Hair Loss Due to Lichen Planopilaris After Hair Transplantation: A Report of Two Cases and a Literature Review
January 2011
TLDR Hair transplants can cause hair loss if done while lichen planopilaris is active; wait until it's inactive for two years and check with a scalp biopsy first.
The document detailed two cases where individuals experienced hair loss due to lichen planopilaris (LPP) after undergoing hair transplantation. The first case involved a 50-year-old male who developed hair loss in the transplanted area six years post-surgery, and the second case involved a 46-year-old male who lost some transplanted hair two years after the procedure. Both cases highlighted the risk of performing transplants when LPP is active, as confirmed by scalp biopsies. The paper recommended that hair transplantation should be avoided until LPP has been inactive for at least two years and stressed the necessity of a scalp biopsy before surgery to prevent transplanting during active disease. The document underscored the potential for LPP to affect the quality of donor hair follicles and trigger post-transplant hair loss.
