Relating Hair Growth Theory and Experimental Evidence to Practical Hair Transplantation

Abstract

Hair transplantation methods as generally practiced utilize grafting of full follicles. Recent experimental evidence suggests that germinal cells responsible for follicular growth and differentiation may reside in specific localized areas within the follicle. This study was performed to relate experimental evidence to practical hair transplantation and to discuss results obtained from implantation of ½ follicular grafts. The study was done on four male patients with androgenetic alopecia who underwent transplantation with follicular half autografts. A total of 697 grafts of the upper ½ follicles and 694 grafts of lower ½ follicles were implanted. The results demonstrated that 50 hair shafts were produced from 697 upper ½ grafts, and 152 hair shafts from 694 lower ½ grafts. The conclusion is that the low percentage of terminal hair growth from ½ follicular grafts preclude this technique as an alternative method for cosmetic hair transplantation.