Donor Sites of Hair Transplant
The donor site is the foremost need for hair transplant surgery. It is the area that donates the hair roots for the transplant. This is where the grafts are collected from. Around 4000 grafts are required for a full head. A donor area can generally supply 5000 – 8000 grafts. The perfect donor area is located on the two sides and at the back of the human scalp. Let us discuss Donor sites for hair transplant
What is so special?
The hair from the donor site grows back in time. The permanent growth remains unaffected in these areas since these hair are mostly immune to the effects of Dihydrotestosterone(DHT). DHT, a by-product of testosterone, is what causes hair loss in both, men and women. (Let’s not forget that women too produce a small amount of testosterone along with other sex hormones.) Donor sites of hair transplant. The site is normally at the back safe zone and the sides, but it can still vary from person to person.An ideal donor site –
⦁ The hair growing on the site must be permanent. ⦁ The site must be Dihydrotestosterone resistant. ⦁ Beards can also be a good option as they are also thick. ⦁ Abdomen and chest hair also can be used as donor hair. Though thin, in a majority, in some, they are thick enough to resemble scalp hairs So you see, since women do not have a beard or chest and abdomen hair, they have more limitations.FUE or FUT-
The selection of the donor site depends on the technique to be used for a hair transplant. There are two main ways to perform hair transplant surgery – Follicle Unit Extraction (FUE) and Follicle Unit Transplant (FUT).- In the case of FUE - The donor site commonly used for FUE hair transplants is located on the sides and abehind the head, where growth is usually stable and robust.
- In the case of FUT - The mid part of the permanent zone located in the back and sides of the scalp is considered the ideal donor area for the FUT procedure
