Why does some transplanted hair look wiry, dry, and not natural?

[Tred2443]

I've noticed that some individuals who have had transplants have hair that looks very wiry and dry. Since this is a permanent condition, aesthetically it is very unappealing. It draws attention to the persons hair and makes the transplant very noticeable. Can someone tell me why transplanted hair takes this texture and is this always the case?

 

Thanks and I appreciate your insight!

 

Tred2443

[Tred2443]

I've noticed that some individuals who have had transplants have hair that looks very wiry and dry. Since this is a permanent condition, aesthetically it is very unappealing. It draws attention to the persons hair and makes the transplant very noticeable. Can someone tell me why transplanted hair takes this texture and is this always the case?

 

Thanks and I appreciate your insight!

 

Tred2443

[Jeff1325]

I read somewhere that when micrographs and minigraphs are used, hair follicals have a tendency to be damaged when cut with the human eye. In particular, sebacious glands that keep your hair supplied with oil and moisture can be severed and consequently destroyed. Since the hair lacks these oils it can look dry and limp. There may be other reasons....

However, this is another reason why microscopically desected follicular units are the only way to go. The "entire package" is found in the FU (including sebacious glands.) This decreases the chance of this type of complication.

[arfy]

Another aspect with Minigrafts and Micrografts...

 

As everyone probaly knows, they are not trimmed as carefully, and there is more excess tissue. This can cause problems as it gets fitted into the recipient site...the grafts can get compressed or distorted, which can cause "corkscrewing".

 

Not just cobblestoning and pitting, but also changes in hair texture from larger (non-FU) grafts...

[Dr. Alan Feller]

I haven't read of anyone providing a detailed or authorative reason for kinky hair post transplant. I don't think it is due to the lack of sebacious gland, as was suggested, because even larger minigrafts display kinking. These larger grafts no doubt contain multiple glands,so this is probably not the right direction.

 

In my practice I notice that hair will be kinky mostly through to the ninth month. After this time the hair "normalizes" as I call it. It begins to take on the smooth appearence it had in the back of the head, along with the shine.

 

I suspect that the reason for the kinky and unnatural look is the transplanted follicle itself. Imagine the individual follicle as a vase. Now imagine the inside of the vase lined with cells. These cells contribute "liquid pre-hair" to the center after which chemical cross linking causes the production of a hair which is then continuously extruded. When a follicle is transplanted, these cells go to sleep for about 3 months. It is reasonable to assume that not all the cells composing the follicle wake up at one time. Perhaps a majority of cells will wake up on only one side of the follicle. If this is the case, then the resulting hair would be denser on one side than the other. When it reaches the surface of scalp and is extruded from the hair channel, the denser side will cause the hair to "bow over" and thus you have a kink. As more cells of the individual follicle awake, the more evenly the hair will be formed, and the kinking will eventually go away. It is reasonable to also suggest that if the kinking does not go away, it is probably because all the cells of the follicle never awoke.

[Monty]

It does not look natural to have a dry, kinky or wavy transplanted area when the rest of your hair is straight and shiny. Unfortunately you have to have the surgery to see what happens.