Hair Follicle Plasticity with Complemented Immune-Modulation Following Follicular Unit Extraction

The study examined the adaptability and immune response of hair follicles transplanted to different sites using follicular unit extraction (FUE) in two male patients. One patient had chest, beard, and scalp hair moved to the scalp, while the other had beard hair moved to the eyebrows. After 6 months, the transplanted follicles were analyzed and showed significant morphological changes, adapting to their new location with a reduction in follicle length and dermal papilla size by about 20-30%. There was also a notable immune cell infiltration in the transplanted follicles, suggesting that the immune system may contribute to the tissue remodeling after transplantation. The study concluded that hair follicles can adjust to new environments and that the immune response is likely involved in this process. However, the small sample size of the study indicates that further research with more participants is necessary to confirm these findings.