Donor Density is Counting Hairs with Macro-lens on Cell Phone

If you use a Macro-lens on your cell phone (easily available on Amazon for under $30), you can take a look at your donor area and calculate your donor density and your total available grafts or hairs for hair transplants for your lifetime. I have counted the hairs in such a field for you. Each number reflects the hair count per follicular unit (or graft).

In this example, the total count is 140 hairs found in 56 Follicular units (or grafts) which means that this person averages 2.5 hairs/follicular unit (or graft).  As the average Caucasian hair count is 2.1 hairs/follicular unit, this man has 20% more hair in his donor area than an average man. This will translate into more than 20% more grafts (logic will be presented another time). This means that this man probably has significantly more hair per graft which will translate into more donor grafts for his lifetime and a fuller hair transplant as each graft will have more hair.  You need to do this calculation for your donor hair. If your donor area has 1.7. hairs per follicular unit (or graft) as shown in the second snapshot, then it would mean that your donor supply is not capable of producing a lot of grafts for treating an advanced balding pattern.  These patients run the risk of a see-through donor area if they get FUE performed with any significant numbers, especially if they have a medium weight or fine hair.  A competent doctor will put this into perspective for your Personalized Master Plan for your hair loss.  Every balding man thinking that some day they may get a hair transplant must understand how to do this very simple calculation.

High Donor density

Low Donor density