Can pubic hair be used for hair transplantation? If so, will any doctor do this? How to ask with being embarrassed?

Question

I know that this may sound weird. I am African American, & as you know we have kinky hair on our heads, but straight eyebrow, pubic, eyelash, & body hair (which is super weird). So getting donor hairs from my nape for an eyebrow transplant will result to kinky eyebrows.... So I was thinking. Maybe I could get body or pubic hairs as donor hairs? Also, could I get the same straight body hair transplanted in front of my forehead (I know that the textures would be different, but that's what I want)?

Ken Anderson, MD, FISHRS · Answer

Thank you for writing in with this question. I’ve been asked this question in consultation once before, about 10 years ago, so know that you’re not alone. While it is conceivable to use pubic hair for a transplant, in my opinion the risks outweigh the benefits from such an endeavor. A wound complication in the pubic area could be absolutely disastrous. It is certainly well outside the bounds of traditional hair restoration surgery, and I declined the one person who asked if I’d do that for him. In 13 years of performing exclusively hair restoration surgery I’ve never heard of a surgeon who has taken hair from the pubic area for the purposes of hair transplantation, so I definitely think not many, if any at all, would offer this option. There simply are not many hairs to safely harvest from this area, and obviously FUE is not an option, so there would be a linear, full-thickness wound wherever the grafts were taken from. Remember that all hairs have their own traits and characteristics, and moving them from one location on the body to another will not change these traits and characteristics. So transplanting pubic hair to your scalp will result in pubic hair growing from your scalp. If your scalp hair happens to perfectly match your pubic hair, then it could plausibly be a good match, but that’s not often the case. I hope this information is helpful to you.

Jae Pak, MD · Answer

Pubic hair can be used as donor hair in hair transplant surgery.  You must have a compelling reason to want to do this.  You should see a doctor for an exam and consultation.

Marcio Crisostomo, MD · Answer

Yes, hair from every part of the body can be used in a hair transplantation. However, the body hair transplant is not the first choice and for the result you want (hairline and eyebrow), maybe you won't have enough hair to perform it. Definitely I won't do this. I used pubic hair few times and other parts such as beard and chest to improve density in a hair transplant, when there isn't enuogh scalp donor area.

Omeed Memar, MD, PhD (license suspended) · Answer

Public hair can be harvested by follicular unit extraction and transplanted to the eyebrows or frontal hairline.  One problem is the density and number of hairs is limited, so there might not be enough for the frontal hairline, depending on the number of grafts needed.

Michael Meshkin, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

When considering hair transplant, it is important that the texture and characteristics of the hairs are the same. Pubic hair characteristics are usually different from the scalp hair and they are not proven to be permanent.

Can pubic hair be used for hair transplantation? If so, will any doctor do this? How to ask with being embarrassed?

Answers (6)

Answer: Puic hair as donors

Answer: Puic hair as donors

Answer: Using pubic hair for #hairtransplant

Answer: Using pubic hair for #hairtransplant

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Can pubic hair be used for hair transplantation? If so, will any doctor do this? How to ask with being embarrassed?

Answers (6)

Answer: Puic hair as donors

Answer: Puic hair as donors

Answer: Using pubic hair for #hairtransplant

Answer: Using pubic hair for #hairtransplant

Browse related questions

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Eyebrow Transplant

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.