GraftReport guides

Hair loss, explained with measurements.

Straight answers to the questions people search at 2 a.m.: is my treatment working, is this shedding normal, am I actually thinning, do I have enough hair for a transplant? Written by the founder of GraftReport, with sources.

Am I balding?

Early signs, and how to tell real thinning from lighting, cowlicks and maturing hairlines.

Am I balding?Mature hairline vs receding hairline: how to tell the differenceHow a maturing hairline differs from early male pattern baldness, the signs that matter more than shape, and how to check over a few months.

Am I balding?Hair miniaturization: the earliest sign of male pattern baldnessWhat hair miniaturization is, why it shows up before visible thinning, how dermatologists measure it, and what it means for treatment timing.

Am I balding?Is my crown thinning, or is it just my whorl?How to tell a normal crown whorl from early crown thinning, why lighting and wet hair fool you, and a simple way to check over time.

Am I balding?Diffuse thinning vs pattern baldness: what’s the difference?How diffuse hair thinning differs from male pattern baldness, common causes like telogen effluvium, when to see a doctor, and how measurement helps.

Am I balding?What is hair shaft diameter, and why does it matter for hair loss?What hair shaft diameter (caliber) is, typical ranges, why a small drop in thickness means a big drop in coverage, and how it is measured.

Is my treatment working?

Minoxidil, finasteride, dutasteride and microneedling: timelines, sheds, and how to know.

Tracking your hairWhy your hair loss progress photos lie (and what to measure instead)Why lighting, wet hair and phone angles make hair look thinner or fuller, how to take consistent progress photos, and what actually shows change.

Treatment trackingHow long does minoxidil take to work? A month-by-month timelineMinoxidil results timeline from week 1 to month 12: the early shed, when regrowth starts, the 4-month check on the label, and how to tell if it is working.

Treatment trackingMinoxidil shedding: is it working, or making hair loss worse?Why minoxidil causes an early shed, when it usually starts and stops, how to tell a shed from ongoing hair loss, and when to see a doctor.

Treatment trackingFinasteride results timeline: what to expect at 3, 6 and 12 monthsWhen finasteride starts working, what "working" looks like at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months, why no change can be a win, and how to tell.

Treatment trackingOral vs topical minoxidil: which works better, and how to tell which is working for youWhat the 2024 randomized trial found comparing oral and topical minoxidil, the trade-offs, and how to measure whether a switch actually helped.

Treatment trackingDoes microneedling work for hair loss? What the evidence shows, and how to checkWhat the main microneedling-for-hair-loss study found, its limits, safety basics, and how to tell whether microneedling is adding anything for you.

Treatment trackingStopped finasteride? What happens to your hair, and how fastWhat happens after you stop finasteride, the 12-month timeline from the prescribing information, why people stop, and how to track the change.

Treatment trackingDutasteride vs finasteride for hair loss: what the evidence says, and how to know if switching helpedHow dutasteride and finasteride differ, what the 917-man trial found, the trade-offs, and how to measure whether switching made a difference.

Hair transplants & donor supply

How many grafts you have, how many you need, and who is (and isn’t) a candidate.

Hair transplantsHow many grafts do I have? Estimating your donor supplyHow surgeons estimate your lifetime graft supply from donor density, donor area and safe extraction, typical ranges, and what shrinks or stretches it.

Hair transplantsHow many grafts do I need? Norwood 2 to 7, with typical rangesTypical graft ranges quoted for Norwood 2 through 7, what pushes the number up or down, and how to check your need against your donor supply.

Hair transplantsAm I a good hair transplant candidate? What surgeons check in your donor areaThe seven things surgeons weigh before recommending a hair transplant, from donor density and thickness to age, stability and future loss.

Hair transplantsDonor area thinning (DUPA): why some men can’t get a hair transplantWhat diffuse unpatterned alopecia (DUPA) is, how it differs from diffuse patterned loss, why it usually rules out a transplant, and how it shows up.

Hair transplantsBody hair transplants: when beard and chest hair make senseWhen surgeons use beard or chest hair for scalp transplants, how body hair grafts compare in survival and appearance, and who it is for.

Hair transplantsHair transplant at 25 vs 35: why surgeons want your hair loss to stabilizeWhy surgeons are cautious about hair transplants in your twenties, what "stable" really means, and how to show your loss has slowed.

Hair transplantsHair transplant consultation: the questions worth asking (and red flags)The questions to ask at a hair transplant consultation about your donor area, the plan, the surgeon and costs, plus red flags and what to bring.