When the balding area is fairly large, it’s not uncommon for patients to be quoted 3,000 hair grafts. With these many grafts, it might be possible to cover the front, temples and/or crown areas of the scalp (although not always completely).
According to the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) 2022 practice census, 2,176 was the average number of grafts transplanted in the first hair transplant session of patients. However, there were about 13% of those who had somewhere between 3,000 to 3,999 for their first transplantation surgery.
It’s not a small number, considering hair transplant surgeons can go a maximum of 4,000 to 4,500 grafts in one session for extensive balding. And if you’re being charged for each graft, it can cost a lot. However, there’s a way in which you can get a 3,000 graft hair transplant more affordably.
How Many Hairs Are In 3,000 Grafts?
On average, each hair graft can have 2 strands of hair (it can vary from 1 to 5). Keeping that in mind, 3,000 hair grafts can mean 6,000 hairs.
It’s an important distinction as some clinics might try to charge you on the number of hairs instead of grafts. Since the former will be a bigger number, it might be used to justify a higher price. So, make sure to clarify this with your surgeon.
You should also know that a normal scalp has about 100 grafts per cm2. Your surgeon will extract a maximum of 40% to 50% of these grafts so you won’t be left with any bald patches at the back and/or sides of your scalp (donor area).
What Does 3,000 Hair Grafts Look Like?
With a 3,000 hair graft transplant, your results might look something like this:
Of course, several factors can affect your results, including the extent of your baldness, the number of hair grafts extracted from the donor area, the area where you’re balding, etc.
A 3,000 grafts hair transplant can be used to cover the temples, hairline, front, and even some of the crown (for complete coverage, just the crown area can need about 2,500 grafts).
Are 3,000 Grafts A Lot For A Hair Transplant?
In general, 3,000 hair grafts are used to cover a fairly large balding area, so they can be considered a lot. Patients between Stages 4 to 6 of the Norwood Scale might need around 3,000 grafts to cover the front, a bit of the front and the crown areas.
But this is certainly not the highest number of grafts you can get. In one session, if needed, your surgeon might be able to extract a maximum of 4,500 hair grafts.
It might be possible to extract around two thousand more grafts if you need more to improve density, provided there are still hairs in the donor area to extract. But for this many grafts, your hair transplant will be divided into two sessions.
How Much Do 3,000 Hair Grafts Cost In The UK?
In the UK, it can cost £3 to £5 for one hair graft. Based on that, your 3,000 grafts hair transplant cost can be somewhere between £9,000 and £15,000.
There can be price variations depending on the location of the clinic and how experienced your surgeon is, but, in general, the balder you are, the pricier you can expect the surgery to be.
How Much Does 3,000 Grafts Hair Transplant Cost In Turkey?
In Turkey, a single hair graft might cost you under £1. Therefore, 3,000 grafts hair transplant cost in Turkey might be around £2,000 or even less.
The main reason why the cost is much lower is that the cost of living is much lower in the country (compared to the UK). Currency exchange further brings the cost down.
But what you should note is that not every clinic in Turkey charges by the number of grafts you’re getting. While some may charge as much as £2.5 or more for each graft, others have fixed prices, regardless of the number of grafts you need.
Still, of course, this doesn’t mean you should go for the clinic quoting you the cheapest surgery. You must do your research to find a qualified and registered surgeon who’s operating in a registered facility.
3000 Grafts Hair Transplant Before And After
Here are a few more pictures of 3,000 hair grafts so you can get a better idea of the coverage.
Can You Have A FUE Hair Transplant For 3,000 Grafts?
Follicular Unit Extraction or FUE hair transplant with 3,000 grafts is successfully done to restore hair in the balding areas of the scalp. In this type of hair transplant, the grafts will be extracted from a “safe” donor area at the back of the scalp.
And as mentioned above, the surgeon is careful not to extract too many grafts, as it can leave bald patches. These grafts that are extracted are then placed into the balding areas via small incisions.
Of course, this isn’t the only hair transplant technique that can be used to extract 3,000 hair grafts. Follicular Unit Transplant (FUT) can also be done for this, but a strip of skin will have to be cut out for it from the back of the scalp.
This can leave a linear scar on the back, which can be visible with short hair. For this reason, FUE is preferred as its scars are less visible.
Conclusion
Is 3,000 hair grafts a lot? It is definitely on the higher end. And while 3,000 hair grafts may seem a bit daunting, these many grafts can be transplanted in one day (although the surgery might take up to 8 hours).
However, this surgery is only possible if you have these many grafts in the donor area to extract in the first place. That’s because if you need these many grafts, your balding area is likely to be noticeably big.
Price can be a concern for a surgery with 3,000 grafts as in the UK, you’re likely to be charged by the number of grafts, which can make the surgery quite expensive.
In contrast, a hair transplant in Turkey can cost you much less because of economic differences. But no matter where you’re getting this surgery, make sure to find someone qualified. Get a diagnosis for your hair loss, so your doctor can prepare a suitable treatment plan for you.
Reviewed and approved by Trichologist Yaprak Yazan
