Armpit to temple hair transplant?

Question

Is underarm-to-temple transplant feasible? Specifically, I'm asking about the fleshy area of the temple superolateral to the eyebrow, where hair need not be thick. My underarm hair is about the same color as my scalp hair (dirty blond), and almost perfectly straight. Not particularly concerned about odor (I feel that daily shampooing would mitigate this). I'm only 27, and prefer to not use my scalp donor area yet - I expect more loss in the future. Also rather not use beard hair quite yet.

Parsa Mohebi, MD, FISHRS · Answer

Certainly transplanting hair from one
location to another is possible however the arm pit (axilla) to the temples is
not something that we recommend.  Despite
of the difference in final length and growth cycle, scalp hair remains the best
source of hair for your temple hair restoration. The main reason being is that
scalp hair has a longer growth phase as opposed to hair elsewhere on the
body.  In other words, hair that has a
short growth phase and a long resting phase will do little to give density in
your temples.  Many hairs will be in
resting phase at any given time giving the appearance of empty areas in the
transplanted area.

Craig L. Ziering, DO · Answer

Yes, while body hair transplant (BHT) are possible, I do not
recommend them prior to using the best donor hair which is available on the
scalp located on the back of the head. The temporal peaks can generally be
treated with 100-200 singe hair grafts on each side (in most instances). These
can easily be harvested with a small FUT or FUE procedure without sacrificing
much donor hair. BHT is generally used when the scalp and beard hair have been
exhausted because they give the best results.

William Woessner, MD · Answer

Anything is possible in terms of extracting grafts via FUE now days. However, it is not advisable among many clinics to start a hair transplant journey using armpit hair. If you are dead set on using body hair as apposed to scalp hair you probably could be evaluated for chest or beard hair first.

Jeff Donovan, MD, PhD · Answer

I would not recommend that. Extractions are difficult and growth and short term and especially long term survival have not been studied. Theoretically possible. Practically no.

William Rassman, MD (retired) · Answer

This is not a common thing to do. We don't know what the long term results of this will be although the procedure itself can be done. Yu would have to find a doctor willing to do this and this may be difficult, Certainly you can count me out

Armpit to temple hair transplant?

Answers (5)