In those patients with sufficient donor density, dense or ultra dense packing can be performed to restore hair density to levels previously regarded as unattainable using other hair transplant techniques. The issue of hair transplant density is critical in determining the quality of the transplant results. Density is the single largest area of concern from patients of other hair restoration clinics.
What patients need to understand is what is normal hair density and what percentage of this density is required in order to achieve an aesthetically pleasing result. Hair density is measured in numbers of follicular units per square centimeter of scalp. This varies enormously within a population and even more between different racial groups. In Caucasians the average density is usually between 90 and 120 follicular units per square centimeter. The density is lower in other racial groups and is lowest in those of African descent.
A key component of dense and ultra dense packing is the Lateral Slit Technique: the creation of recipient sites customized to the exact size of the follicular unit of the individual hair replacement patient. The technique is made possible by the invention of a custom blade cutting device.
