Hair Transplantation in Patients With Inadequate Head Donor Supply Using Nonhead Hair

In 2011, Sanusi Umar, MD, reported on the use of nonhead hair for hair transplantation in patients with inadequate head donor hair, using follicular unit extraction (FUE) technique. The study included three cases, with two patients having had previous unsuccessful hair transplants. The survival rate of the transplanted grafts was approximately 80% to 85%. Despite challenges such as differences in hair quality and the need for longer surgery times and greater surgical skill, the results were positive, indicating that nonhead hair could be used to restore hair in severely bald patients who are not suitable for traditional transplants. The document also mentioned that chest and abdominal hair transplants yielded about 75% to 80%, while beard hair transplants had at least an 80% yield and could grow as long as head hair. The author suggested the need for a scoring system to evaluate candidate suitability and noted that patients with certain hair types, like those of African descent, might experience higher transection rates. The conclusion was that nonhead hair transplantation offers a new avenue for hair restoration in patients with limited head donor hair, but larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.