Are Thin Hair Shafts a Problem For Facial Hair Transplants?

This is in regards to facial hair restoration.  My father could grow a good goatee and moustache, but he had no sideburns. I’ve got that same stupid gene, only a much much worse version of it. I have, for all intents and purposes no hair on the sides of my face. I only have a little on the bottom of my chin and a very thin moustache. I have practically a full head of hair. I am not Asian. It has bothered me for most of my life off and on, and I often wished that I could at least grow a moustache/goatee.

My questions are, at my age, 52, can facial hair transplants be done? Also, even though I have a full head of hair, is it a problem if the hair follicle itself is very thin? Thirdly, do you have a clinic near Cleveland Ohio, or do you know of other clinics in that area that perform these procedures? Thank You. - Frank
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Dear Frank:

The good news is that facial hair transplantation can be performed very successfully. You are at a very good age for transplantation, as men your age generally have mature expectations and a well established degree of hair loss. You describe yourself as having a good head of hair, although with what sounds like thin hair shafts. Thin hair does not create the same cosmetic density as thicker hairs, but this is not a major problem. As with all areas of transplantation, achieving a satisfactory result depends on moving a sufficient number of hairs into the area of loss. Read more

A Closer Look At Eyebrow Hair Transplants

Hair transplant surgery is an extremely labor intensive and meticulous form
of cosmetic surgery. A bad hair transplant is visible from a mile away, and
unfortunately there are still many less than optimal results being produced
on a daily basis by under-trained and/or unskilled hair transplant practitioners.

One hair restoration procedure that can be especially challenging is eyebrow transplantation. Various medical conditions can result in eyebrow loss, but probably the most common cause is self-induced. Women who pluck their eyebrows run the significant risk of permanently damaging the hair follicles that are repeatedly plucked, thus causing permanent brow loss. Other causes of eyebrow loss include chemotherapy, trauma from accidents and burn injuries.

Eyebrows are very important to a person’s appearance since they essentially frame, and give symmetry to the face. Loss of eyebrow hair can have a profound effect on a person’s self confidence and general well being. While eyebrow reconstruction technology had been reported as far back as the early nineteenth century, it has taken the evolution of conventional hair transplant surgery to take eyebrow reconstruction to the level the we see today. Read more

Considering an Eyebrow Hair Transplant - How Much Does It Cost?

Is it possible to get eyebrow plugs? Or like an eyebrow hair transplant? The bottom needs to be filled out, and I have some bald spots. If a procedure like this is available, how much would it cost? -Renee
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Yes, eyebrow transplants are possible, and when performed properly, can provide a very close to natural appearing result. These are challenging procedures, from both an aesthetic as well as technical aspect, requiring the placement of many single hair grafts at just the correct angle and direction to mimic Mother Nature.  For some patients, the procedure is performed to completely restore eyebrows that are all but missing, but in most patients, the goal is to provide more density and/or fill in areas of thinning.  Read more

24 Year Old Male Considering a Moustache Hair Transplant

I am a 24 year old male with a light moustache and a full thick beard except along the sides of my mouth. If I decide to undergo a hair transplant procedure to thicken these areas how soon will it be till I can I see results and how long will the procedure take? Also, how much would the hair transplant cost me approximately? I also heard that applying Rogaine to the bald spots can work also, is this true? - Rafael
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The first thing that is required is a good, clear photo so that your situation can be evaluated. The cost is generally related to the size of the procedure, but it would probably cost several thousand dollars. The size of the procedure would determine the length of time to do it. It normally takes at least 6 -9 months to evaluate the results. The donor hair may have to come from under the chin to match the other beard hair, especially if you have coarse beard hair on the rest of your face. Read more

Is Partial Eyebrow Reconstruction Possible With Hair From Another Person?

I would like to know, if it is possible to have a partial eyebrow reconstruction with artificial hair or from an transplant from a different person, in those cases were there is no available donor hair from the person.
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The answer in a word is “no.” Since it is almost unheard of not to have enough donor hair to do an eyebrow, I almost have to assume that your problem is one of severe alopecia areata termed “alopecia totalis,” a condition in which there is no scalp OR eyebrow hair. That is about the only condition I can think of that would prompt the need you mention. I sympathize with your situation, because I do realize how important the eyebrows are to completing the framing appearance of the normal facial structures.

The only other person you could get hair from and have it be accepted by your body would be an identical twin, which I’m assuming you don’t have. Artificial hair implants have been used in Italy, Japan, and Australia but are illegal in the U.S. I doubt they would be useful in constructing eyebrows, as they cause a lot of “fibrosis,” which is a hardening and slight swelling of the skin tissues around the hairs, and also causes a fair amount of redness and inflammation much of the time, all of which would look very unsightly in such a visible spot as the eyebrow location. A very artistic tattooing by a professional would be one way of approaching this problem, but it’s important they do it in such a way that the eyebrow looks like it has a little “texture” to it and doesn’t simply appear painted on.
Read more

Success Rate of Facial Hair Restoration - Is There Visible Scarring With FUE?

What is the success rate of facial hair restoration and is there visible scarring if I use FUE? How long is the procedure and how long does it take to heal?
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If we define success as survival of grafts, facial hair grafts do as well as hair transplant grafts placed in the balding scalp. The key determinant for survival of hair transplant grafts to the face or elsewhere is the technical delicacy with which the grafts are prepared, stored, and handled during insertion. With proper attention to these details nearly 100% of the grafts will survive and go on to produce living hair over a lifetime.

Grafts for facial hair transplantation can be obtained either by strip harvesting (FUT) or by extraction of individual follicles (FUE). With the strip method there is a fine linear scar left. This almost always has no cosmetic significance if the scar is in an area where hair is worn 1/4 inch or longer. FUE leaves tiny pinpoint scars which do not show if hair is shaved in the area of harvesting.

FUE would be the preferred method of harvesting for a facial hair transplant if the area to be treated is not large or if beard hair is going to be used for donor grafts. For example if a patient simply wants to fill in defects in a moustache or beard FUE can be used to extract grafts from the beard area under the chin where the tiny pinpoint scars will be least evident. Read more

Can I Get A Hair Transplant In My Beard For Alopecia Areata?

I recently ( 6 months ago) developed alopecia areata of the beard. It seems to have stabilized as far as not progressing, but it is still very spotty everywhere. Can I get a transplant to fill in the bald areas?

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Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune condition that affects both male and female patients (more common in younger adults). In essence the body’s own immune system is attacking the hair follicles for no particular reason and it can be associated with other autoimmune diseases.

Alopecia Areata affects mostly the scalp but may also involve facial hair. We can distinguish it by observing spots on the scalp with no hair (under magnification we can see exclamation point shaped hairs). Most patients will regrow hair in those areas within a year, or may need a steroid type of treatment (with varying success).

Transplanting into active areas of Alopecia Areata is not recommended for the reason that the new hairs will also be attacked. After a period of time (years), it may be possible to transplant into dormant Alopecia Areata area. I suggest a small biopsy prior to transplantation to ensure the absence of activity. At six months, it is too early to expect a lasting outcome from surgery. I advice you to see a local dermatologist for medical treatment prior to surgical.

H. Rahal, MD
Member, International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons

Can The Beard Be Used As Donor Hair For a Sideburn Hair Transplant?

Is it possible to take the donor hair from the beard area. I don’t have any donor hair left, and need a new side burn. -Steve

Dear Steve,
It IS in fact possible to harvest donor hair from the beard, but there is still a good chance that the wisest and best course of action may be to take it instead from the back of your scalp. There are two different ways to harvest beard hair: The older method was to cut out an eliptical strip from under the chin and then dissect this strip into individual FU grafts, but the drawback is that this method leaves a thin scar under the chin; so this method is only to be used if the man is absolutely committed to keeping a beard in that area of the face for the rest of his life, which makes the scar undetectable. Another probably better way to harvest beard hair is by “FUE,” or folliicular unit extraction, a procedure in which the surgeon uses a very small punch around 1mm in diameter and cuts into the very superficial skin surrounding the follicular unit, then follows up with a dull punch, which carries the dissection bluntly down the sides of the FU without cutting the follicles. The FU graft is then gently “plucked” out of this site, and the holes heal up beautifully in just 4-6 days and are hard to detect very soon thereafter. Read more

Facial Hair Restoration - Which Is Better, FUE or a Regular Hair Transplant

I’m interested in having my mustache thickened up. I wanted to know what the best method for facial hair restoration would be. Should I have FUE or a regular hair transplant.

The best method for facial hair restoration is transplantation most often using hair from the back of the head to, in your case, your mustache. It is important to find hair in the donor area that matches the texture of the existing hair in your mustache with regard to hair shaft diameter, color, and curl. Sometimes hair on the back of the head can be dramatically different in color and hair shaft diameter that facial hair. In such cases I have taken beard hair from under the chin, using FUE, to transplant to the mustache. Some doctors have described taking a strip from under the chin but I have seen unacceptable scarring using this method therefore if facial hair is needed I use FUE for harvesting.

The most important technical aspect concerning a facial hair transplant is to leave the hair on the grafts long enough to be able to tell the angle of the hair exiting the skin. When placed it is important that the angulation is correct. Some doctors recommend strip excision for this reason as the hair on the grafts can be left longer. The advantages of FUE are that there are no sutures, less pain, and less visible scarring. Since small numbers of grafts are generally needed for mustache transplants, FUE is ideal from that aspect. Also the exact number of grafts can be harvested after the incisions are made. Read more