Can You Get a Dense Hairline With Hair Transplants?
The short answer to that question is, "Yes. You can get a dense hairline with hair transplants." There are, however, other questions you might want to ask, such as, "How dense?" and "Will it look natural?"
How Dense?
Normal hair density is about 100-hairs/square centimeter. Hair transplants may sometimes achieve that density. Several factors determine how dense your hairline could be after transplant:
How dense is your hair right now? New hairs will be transplanted between your existing hairs, and the number of natural hairs increases the potential density.
How much donor hair do you have available? If your hair is thinning all over, you may not have enough donor hair available to achieve a high density. With newer techniques, you may be able to supplement donor hair from your scalp with body hair, and that will give you better density. When body hair is used, the scalp hair is reserved primarily for the hairline area, and body hair is used in other areas. This gives the most natural look.
Is your hair still thinning? Most men and some women lose hair as they age. If you are young, your hair may continue to thin, and you may want more hair transplant procedures in the future. In this case, your surgeon will determine how much donor hair to use now, and how much to save for later procedures.
Depending on the surgeon and the type of hair transplant, there may not be enough blood supply to support 100-hairs/square centimeter. In some centers, 40-hairs/square centimeter is the standard. This number is shifting upward, however, with newer transplantation techniques.
Your new hairline will probably not be as dense as it was when you were in your teens. The goal is for a full, natural-looking hairline, and that is probably achievable.
Will It Look Natural?
That depends on your surgeon and the surgical technique chosen. Direct hair implantation will probably give you the best result. Find out if your surgeon performs that procedure and, if so, how many he or she has performed. Strip graft procedures and follicular unit extraction with surgical implantation also give satisfactory results.
You should get a very natural-looking hairline. Get two or three opinions from different surgeons. Insist on seeing before-and-after pictures and on talking with previous patients. Be very wary of a surgeon who is reluctant to provide pictures and references. It's your face, your head, and your hair. The best way to get a natural-looking, dense hairline with hair transplants is to find the best hair transplant surgeon you can and listen to her advice about the best procedure for you.
Glossary:
Direct Hair Transplantation, Direct Hair Implantation: Procedure where each follicular unit is individually removed from the back or side of the head and implanted into thinning areas
Strip Graft Transplantation: Procedure where a strip of hair-bearing scalp is removed from the back of the head and follicular units are removed from the strip. They are implanted into thinning areas through tiny incisions.