In Vivo Follicular Unit Multiplication: Is It Possible to Harvest an Unlimited Donor Supply?

The study conducted on five male patients investigated the potential of increasing donor hair supply for hair restoration surgery by transplanting transected hair follicles using the follicular unit extraction (FUE) technique. After 12 months, the survival rate of transected hair follicles at the recipient site was found to be dependent on the level of transection, with the highest growth rate of 41.3% for the proximal two-thirds. At the donor site, regrowth rates ranged from 53% to 84%, with the highest for the proximal one-third. The study concluded that while transected follicles can survive, their growth rate is unsatisfactory and they are thinner than original follicles, leading the authors to advise against transplanting sectioned parts and to exercise caution with high transection rates during FUE procedures. The document also calls for further research on variables affecting hair survival and critiques the classification of FUE as "minimally invasive."