thanks mrjb. I thought there was more of a technical definition between the two types of hair though. Can a doctor tell a definite distinciton between terminal and velous hairs? Even though I have quite a bit of coverage on top of my head, I dont know if vellous hairs constitute 40% of my hair. Is the distinction obviuous?

Both Falc and Jotronic seem to say that terminal hair are at no risk to PERMANENT shockloss. Do others disagree?

NG2GB,

A "terminal" hair is simply healthy thicker hair not being impacted by MPB whereas a "Vellus" hair is a hair that has miniaturized or is miniaturizing.

A vellus hair can appear thinner, finer, and lighter in color than a terminal hair, depending on how miniaturized it is.

A terminal hair can be permanently shocked in one way only - if the hair follicle is transected during surgery. In the hands of a quality hair transplant physician, this won't be a worry. I believe that shaving of the recipient area also helps minimize that risk especially for diffuse thinners.

A Vellus hair can be permanently shocked in TWO ways - the same way as above, or since it was on it's way anyway, the trauma to the scalp may have been too much for it and it may not grow back.

Temporary shock loss can shock Vellus or Terminal hairs, however, they will grow back over time.

Symptomatically, there is no way to tell the difference between the two - because shocked hair is shocked hair. But Terminal hairs will grow back.

Falc

Thanks Falc

Good descriptions!

thanks Falc, but if Im a diffuse thinner, then the hair on top has oviously been impacted by male pattern baldness and is miniturized as is evident by the fact that its thinning. So then how could any diffuse thinner have terminal hair on top?

...

Well, maybe just because there is diffuse thinning doesn't mean ALL that hair will fall out. I often see older men who are diffusely bald on top meaning they still have terminal hairs up there. Enough to cover all that balded area? Well of course not, but the hair that is left is thicker, fuller, and has obviously been able to ride out and withstand years of DHT suffocation when their brother right next to them succumbed back in the late 70's.