Is it feasible to use FUE hairs from my back or legs to put on my head?

Question

Is it possible to use hairs from my back and legs for example for FUE to place on my head to thicken the recipient density? If so what are the effects of doing so?

Kevin Ende, MD · Answer

Using the leg as a donor source can be performed, but the yield is much lower since the hair is spaced apart further, and typically only single hair grafts are present, amongst other factors.

Jae Pak, MD · Answer

Body hair can be used as donor hair but it does not always give you the results you may be expecting. It would be best to see a doctor who specialize in body hair to get a realistic goal and expectation.

Robert M. Bernstein, MD · Answer

Body and leg hair are shorter and finer than scalp hair and are not the best match. In addition, the removal of hair from the back and legs leaves scars and this may be a cosmetic problem for some people.  That said, for those with very low donor reserves and lots of body hair, it can be reasonable to consider.

Ben Talei, MD · Answer

Virtually you can extract and transplant follicles from and to anywhere on the body. However it really is never recommended to use body hair on the scalp. Not only are the growth cycles of body hairs very different from the hairs on top of you head but sore is the texture and density. It is very likely you will not be pleased with the esthetic aspect.

Richard E. Moore, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. While it is possible to use body hair to transplant to the scalp, it is generally not recommended. The growth cycle of body hair is much shorter and may result in less density plus the growth characteristics of body hair may be quite different from the scalp resulting in unusual angle projections. Further, you can get small hypo-pigmented scars at the sites where the hair is harvested from. If you are going to investigate this further, I would only recommend it as an under-layment for increased density where you have a fair degree of density already.I hope this was helpful - Dr. Moore.

William Rassman, MD (retired) · Answer

Body hair has a shorter growth cycle than scalp hair so for this reason, it is not advisable to use it for a scalp hair substitute.

Is it feasible to use FUE hairs from my back or legs to put on my head?

Answers (6)

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