Transplant into scarring

[Matty91]

Hi everyone,

Long time lurker and first time poster. I wanted to post a couple of photos on my situation and get some feedback on how I could move forward.

 

My situation:

I have a condition named hidradenitis suppurativa where my sweat glands and hair follicles can get infected and I get abcesses. I have had this condition since I was about 20 (now 29). I had an abscess on my head that I had to get surgically drained and removed. Unfortunately it left a decent scar on my head (don't think the surgeon done the best job closing it, oh well!). I also have scars on my face that I had fraxel laser done on to smoothen the scarring. 

I didn't know this at the time but it is an inflammatory condition and I was having too much refined sugar! So I stopped most of my sugar intake about 4 years ago and I have had no new inflammation and the condition is controlled. I would now like to see if its possible to get surgery done as I have been walking around like this for about 5 years and I think its now time lol. I have attached photos of effected areas and my beard and hair donor. 

Basically I want to get a beard transplant for beard scars with beard grafts, and hair transplant for the scars on my head with grafts from head donor. Do you think it would be successful and I can get hair growing in these areas and how many grafts would it take?

 

P.S I do suffer from MPB I have been on finesteride for 3 years now 1mg a day with good effect. Not sure if this is relevant but thought I would mention anyway.

 

Thank you

[Big Rome]

I think @Gatsby may be able to answer this, he had a scar nicely concealed with beard grafts I think 

[Matty91]

Hey guys thought I would try one more time any thought? Would be much appreciated thanks

[Henry]

I've heard an Australian doctor from YouTube say there is enough bloodflow in scars to be able to do hair transplants. And I've seen burn victims have hair transplants as well (on the internet). That's about the extent of my knowledge though. 

[Gatsby]

I've actually seen some excellent work using SMP by Caitlin James here in Australia on beard work and scars. You really need to decide and work out what the demand that both a hair transplant with scalp grafts and a beard transplant with beard grafts will demand over the long game? Also for this, probably oral minoxidil would be the best drug to add to your finasteride for both beard and hair. I'm not a doctor but I recommend you speak with a good dermatologist about this. The success rate of grafts in scars is less than with virgin scalp tissue. The grafts need to be planted deeper depending on the scar and less grafts need to be used so they are not competing for a blood supply. But it certainly can be done successfully. The only concern about it is in ten or twenty years time on how much scalp donor you have left for the scalp if finasteride and minoxidil start losing their grip on MPB. Remember you are robbing Peter to pay Paul and not creating new hair. You could also consider chest hair into the beard to save your scalp donor. I've had success with body hair in my donor scars in the back of my scalp and recently had another 250 beard grafts placed in there 2.5 months ago. I also had scalp grafts placed in a hairline FUT type scar 2.5 months ago and they are popping through. I will update these results in my thread in another couple of months.

[NikosHair]

On 4/12/2023 at 10:21 AM, Matty91 said:

So I stopped most of my sugar intake about 4 years ago and I have had no new inflammation and the condition is controlled.

That's great news and an all-around health benefit.

Not only have patients had successful implantation into scar tissue, but studies have shown the activity of the new hair may regenerate the scar tissue.

Have a look at a previous thread.

 

[Matty91]

Thank you for the reply guys appreciate it   IF I do go for transplant, how many grafts do we estimate for both scars ?