Hair transplantation procedures usually involve the collection of grafts (in other words, hair follicles) from certain parts of the body and the transplantation of these grafts to the donor area by opening channels. During the hair follicle collection process, doctors generally prefer the hair in the nape of the neck. The reason for this is that the hair in this region is the most similar to hair in terms of colour, texture, hardness and growth pattern. However, some individuals may not have any hair in the nape of the neck or the number of grafts needed may not be met by the hair in this area.
In this case, is it possible to perform the procedure by taking grafts from other parts of the body? Can hair transplantation be performed from body hair? We will examine the answers to these questions together.
Hair transplantation can be performed using hair from various parts of the body, not just the scalp. This is known as body hair transplantation (BHT). BHT is an alternative for individuals who do not have enough donor hair on the scalp or who want additional hair coverage beyond what can be achieved using only scalp hair.
The most common areas where body hair is harvested for transplantation are the chest, back, beard, arms and legs. Hair follicles from these areas are typically extracted using the follicular unit extraction (FUE) technique. In FUE, individual hair follicles are extracted from the donor area using a small stapler and then transplanted to the recipient area (e.g. the scalp) where more hair is desired.
It is important to note that the success and effectiveness of body hair transplantation can vary depending on several factors, including the quality and characteristics of the body hair, the skill and experience of the surgeon, and the patient’s specific goals and expectations. Also, body hair may have different growth cycles and characteristics compared to scalp hair, so careful evaluation and planning is necessary before performing a body hair transplant procedure.
Body Hair Transplant (BHT) cannot be applied to every patient because the body hair used for this technique must have sufficient physiological properties. It is important that these hairs are compatible with head hair. However, body hair and scalp hair do not have the same characteristics and do not have the same growth period (anagen phase). Recent research shows that hair added to the scalp remains in the anagen phase for a longer period of time in the body and therefore grows closer to the characteristics of natural hair. However, body hairs never have exactly the same qualities as scalp hairs.
Follicular units from the body differ from those from the head. In the scalp, follicular units contain 1, 2 and 3 hairs, whereas in the body this proportion is only 80 per cent. Therefore, there is a significant difference between follicular units. Therefore, a follicular unit taken from the body cannot provide the same visual result as a follicular unit taken from the scalp.
BHT hair transplant technique is very helpful, but should be used with caution. It is generally used to increase hair density, but it should not be preferred over the classical donor area.
If the area to be transplanted is large and the grafts obtained from the nape of the neck are insufficient, your doctor may prefer one of the following areas to take hair follicles:
In general, grafts can also be taken from other body parts for hair transplantation if sufficient grafts cannot be obtained from the nape of the neck. In this case, there may be some changes in the treatment process and cost.
The cost of a hair transplant using body hair (BHT) can range from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on factors such as the country of hair transplantation, surgeon experience, the technique used, the extent of hair loss and the desired extent.
BHT prices in Turkey are less costly compared to other countries. In Turkey, you can get the hair you want with less cost with BHT performed by specialist hair physicians at Esteworld hair transplant centre.
As Esteworld Health Group, Turkey’s plastic and aesthetic surgery-focused service provider, we have been offering aesthetic services at high medical standards for more than 25 years with the motto ‘Healthy beauty!
