When Full-Thickness Skin Grafts Are Used, Do the Hair Follicles in the Graft Survive and Grow in the Recipient Area?

Question

Jae Pak, MD · Answer

Full thickness skin grafts can support hair transplants.  Graft can survive and grow in the area.  You would need an examination of course to make sure this is possible in your case.

Hannah Vargas, MD · Answer

Usually only a small percentage of hairs will grow in a full thickness skin graft.  However, if a flap of skin is advanced or moved to a nearby area to cover adjacent scar then those hair follicles do, in fact, typically survive.An in depth consultation with your surgeon will help clear up these points.  Good luck!

Sanusi Umar, MD · Answer

Yes, it is possible for the graft to survive and grow in the recipient area. However, skin grafting is not recommended for hair transplants since there have been so many advances in the field. Skin grafts contain almost all of the epidermis and dermis that surrounds the hair follicle and many tiny grafts are transplanted. Today’s most advanced techniques transplant one to four follicular units in their natural groupings. Whereas follicular unit strip surgery (FUSS) removes a strip of scalp to harvest follicles, follicular unit extraction (FUE) harvests of individual follicles of hair are removed under local anesthesia.  Because FUE is done using single follicles, no large amount of tissue is removed, there are no visible scars after surgery, nor is there pain. Typically there is no need to return to the clinic after surgery as there are no stitches to remove. Recovery from FUE is within seven days.

Jeffrey Epstein, MD, FACS · Answer

Typically not, the hair follicles in full thickness grafts usually do not survive, although a small percentage can in fact continue to grow.

Kevin Ende, MD · Answer

When an entire undamaged hair follicle is transferred from one area of the body to another, survival is certainly possible.  This is how hair transplants work in a basic sense.

When Full-Thickness Skin Grafts Are Used, Do the Hair Follicles in the Graft Survive and Grow in the Recipient Area?

Answers (10)

Answer: Hair Follicles in the Grafts

Answer: Hair Follicles in the Grafts

Answer: Skin Grafts and Hair

Answer: Skin Grafts and Hair

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Everything you need to know about Hair Transplant

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When Full-Thickness Skin Grafts Are Used, Do the Hair Follicles in the Graft Survive and Grow in the Recipient Area?

Answers (10)

Answer: Hair Follicles in the Grafts

Answer: Hair Follicles in the Grafts

Answer: Skin Grafts and Hair

Answer: Skin Grafts and Hair

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Hair Transplant

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