What does a 2,000-graft hair transplant look like?

If you are considering a hair transplant, you may have been told you require 2000 grafts for your outcome. It is a common requirement for patients to require that many grafts for their hair transplant and a 2023 hair transplant census found that patients can achieve their desired look using between 2,000 and 2999 hair grafts.¹ 

In this article, we describe what a 2,000-graft hair transplant looks like, highlighting some of our patients’ before and after photos that have required 2000 grafts or above. We will aim to outline everything you need to know about the cost and coverage results you can expect to achieve with this sized procedure.  

What is a hair graft?

Before delving into the specifics of a 2,000-graft hair transplant, it’s crucial to understand the nature of an individual hair graft. 

A hair graft is defined as a tiny piece of scalp tissue or skin strip containing individual hair follicles.² Follicular unit transplant (FUT) and follicular unit excision (FUE) techniques are hair transplant procedures involving extracting and using hair grafts but in slightly different ways.³ 

• FUE hair transplant – a minimally invasive technique where the surgeon removes hair grafts from the back of the head as individual follicles before gently placing them back into small holes they created in areas of thinning or no hair.

• FUT hair transplant – this slightly more invasive procedure involves removing a strip of scalp from the back of the head before dissecting it into individual hair follicles to transplant into any areas of hair loss. 

How many hair grafts do I need? 

Every patient has different needs and circumstances. Therefore, determining the number of hair grafts you need will vary depending on several factors, including:⁴ 

• Balding pattern – your hair loss pattern could impact the number of grafts needed to resolve the issue. 
• Donor area availability – the bigger your donor area, the more grafts the surgeon can extract and the more flexibility you will have over what you can achieve. 
• Hair characteristics – the colour, thickness and texture of your hair can affect the number of hair grafts required. 
• Personal goals – depending on the type of look you want, this could affect the number of hair grafts needed. 

For further information, read our dedicated article or use our hair graft calculator – this interactive solution assesses factors like your age, gender, hair colour, hair type and hair loss area to determine your ideal number of grafts. 

Understanding a 2,000-graft hair transplant

Using between 2,000 and 2,999 hair grafts is a common bracket during first-time hair transplants. According to the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, more than 58% of patients can achieve their desired look using this number of grafts.¹ 

If you have noticeable hair loss around the hairline and forelock, 2,000 hair grafts should provide enough coverage to restore a receding hairline.⁴ It’s the number surgeons recommend to patients at Norwood 3 or stage 4 of the Norwood Scale – a widely used classification system that describes different stages of hair loss.

With each hair graft consisting of up to two to four hair follicles, 2,000 grafts can provide you with as many as 4,000 – 8,000 hairs. 

While this may sound like a lot, 2,000 grafts are enough to cover between one-third and one-half of a head of hair, depending on factors like donor hair quality and head size.

Research also proves that transplanting up to 6,000 grafts can be safe without depleting the donor area from which the grafts have been taken.⁵ There are other areas that you can take hair from too and you can read our dedicated article to this topic: where can you take hair from for a hair transplant. It is important to note that taking too much hair from your donor area risks complications like donor area “over-harvesting” and potentially hair transplant failure. It is important to talk through safe hair transplant surgery with your Surgeon before embarking on a large risky procedure.

2000 grafts patient case studies

At The Treatment Rooms London, we have helped hundreds of patients restore their hairline and, with it, their self-confidence. You can see our full catalogue of before and after cases in our website’s gallery. In this gallery you can filter our cases according to their size and one of the filters will allow you to view cases that are over 2000 grafts.

While most hair transplants are typically performed on men, women can also have hair transplants as well. The examples shown below all exhibit real-life case studies of male or trans patients who received up to 2,000 hair grafts during their FUE transplant procedure with us.  

Discover the entire case study

Discover the entire case study

Discover the entire case study

To see more of our patient case studies, including patients with varying levels of hair loss and those who received less than 2,000 grafts, visit our dedicated before and after page.  

Other important factors to consider

As with any other hair transplant procedure, you should consider various additional factors beforehand. Below are some of the main questions people ask us about hair transplants that use 2,000 hair grafts. 

How much does a 2000-graft hair transplant cost?

At The Treatment Rooms London, we charge between £5 and £6 per individual hair graft. That means having a 2,000-hair graft transplant with us tends to cost between £7,000 and £10,000 on average. 

However, the exact cost will vary depending on factors such as your gender, the procedure’s complexity, and the number of sessions required, as well as your hair colour, type, and hair loss pattern. Contact us to arrange a consultation with our hair transplant surgeons and receive an exact quote. 

How long is the procedure? 

Performing a 2,000-graft hair transplant takes approximately five to six hours. However, you should expect to spend the entire day at the clinic.

When will my 2000 graft hair transplant grow?

It will take 9-12 months for your hair transplant to grow. You can view the process in our dedicated page: hair transplant timeline.

What is the minimum age required for a 2,000-hair graft transplant? 

Anyone over the age of 18 can technically receive a hair transplant. However, we advise patients to consider surgery only when they have turned 30 or older or have stabilised their hair loss with medications like Finasteride and Minoxidil.

Younger patients should try other hair loss treatment remedies, such as Minoxidil and Finasteride, first to help stabilise hair loss before surgery. 

Book a consultation at The Treatment Rooms London.

Curious about FUE hair transplant surgery? Our award-winning team, including leading London hair transplant surgeons Dr Fernando and Dr Vara, are here to support you every step of the way.

As the winner of the hair restoration clinic of the year for 2023, we have the expertise, skills and training required to help you determine whether 2,000 hair grafts are enough for your transplant and achieve the look you desire. 

Visit our dedicated page or take a look at our blog to learn more about our FUE hair transplant and other types of hair restoration treatments.

Alternatively, use our hair graft calculator to determine the number of grafts you will need for your procedure, and then book a consultation with our friendly team to get started.  

References 

1. Relevant Research Inc (2022) International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery: 2022 Practice Census Results. International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery. Available at: https://ishrs.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Report-2022-ISHRS-Practice-Census_04-19-22-FINAL.pdf [Accessed 8 December 2023]
2. Dunkin, M. & Gardner, S. (2022) Hair Transplants: What to Expect. WebMD. Available at: https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/hair-loss/hair-transplants [Accessed 8 December 2023]
3. Li, KT., Qu, Q., Fan, ZX., et al. (2020) Clinical experience on follicular unit extraction megasession for severe androgenetic alopecia. J Cosmet Dermatol. 19(6): 1481 – 1486. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31529675/ [Accessed 8 December 2023]