Follicles First: The Importance of Follicular Transplantation in Beard Reconstruction

The authors of the correspondence commend a recent publication on beard reconstruction, acknowledging the challenges and importance of reconstructing hair-bearing tissue in the head and neck area due to various causes such as surgery, trauma, and dermatological disorders. They note that despite advances in microsurgical techniques, achieving long-term aesthetic results is difficult and often involves additional challenges at the donor site. The authors express surprise that the original publication did not mention the use of the posterior scalp, which they consider an abundant source of follicle-rich skin for donor material. They advocate for the use of Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), techniques that have been developed and refined since the late 19th century, to reconstruct hair-bearing defects. They argue that these methods could reduce operative time and morbidity for patients. The authors conclude by emphasizing the importance of plastic and reconstructive surgeons understanding follicular transplantation when planning reconstructions in hair-bearing areas of the head and neck, and considering it as part of a multidisciplinary approach to patient care. They declare no financial or conflict of interest in their correspondence.