Follicular cell implantation: an update on “hair follicle cloning”

The 2004 document discusses follicular cell implantation, a technique aimed at overcoming the limitations of traditional hair transplantation by providing an unlimited supply of donor hair. This method, often inaccurately referred to as "hair follicle cloning," involves harvesting hair follicles, isolating inductive cells, culturing them, and reimplanting them to generate new follicles. The paper outlines the challenges in identifying the right cell types, maintaining their hair-inducing properties during culture, and addressing safety and regulatory concerns. Although animal studies have supported the concept, human studies have faced issues with consistency and reproducibility. Despite these challenges, the potential for an unlimited donor supply motivates ongoing research.