A Case of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Scalp After Several Synthetic Hair Grafts

February 2012 in “ Aesthetic Plastic Surgery ”

Angelo Chiarelli, Antonino Rotilio, Valeria De Min, Vanna Chiarion-Sileni, Giorgio Giatsidis, Leonardo Sartore, Franco Bassetto, Vincenzo Vindigni

squamous cell carcinoma synthetic hair grafts androgenic alopecia inflammation infections ulcerated lesion bone excision scalp reconstruction neoplastic degeneration chronic irritation microtrauma SCC artificial hair implantation

Studysummary This case report introduces a novel instance of long-term cutaneous neoplastic degeneration following artificial hair implantation, a previously unreported complication in such procedures. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

The document describes a 74-year-old male patient who developed squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the scalp following multiple synthetic hair grafts for androgenic alopecia over a period of 20 years. The patient had experienced recurrent inflammation and infections at the graft sites, which may have contributed to the development of the carcinoma. After presenting with an ulcerated lesion, the SCC was surgically removed, and the patient underwent bone excision and scalp reconstruction, with no recurrence observed 6 months after surgery. The case raises concerns about the potential risks of artificial hair implantation, including neoplastic degeneration due to chronic irritation and microtrauma, and underscores the need for more scientific research to establish the safety of these procedures.

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