Can Grafts Transected in the Hair Transplant Donor Area During Follicular Unit Extraction Regrow New Hairs?

This below response from our [tag]Hair Loss[/tag] Social Community and Discussion Forums was written by recommended hair restoration surgeon Dr. Ali Emre Karadeniz.

I had [tag]follicular unit strip surgery[/tag] ([tag]FUSS[/tag]) at the hairline two years ago. I’m in consultations to get a 2nd pass for more density ([tag]follicular unit extraction[/tag] this time). I have curly hair.

In one of my recent chats with a [tag]hair transplant[/tag] surgeon, I was inquiring about the higher risk of transection during graft extraction on curly hair. He claims that transection does not result in a dead graft, just one that cannot be used in the current session. The root remains unharmed and will grow a new hair. How true is this?

Obviously, it’s possible for a root to be accidentally severed, but is it likely since the root is so tiny?

The fate of a totally transacted graft is not clear, however I don’t think we should be very optimistic about it. A partially transected graft, that is a graft with an intact follicle and transected follicle(s) beside it however, is different.

I am currently on a scientific study that has currently shown me that at least half of these transected follicles beside an intact follicle can yield a fully grown hair (at the recipient area). I don’t know what happens at the donor area. Further studies are of course necessary.

Dr. Ali Emre Karadeniz
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David (TakingThePlunge)
Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q & A Blog.
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