The method of using hair from other parts of the body to be placed into the scalp has been used for several years now. The Unfortunate thing is the change which occurs in the life cycle of body hair makes body hair the last option for scalp hair restoration. Body hair tends to have a long resting phase and short growth phase, meaning the majority of the hair which was transplanted will stay in the resting phase and have no visible hair growth.

 
When seeing a side-by-side comparison of the scalp hair (left) vs. the facial hair (right), there is an obvious difference in the density of hair on the surface area and the average number of hairs in each follicular unit. Scalp hair is denser with more hair per grafts (over 2-4 hair/graft) while beard hair has less density with fewer hair per grafts (1-2 hair/graft)

On the other hand, mustache and beard hair has a shorter resting phase and longer growth phase. Because of this, men can grow their facial hair very long. For most people, facial hair is much thicker than scalp hair. Thicker hair could be translated as more bulk of hair after hair transplantation. Both thicker hair shafts and longer growth phase make beard hair a better option for scalp hair restoration in comparison to body hair transplant from other areas.

Unfortunately, there are two issues with beard hair restoration. The first is the fact they are very sparse, and removing hair only needs to be done through a strip procedure. The second regarding using facial hair for scalp transplant is follicular units found on the face have a fewer number of hairs per unit, which means there is less hair per grafts removed with FUE techniques.

Beard transplants are gaining popularity annually, and the newest technology in hair transplantation allows for hair loss doctors to use scalp hair for transplanting to the balding area in people which do not have good quality facial hair. Modern technology continues to advance the art and science of hair restoration further into new realms of possibilities, with an large annual growth reported yearly.

Good day all,

I recently had a case that I found very interesting and I thought you might as well. A patient was experiencing hair loss and was very unhappy to the point that it had a negative effect on his and his family’s lives. He was attending a school of medicine in another state and was willing to fly to our US Hair Restoration offices in Encino, California for the possibility of receiving a large FUE transplant from his body and beard into the balding areas of his scalp. He was hoping that this would help to end his hair loss once and for all.

Body hair can be used as an alternative method for hair restoration, as long as the patient understands that the end result will not be comparable to a scalp hair transplant due to a shorter growth phase (Anagen), as opposed to a long resting phase (Telogen), and a smaller final length of the hair, which are the characteristics of body hair. Thus, you may only see a portion of transplanted hair follicles in growth phase while the remaining hair stays in resting phase without maintaining a visible hair shaft.

Another option for hair transplantation is the possibility of using beard hair. Beard hair (for many patients) is closer to scalp hair and has a longer growth phase which allows it to grow to be much longer in comparison to body hair.  Both of these options have pros and cons and patients should weigh all of their options, after a full evaluation with a certified hair restoration surgeon. By speaking one-on-one with a qualified hair transplant surgeon, patients are able to find a treatment plan that best fits their needs.

To determine what option is best for you, attend a free consultation with a qualified hair restoration physician. If (like the patient above) traveling to one of our offices is inconvenient for you, then please feel free to fill out an online consultation request and our office staff will follow up with you as soon as possible to begin scheduling for a internet/phone consultation.

We’ve been asked many things during a regular consultation with one of our patients. There is one that I hear more about on the side of the cost of hair transplant: “Can we use hair from anywhere else other than the back and sides of the scalp?” our hair transplant surgeon says, “Hair can be harvested from almost any part of scalp or body that grows hair and it can be transplanted to any part of the skin.” This is really not an unusual thing for any hair transplant surgeon to do. This is considered a last resort for patients who do not have sufficient donor hair on their scalp or for those whom have had old technique hair transplant procedures that have violated the donor area.

As we stated, any hair that grows on your body can be used for hair restoration surgery but the scalp donor hair is regarded as the best option when it comes to hair quality. Compared to most body hair, scalp hair has a much longer growth phase (Anagen phase; grows for as long as 1-6 years) and a much shorter resting phase (Telogen phase; hair dies in 4-6 weeks). It is also the most economic choice since there is a much higher density and does not require special techniques to harvest the grafts.

Body hair, however, has an almost reversed growth and rest phase. Body or pubic hair grows for about a few months or less and switches to a long resting phase. This is why pubic hair only grows to a certain length. There have been limited studies that have shown that body or pubic hair can change their inherent characteristics and even increase its growth phase when transplanted to the scalp. The research is insufficient and is still ongoing.

We’ve successfully transplanted pubic hair on select patients. One in particular did not have sufficient donor hair for his procedure due to a violated donor area and miniaturization. We took what we could from the back of his scalp to restore his hairline and harvested pubic hair to reinforce the crown.

The key idea is that there really is no limit to hair restoration surgery. If the patient is lacking in donor hair or requires a large number of hair grafts, pubic hair may be a viable option. Of course, we will evaluate the quality of the donor hair first before considering any other options. A good hair transplant surgeon can determine your candidacy and explain the options available to you prior to any form of surgical hair transplant treatment.