Body hair transplantation surgery, also referred to as body hair to head transplantation uses grafts taken from the body regions like the beard, chest, stomach, and back. This is an approach that is intended to expand a patient’s donor supply beyond the existing supply on their scalp.
Standard surgical punches that are normally used for head hair extractions (in Follicular Unit Extraction surgery) have a basic cylindrical shape which has a more difficult time following the curvature of curled or angled body hair. Therefore, there is a much higher risk of damaging the follicle.
The Right Los Angeles Hair Restoration Specialist For Body Hair Transplantation (BHT)
To overcome these barriers, Los Angeles hair restoration surgeon, Dr. Umar, invented highly specialized extraction devices to remove non-head hair so that they can then be repurposed as hair transplant donor grafts. Because of his strong track record of patient results as well as his medical publications, Dr. Umar has earned a reputation as a world-renowned leader when it comes to body hair transplantation.
When is it necessary to use body hair grafts?
If a patient has enough head hair to fill to address their hair loss concerns, Dr. Umar prioritizes the use of these grafts. Body hair is a secondary consideration in cases where an additional supply of donor follicles are needed. This is true for the following types of presentations:
- Severe baldness (Norwood 6-7)
- Head donor depleted hair transplant repair cases
Dr. Umar has written about his diagnostic Shave Test to determine whether or not a patient is likely to progress to a Norwood 7 stage and therefore require the use of body hair. This knowledge is particularly useful for young men still in their 20s who want to know if they can benefit from a hair transplant procedure.
Watch this video to see how this patient achieved the coverage he wanted using body hair transplantation through a surgery using beard hair grafts.
If you are interested in speaking to Dr. Umar about the possibility of undergoing a body hair transplant sign up for a complimentary consultation here.
Frequently Asked Questions – Body Hair Transplantation (BHT)
What is the best body hair to use for a hair transplant?
The type of body hair selected for a hair transplant will depend on the patient’s choice as well as the quantity that is needed. Since many men are able to grow prolific and abundant quantities of beard hair, these grafts are often prioritized to help meet the coverage objectives needed for a hair transplant procedure.
Secondary sources might include other regions such as the torso and back. These areas may be relied upon to supply additional graft quantities or more desired hair texture
Since more surgeons are starting to offer body hair transplantation, how do I know which one to choose?
It will be important to be able to review the past work of different doctors to look for the level of coverage achieved and the overall naturalness of the final outcomes.
The types of results they’ve achieved on patients should be made clear, through descriptions and images. Video footage offers the ability to actually hear testimony from their patients.
Furthermore, successful extractions will mean that the grafts remain safe, healthy and able to survive long-term in their new location. The right tools used should be able to follow the bends and curves of hair to remove the follicle without damaging it to reliably harvest large quantities of grafts. Additionally, it would be important to look at the final wound healing results of the body donor regions.
Further Reading
Read about the use of body and beard hair as discussed in Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics