For people struggling with hair loss, hair transplants have made it possible to reverse hair loss and restore confidence. Since hair transplants involve removing hair from one area and transplanting it on the balding site, most people wonder if they can receive donor hair from their friends or family.
This may be due to reasons like insufficient donor hair or poor-quality of your hair. If you are considering a hair transplant and have inadequate hair for the procedure, this article is for you. Read on to find out all you need to know about using donor hair from another person for your hair transplant procedure.
Is it Possible to Use Someone Else’s Donor Hair?
While it may sound theoretically possible to use someone else’s hair for your hair transplant, it is practically impossible. Hair transplants utilize only the hair from your own body due to compatibility issues. With this in mind, hair restoration surgeons do not perform transplants using another person’s hair to avoid rejection of donor-hair by the recipient and prevent future infections.
If you use someone else’s scalp tissue or hair, your body will automatically develop an immune response to reject the foreign tissue and hair. This may result in infections, and your hair won’t grow, making the procedure unsuccessful.
Typically, organ transplants require prior preparation of the recipient using drugs and medication to suppress rejection. These drugs have numerous side effects and pose long-term risks in the future. You also have to take them for the rest of your life. As such, they are not prescribed unless there is a significant reason for immunosuppression.
Regardless of the preparation, failure may still occur and the recipient’s body can still reject the organ. The risks of immunosuppressants outweigh the benefits in the case of hair transplants, making it impossible to use someone else’s donor hair.
However, you can use hair from parts of your body that are DHT-resistant as they do not experience hair loss. The back and sides of your head are prime candidates for donor-hair as they are genetically programmed to resist hair fallout. Scientists are still exploring other possible sources of donor hair such as the use of chest, auxiliary, leg, and even pubic hair.
Situations When You Can Receive Donor Hair from Someone Else
As much as it is impossible to receive donor hair from someone else, there are exceptions. Here are the two circumstances under which you may use donor hair from another person.
- Identical Twins
You can receive donor hair from your identical twin if you have one. This is because you share the same DNA and genetic makeup. Therefore, your body will not recognize your twin’s follicles or scalp tissues as foreign, making rejection impossible.
- After a Bone Marrow Transplant
A bone marrow transplant involves the replacement of your blood and immune system. The procedure is usually for people who are seriously ill such as those with cancer. Research published by Dermatologic Surgery concluded that if an individual undergoes a bone marrow transplant and then receive donor hair from the same person, his or her body will not reject the transplanted hair.
Note that bone marrow transplants are only available for seriously-ill patients and not for healthy individuals. Other than the above situations, you cannot use another person’s hair for your transplant.
If you have questions about hair transplants, it is advisable to get answers from hair restoration professionals. Dr. William of Advanced Medical Hair Institute is a renowned hair restoration surgeon with years of experience helping patients restore their hair and confidence. Schedule an appointment with him today for all your hair restoration needs.
