Does Hair Taken from the Donor Site Grow Back after Hair Transplant Surgery?

This hair loss question was answered by Dr. Sharon Keene of AZ, an elite member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians.

I have hair loss in my frontal hair and at the back. I have noticed that a patch of hair in the back came off (that did not regrow) when I accidentally pulled out some from the braids. Does this mean that I will not regrow the hair in the donor site if i have a hair transplant?

Your description of frontal and back hair loss sounds like typical androgenic alopecia (androgenetic), though I would have to see it to be certain. However, your history of traumatic hair loss from a braid being pulled off sounds like traction alopecia.

I assume you had a wound in that area which would have left a scar. It is typical for hair to not grow in an area of scalp trauma that created scarring, and where the hair follicles were injured or destroyed. That will not have an effect on the survival of your donor hairs, however, they remain permanent. The traction alopecia scar, depending on its size, can be excised, with the scar being removed and the hair bearing edges brought together. Non-surgical hair loss treatments can help prevent further balding from the androgenic alopecia, and in this country the 2 FDA approved medications are topical minoxidil (marketed as Rogaine and found in other treatments such as Xandrox) and oral finasteride (found in Propecia and Proscar). The medications can stabilize hair loss in 85% of men who use them, but they are not capable of repopulating lost hair follicles. For that, hair transplant surgery can assist in recontouring your hairline and frontal and back areas where you have already experienced baldness. If you would like more information specific to your hair loss pattern and [hair characteristics, please send me photos of your hair/hairline from the front, top, sides and back. I hope this information has been helpful.

Best Regards,

Dr. Sharon Keene, MD

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Bill Seemiller - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

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