The part of the donor scalp most likely to retain hair long term and provide transplantable grafts.
The safe donor area is the zone, usually around the occipital and part of the parietal scalp, where hairs are relatively resistant to pattern hair loss. Hair transplantation relies on moving these more durable follicles into thinning areas. The donor supply is finite, so poor planning can permanently deplete it. A safe donor area assessment should consider age, family history, current miniaturisation, donor density, hair calibre, scalp laxity, and the likelihood of future hair loss. This is why ethical transplant planning is a long-term strategy, not simply a graft number.
Anastassakis K. Androgenetic Alopecia From A to Z, Vol. 3, Springer, 2023 — https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10613-2; British Association of Dermatologists: Hair loss male pattern (androgenetic alopecia) — https://www.bad.org.uk/pils/hair-loss-male-pattern-androgenetic-alopecia
