Using someone elses hair for HT!!

[moss]

Hello all, hope you had a great christmas!

 

I was chatting to my parents about hair-transplants a few days ago. They are both aware that i've been researching for a over a year now, and plan on having a HT over the next year or so.

 

I was explaining that (to put it simply), hair is taken from the back and put into the front. (i'm thinning at the front). I mentioned that we have an approximate number of donor hairs to be used, and my Mother said "once you've used all your donor hair, would it be possible to use mine, if you still needed more?"

 

I was quite surprised at first, the thought has never occurred to me. With a little more thought i could see no theoretical reason why it can't be done, to use another persons 'safe' hair on your head. I can see that there might be more chance of the follicles being 'rejected' by your body, although perhaps less so if the hairs are from a family member? I appreciate that the hairs might be of a different colour, thickness etc

 

I'd be very interested if anyone knows if this has actually been done, inparticular any Doctors who might be able to explain why it can or can't be done...

 

all the best

Moss

[hairthere]

This topic has come up before with doctors weighing in and the answer has been that your body would reject the hair. I believe it has to do with the dna not being a match. I also recall speculation that it might work with a twin.

[moses0324]

yea it wont work...the body will reject the foreign hairs.

[Sparky]

Well you could do it if you wanted to be on immunosuppressant drugs for the rest of your life, not advisable!

[amanindia]

Not possible till the scientists do some miracle

[SteelWorker]

That is only possible if the other person is your identical twin (genetically identical). Even when people get organ transplants from a relative like a kidney, like it was mentioned they need to be on heavy immunosuppressants the rest of their lives. The problem with immunosuppressants is that they put you at a risk for serious infections, sometimes diabetes, and even cancers because your immune system is lowered. However, I am sure that some people are so desperate for hair that they would be willing to risk the above for more hair.

[Blake Bloxham]

Moss,

 

Definitely an interesting concept, and one I've pondered myself from time to time. I think the most unique aspect of this type of true hair "transplant" would be the ability to select a donor with different donor characteristics and blend the new hairs into the native, implanted patient to create different, potentially "fuller" results.

 

For example, if you have a patient with fine, straight hairs and found a suitable donor with coarse, wavy hairs, the surgeon could focus the majority of the patients own donor hair on the hairline (to create a natural, dense appearance) and integrate the "other" donor hair in the scalp to create additional texture and fullness without creating a big distinction between the native and transplanted hairs. I think other surgeons have tried something similar with body hair transplants (BHT).

 

However, I fear that the overall appearance would not be as natural and undetectable as current methods of follicular unit grafting, and the obvious cons associated with the necessary immune system suppression greatly outweigh any hypothetical pros. Additionally, I think future treatments that utilize the concept behind ACell/Matristem may make these type of discussions moot. However, figuring out ways to manipulate the donor characteristics is still intriguing (in my opinion)!