Can leg hair be used for eyelash transplants?

Question

It seems leg hair eyelash transplant is not common, there aren't very many doctors doing them. My eyelashes are sparse and thin. I hate wearing fake eyelashes or getting eyelash extensions, as they cause my eyelashes to fall out. I have used Latisse, which makes my eyelashes very dry and I saw little results after 1 year. I have used Revitalash with minimal results. I would love to get hair transplant on my eyelashes, but not with my nape hair which is thin and very straight. I'm interested in the leg hair transplant. My concern is that there is not much info out there on this. Why?

Sanusi Umar, MD · Answer

Yes, this is possible. Actually, I helped a patient achieve longer and fuller eyelashes by using her leg hair. After trying eyelash extensions, she actually lost her natural eyelashes. She came to our office, Dr. U Hair and Skin Clinic in Manhattan Beach, Calif, wanting to restore her natural eyelashes. I was able to provide her with results she is still happy with. At our office we don't just use leg hair. We have been known to use pubic hair. See, conventionally speaking, taking follicles from the scalp has been the “go to” method for providing eyelash donor grafts. I have developed a new technique, VeeLashe, that uses body and/or pubic hair to not just better match the hair of your natural/current eyelashes but proven to be a better suited option to augment or restore your eyelashes.

Jae Pak, MD · Answer

Leg hairs can be used as donor hair for eyelash or eyebrows but the results are not as you may expect.  Aside from poor growth, the directionality of the hairs cannot be precisely controlled so the direction of hair will not match your natural eyelash or eyebrows.If you don't have any eyelash or eyebrows to start with, some may consider it an improvement.  It often does not look as good as using scalp hair as the donor source.

Steven Gabel, MD, FACS · Answer

Leg hair can certainly be used for eyelash transplants; however, leg hair as a donor is notoriously poor as it does not have the longevity of other hair throughout the body. Secondly, eyelash transplants are very difficult to perform so if you are going to have it done, make sure you go to a surgeon with experience in eyelashes as there are serious longterm complications if done poorly.

William Rassman, MD (retired) · Answer

Ye, leg hair can be used for eyelashes but finding doctors with experience with this technique may be difficult as many doctors like me, who has done eyelash transplants, have stopped because of complications that arose more frequently than with regular hair transplants.

Can leg hair be used for eyelash transplants?

Answers (4)