Hair grafts refer to the prepared follicles that a hair transplant surgeon will implant into areas affected by hair loss during a hair restoration procedure.
By transplanting healthy hair follicles to the scalp area, patients are able to see a full head of hair growth and reduce the appearance of hair thinning, male pattern baldness or other conditions.
In this guide, we’ve covered everything you need to know about grafts, how they’re used, and how a hair transplant uses grafts to restore a full, healthy head of hair.
Grafts During Hair Transplants: Key Takeaways
- A graft is a healthy hair follicle that has been extracted from your own body.
- Donor grafts enable you to grow hair in areas where growth is no longer possible, due to damaged or inactive hair follicles.
- The number of grafts required during a hair transplant can vary considerably depending on the extent of hair loss, from a few hundred to several thousand.
How Does a Hair Transplant Work?
If you’re thinking about undergoing an FUE hair transplant, the process isn’t as complicated as you might have imagined and involves the extraction of donor hairs that are then implanted into areas where you’re experiencing hair loss.
During your hair transplant, your surgical team will take grafts from the back and sides of your head (known as your donor area) moving DHT resistant hair to areas where the follicles have lost blood supply and fallen out.
A graft refers to a group of hairs. Typically, your surgical team will extract the grafts from the back and sides of your head. They will evenly distribute the grafts across the head to make it as unnoticeable and natural as possible, with minimal scarring.
This area is a more sustainable way to source grafts. You might also hear your surgeon and consultant refer to this as the “donor area.” Follicles from this part of the scalp also tend to be more resilient to the hormone DHT (which causes hair loss) than finer hairs to the front of the hairline and have a greater chance of survival. [1]
Will Extracting Grafts Leave A Scar?
The extraction process of an FUE transplant can leave very small scars. However, with a full head of hair restored, these won’t be visible. The FUE procedure is minimally invasive and leaves little to no scarring.
However, if you were to undergo an FUT transplant, you would experience a larger scar due to the nature of the graft extraction process.
FUT transplants are less precise and may require varying numbers of grafts because follicles embedded in each strip of tissue can differ between patients. [3]
While scarring is a possibility when undergoing a hair transplant, patients are advised not to worry.
Hair transplant scars are minimally visible and, if carried out by an experienced surgeon and surgical team, will be unnoticeable and concealed by the hair that grows in their place.
How Long Does it Take to Apply Grafts?
The implantation process will typically take a full day. When you undergo an FUE transplant, you can expect to be at the clinic for 6-8 hours for the whole surgery to be completed.
Follicular Unit Extraction vs. Follicular Unit Transplant
If you’re thinking about a hair transplant, you might have heard about the two main types of hair transplants: an FUE transplant (Follicular Unit Extraction) as well as an FUT transplant (Follicular Unit Transplant).
But what’s the difference between these two types of hair transplants?
It’s all about the grafts. When you decide to have an FUE hair transplant, each hair follicle is extracted individually from the donor area and implanted individually in the required area.
This can be a lengthy process, but it results in less scarring and potentially a more even outcome.
On the other hand, an FUT transplant involvessurgically removing a narrow section of skin from the donar area which is then stitched or sutured back up again leaving scar tissue where hair will not grow. This transplant method is typically quicker, although it can leave a scar on the scalp.
Grafts and Extraction: Does it Hurt?
It’s normal to wonder whether or not the extraction phase is painful. However, hair transplant patients will have their grafts extracted and implanted under local anaesthetic.
While you might notice some pain during the recovery period, you won’t feel a thing during the actual process. KSL Clinic will provide you with a full aftercare programme that instructs you on how to care for your transplant and donor area during the recovery process.
How Many Grafts Are Required for a Hair Transplant?
Whilst we don’t charge per hair graft, it’s important to know how many grafts you’ll need for your hair transplant.
The number of grafts needed will depend on factors such as the size of the area of hair loss; smaller transplants typically require about 500-1000 grafts, while more extensive procedures may require 2500 (the max limit at KSL Clinic).
The table below provides rough estimates of the number of grafts used, based on the nature and location of your hair loss.
| Hair Transplant Requirements | Estimated Grafts Required |
| Small area of hair loss around the temples | 500 – 1,000 |
| Small to medium areas of balding | 1,000 – 1,500 |
| Medium hair transplants, such as restoring the front hairline | 1,500 – 2,000 |
| Larger hair transplants to cover the mid scalp to the temples | 2,000 – 3,000 |
| More extensive hair loss | 3,000+ |
More details about grafting and the numbers needed during a procedure are available in our hair graft guide.
Does the Cost of a Hair Transplant Depend on the Grafts?
No, and this isn’t a charging policy reputable hair transplant clinicians tend to use. We charge per graft area to ensure patients get the largets area and highest quality rather than per graft number, which some clinics in the UK or abroad. This can mean the emphasis is on quantity rather than quality, which isn’t in the patients’ best interests.
How Can I Find Out the Number of Grafts I’d Need for a Hair Transplant?
You can get in touch with KSL Clinic for a free assessment and start your hair regrowth journey, beginning with a consultation to assess your scalp and hair. Your consultant will be able to advise whether a hair transplant is possible and estimate the total number of grafts required.
Speaking on behalf of KSL Clinic, Dr Matee says, ‘Grafting is a precise, accurate way to achieve bespoke hair transplant results.
Because we select each donor follicle individually, and implant those hairs by hand, patients have invisible scarring and achieve exactly the density and shape of the hair line, eyebrows or beard they would like.’
Get a cost for your hair transplant
Looking for a consultation regarding the hair transplant cost? Book a free consultation with us today to see what we can do for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Considered an Average Number of Grafts for a Hair Transplant?
Patients with moderate hair loss may need about 1,500 – 1800 grafts to restore their hair. This will cover hair loss up to stage three on the Norwood Scale, though this may depend on their hair texture and growth patterns.
Is There a Maximum Number of Hair Grafts Possible During a Hair Transplant?
Not really, and surgeons can perform hair transplants using as many as 4,000 or 5,000 grafts. However, this might need to be done in stages, given the time required to perform this volume of grafts.
What Is Considered an Average Number of Grafts for a Hair Transplant?
Patients with moderate hair loss may need about 1,500 – 1800 grafts to restore their hair. This will cover hair loss up to stage three on the Norwood Scale, though this may depend on their hair texture and growth patterns.
Is There a Maximum Number of Hair Grafts Possible During a Hair Transplant?
Not really, and surgeons can perform hair transplants using as many as 4,000 or 5,000 grafts. However, this might need to be done in stages, given the time required to perform this volume of grafts.
