Hair Diameter Variation in Different Vertical Regions of the Occipital Safe Donor Area

BACKGROUND: Little is known concerning hair diameter variation within the safe donor area for hair transplantation surgery. Thicker or thinner hair may be needed, depending on the recipient area, hairline design, and the purpose of surgery. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients (7 men and 20 women; mean age, 28 years; range, 20–47 years) were included in this study. The midoccipital point was used as the reference point on the horizontal plane at the upper border of the helical rim. The target area width was 15 cm (7.5 cm to the right and left of the reference point) and the height was 8 cm (2 cm above and 6 cm below the reference point). The study area was divided horizontally into 3 5-cm sections (A, B, C) and vertically into 4 2-cm sections (1–4), creating a total of 12 zones. Ten anagen hairs were randomly obtained from each zone and their diameters were measured. RESULTS: Hair diameter in the 4 vertical sections varied significantly, gradually decreasing from sections 1 (superior) to 4 (inferior) in all 3 horizontal sections (A, B, and C). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that sections 1 and 2 of the occipital safe donor area would be useful for obtaining thicker hair, such as in procedures to treat male- and female-pattern hair loss, whereas hair from zones 3 and 4 could be useful for transplantation surgery requiring thinner hair, such as eyebrows, eyelashes, and female hairline correction. Our results may be clinically valuable for planning hair transplant surgery and choosing the optimal donor region.