs is not the only thing that establishes an illusion of density.  There are a number of other variables such as hair characteristics, proper placement of the hair grafts, hair coverage verses hair density, and of course the selection of a quality hair transplant physician. 

Keep in mind also that not every hair transplant patient will need the same number of follicular unit grafts to achieve their hair restoration goals. 

See also:

How Many Hairs Will I Need For a Hair Transplant?

Are Higher Hair Densities Always Superior?

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Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

This question was posed by a hair loss sufferer on our hair restoration forum and answered by Dr. Michael Beehner of Saratoga Springs, NY who is one of our recommended hair restoration physicians. His professional answer is below.

This is a common problem for young men, who want to have all of their hair restored. I think your hair transplant doctor was very wise in telling you what he did. You have no idea (nor does anyone else, including the hair transplant doctor) how bald you may become some day. And if you start filling in the crown/vertex as part of the initial plan on a man in his 20’s, and male pattern baldness (MPB) progresses and logarithmically enlarges, as it almost always does, and the project in that area can’t be completed, you will have a huge bald halo around a patch of transplanted hair and will look very abnormal, and there won’t be any donor hair left to fill in the halo.

By the time a man gets into his later 30’s the hair transplant surgeon gets a much better sense of where a patient is going to end up with regards to the eventual expansion of the crown and also the amount of “safe” donor hair that is remaining and then he can make a much more accurate determination as to whether he has a good safe margin of donor hair reserves to do everything that you want.

The unfortunate truth, despite some of the wonderful medicines we have available now, is that male pattern baldness is a progressive condition. Propecia (finasteride) et al only stall the balding process; they don’t arrest it. You only have to look around you at all the 60 and 70 year old men to see where things can end up. Each one of them was 29 once. Picture what there head would look like if a hair restoration surgeon at that time tried to fill in all of the bald area.

It takes courage for a hair surgeon to turn down a request like the one you made. You will thank him some day. The problem is that, if you keep looking around, you will probably find a hair surgeron who WILL fill it in and do your future a disservice. I have seen ten or so men over the years who had exactly that done at some time 10-15 years earlier and their head looked like a dead animal died in the middle of their head. They always asked me to remove all of the hair grafts, no easy task. I hope you accept his advice.

Mike Beehner, M.D.

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Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

I’m a 23 year old girl who is suffering from hair loss and hair miniaturization for about 1 month.  I have been noticing that I’ve been losing about 150 hairs every day in the shower alone.  I’ve been having irregular menstral cycles for about 9 years now and had gone under OCP treatment for several periods and my menstral cycle is more regular but not entirely normal.   What is the cause of my hair loss?  How can I differentiate between Androgenetic Alopecia and Telogen Effluvium?  My dermatologist has suggested I try minoxodil and zinc.  I’ve been on them for a month now and I haven’t been noticing any change.  Please help!

Thank you for your inquiry.

You ask a lot of great questions and I’ll do my best to answer you.

For starters, I think it is very important that you get your hair loss condition diagnosed by a dermatologist or a hair restoration specialist.  Only then can an appropriate hair loss treatment be recommended.

In case you are suffering from genetic hair loss (Androgenetic Alopecia), Rogaine (minoxodil) may help you.  Zinc however, is speculation as there have been no conclusive studies on it for hair loss - but it may be worth a try since Propecia (finasteride) is out of the question if you plan on having children.  It is important however, to give any medication at least 6 months to a year to determine whether or not it is working for you.  One month is not soon enough to determine this.  Learn more about genetic hair loss.

Telogen Effluvium is typically characterized by diffuse thinning of the hair all over the scalp rather than following the pattern of the norwood or ludwig scale. 

Causes of Telogen Effluvium include: hormonal changes in the body (including birth control pills, etc), some medications such as beta blockers, anticoagulants, retinoids (including too much Vitamin A), propylthiouracil, and immunization agents.

Telogen Eflfluvium is typically reversible of the condition causing it is resolved.  Learn more about Telogen Effluvium. 

 I also did some research for you on OCP and hair loss and discovered the following that was reported by Dr. Peter J. Panagotacos, M.D.:

“Hair loss can be due to OCP’s if they are of the low estrogen type with higher ratio of androgen stimulation. Ortho Tri Cyclen is one with a higher estrogen ratio- Yasmin is another- and these would rarely if ever cause progressive hair loss. Regrowth of lost hair is not predictable. Some of the recently lost hair will grow back if the hormones telling the hairs to fall out are discontinued.  Have your serum ferritin checked. If it is below 70 you should take ferrous sulfate supplement with Vit C to get it over 70. Hair loss due to low serum ferritin is commonly missed in cases such as yours”

As you can see, there may be cases where OCP treatment can cause hair loss - but this will not cause progressive or genetic hair loss.  Discuss having your serum ferritin checked with a medical doctor to see if it is below 70. 

As I said, diagnosing the cause of your hair loss is important before determining proper treatment.  By seeing a dermatologist or hair restoration specialist in person, they should be able to diagnose the cause of your hair loss condition.  Make sure to tell them your medical history that you have shared with me.

—

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

It has been estimated that more than 57% of diabetic men suffer from erectile dysfunction-also called impotence and almost all complain bitterly that it has destroyed something that is very important to them. Erectile dysfunction caused by diabetes can be prevented in almost all men whose bodies can still make insulin.


Diabetes occurs when you body is not capable to produce insulin. Insulin is basically a hormone necessary to convert sugar and starches into energy, which is required to make yours body work efficiently.

The main risk factors for developing erectile dysfunction in men with diabetes are:

• Nerve damage: Long-term diabetes also causes nerve damage, which may be a contributing factor.
• Blood vessel damage.
• Reduced blood sugar control.

But there are some treatments available for men with diabetes and erectile dysfunction. Men with diabetes having problem develop or maintain an erection can take oral ED drug such as Viagra, Cialis and Levitra. Additional treatment in men with diabetes might want to consider include intracavernous injection therapy, vacuum constriction devices, intraurethral therapy, and sex therapy.

In present, Impotence is getting to be a more and more common dysfunction. Over long period impotence known under many nick names and feared by man who seeks to pleasure sex.

Impotence problem can occur for many reasons. Often impotence problem will have more than one cause. Basically causes may be psychological, physical or a combination of both. For successful treatments there is need of Distinguishing between causes.

Psychogenic Impotence

The best known psychological factors that cause impotence are stress and lack of confidence. For example, a sexually active man gradually find himself unable to achieve erection or maintain erection due to losing his job .It is possible to for the man’s stress and worry when he attempt intercourse. So stress and lack of confidence breaks the focus needed for sex and puts all efforts in doubt.

Physical or Organic Impotence

The most common cause of this inability is poor circulation and flow of blood inability to develop or maintain erection in men. Anything that slows or to make less blood flow can bring about impotence or erectile dysfunction. Common causes this include diabetes, vascular problem, high blood pressure, lipid problems and smoking. So if your blood pressure high, please maintain it in specified range. Diabetes causes ED by affecting both the nerves and blood vessels. Diabetes damage small nerves and blocked small vessels through it normally have less blood flow to the penis and by damage small nerves have less ability to dilate those vessels on demand. Smoking is also another major factor to lead ED, many studies shown.

Medications can also cause ED. (blood pressure pills, cold medications, hormones, antidepressants, tranquilizers, alcohol, heroin and cocaine).