Ethnicity significantly affects how male pattern baldness presents, how many grafts the donor area can supply, and what surgical techniques work best for hair transplant procedures. While the underlying DHT-driven mechanism is the same across all ethnic groups, hair characteristics like density, caliber, curl pattern, and color contrast with the scalp create meaningfully different treatment considerations.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.
Prevalence by Ethnicity
Androgenetic alopecia affects men of all backgrounds, but at different rates.
| Ethnicity | Approximate Prevalence by Age 50 | Prevalence by Age 70 | Common Progression Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caucasian | 50% | 80% | Frontal recession + vertex loss (classic Norwood) |
| African / Afro-Caribbean | 15 to 20% | 50% | Often vertex-predominant with less frontal recession |
| East Asian | 20 to 25% | 60% | Frontal recession dominant, vertex loss less common |
| South Asian | 30 to 40% | 65 to 70% | Similar to Caucasian pattern |
| Hispanic | 30 to 40% | 65% | Variable, often similar to Caucasian pattern |
| Middle Eastern | 35 to 45% | 70% | Frontal and vertex, similar to Caucasian pattern |
These differences are important because treatment plans designed around Caucasian hair loss patterns may not be optimal for men of other backgrounds.
Donor Density and Supply
The number of follicular units available for transplantation varies by ethnicity and directly determines how many grafts can be safely harvested.
| Ethnicity | FU per cm2 (range) | FU per cm2 (average) | Safe 45% Extraction (est. 150 cm2 donor zone) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caucasian | 170 to 230 | 200 | ~13,500 lifetime grafts |
| Middle Eastern | 150 to 210 | 180 | ~12,150 lifetime grafts |
| Asian | 140 to 200 | 170 | ~11,475 lifetime grafts |
| Hispanic | 145 to 195 | 170 | ~11,475 lifetime grafts |
| African | 120 to 180 | 150 | ~10,125 lifetime grafts |
However, raw graft counts do not tell the full story. Coverage per graft varies enormously based on hair properties.
Hair Characteristics That Affect Treatment
Caucasian Hair
- Caliber: Medium (60 to 80 microns average)
- Shape: Round to slightly oval cross-section, straight to wavy
- Color contrast: High contrast between dark hair and light scalp can make thinning more visible; low contrast (blonde/light brown) provides more forgiving visual coverage
- Transplant considerations: Standard FUE and FUT techniques work well. Higher density grafting is possible. Average of 2.2 hairs per graft.
African / Afro-Caribbean Hair
- Caliber: Medium to high (60 to 90 microns)
- Shape: Flat, ribbon-like cross-section with tight curl or coil
- Color contrast: Low contrast between dark hair and dark scalp provides excellent visual coverage, meaning fewer grafts can create the appearance of greater density
- Transplant considerations: Curly follicles curve beneath the skin surface, increasing the risk of transection (cutting the follicle during extraction) with standard FUE punches. Surgeons experienced with Afro-textured hair use modified techniques including larger punch sizes, trumpet punches, and careful angulation. FUT may be preferred in some cases because strip excision avoids individual follicle extraction.
- Key advantage: Each curly graft covers more scalp area than a straight graft, so fewer total grafts may be needed for comparable coverage.
East Asian Hair
- Caliber: High (80 to 100 microns), the thickest of any ethnic group
- Shape: Round cross-section, typically straight
- Color contrast: High contrast (black hair on lighter scalp) makes thinning very visible early
- Transplant considerations: Thick individual shafts provide excellent coverage per graft despite lower follicular unit density. Straight hair grows in a predictable direction, simplifying graft placement. However, lower multi-hair follicular units (more 1-hair and 2-hair grafts) can reduce the total hair count per graft compared to Caucasian donors.
- Key advantage: High caliber means each hair shaft covers more surface area, partially compensating for lower FU density.
South Asian / Middle Eastern Hair
- Caliber: Medium to high (65 to 90 microns)
- Shape: Round to oval, straight to wavy
- Color contrast: High (dark hair on medium-toned scalp)
- Transplant considerations: Generally favorable for standard FUE and FUT. Good donor density in most patients. Hair characteristics are similar enough to Caucasian hair that most established transplant techniques apply directly.
Hispanic Hair
- Caliber: Variable (60 to 90 microns)
- Shape: Round to oval, straight to wavy
- Color contrast: High to moderate
- Transplant considerations: Wide range of hair types reflecting diverse genetic backgrounds. Individual assessment is particularly important because hair characteristics can range from straight and fine to curly and coarse within the same ethnic category.
Medication Response Across Ethnicities
Finasteride and minoxidil efficacy data comes primarily from studies on Caucasian and East Asian men. The available evidence suggests:
- Finasteride (1mg daily): 80 to 90% halt further loss, 65% regrowth. Response rates appear consistent across ethnicities in the studies available, though large-scale ethnic-specific data remains limited.
- Minoxidil 5%: 40 to 60% moderate regrowth. Some evidence suggests African hair may show a slightly different response profile, partly because the topical application is more challenging on tightly coiled hair. Foam formulations may work better than liquid for afro-textured hair.
- PRP therapy: $500 to $2,000 per session, 30 to 40% density increase. Limited ethnic-specific data, but the mechanism (growth factor stimulation) is not expected to vary significantly by ethnicity.
Choosing a Surgeon
For men with non-Caucasian hair types, choosing a surgeon experienced with your specific hair characteristics is critical. Questions to ask:
- How many patients with your hair type has the surgeon treated?
- What is their transection rate for your hair type? (Should be under 5%)
- Do they modify their FUE technique for curly or coiled hair?
- Can they show before-and-after photos of patients with similar hair?
Assess Your Specific Situation
A free AI analysis at myhairline.ai/analyze can estimate your Norwood stage and approximate graft requirements based on your individual hair loss pattern. Understanding the causes of androgenetic alopecia and checking your hair transplant candidacy helps you build a treatment plan that accounts for your unique hair characteristics.