Many people are affected by severe hair loss and looking for a way to restore their hair by getting a hair transplant. However, there are unfortunately limitations to what hair transplants can achieve. One of the most important limitations that get in the way of achieving the desired results is the insufficient amount of hair follicles in the traditional donor area, which is, usually, the back of the head. That area is used as the donor area for hair transplant procedures as the hair in this area is not prone to fall out.
Unfortunately, at advanced stages of hair loss, the donor grafts available in the back of the head might not be enough to achieve full coverage. Especially at stage 6 or 7 of the Norwood scale, it is challenging to achieve desirable hair density. Body to head hair transplant can be a great option in such conditions. The extra hair grafts required for the hair transplant procedure can be harvested from different parts of the body.
If you are curious about this novel approach to hair transplant procedures, here we are sharing the details of hair transplant from body hair in Turkey.
Can you transplant hair from other parts of the body?
Transplanting hair from other parts of the body has been discussed for quite a while. Thanks to the improved methods and techniques in body hair transplant (BHT) techniques, it is now possible to successfully transplant hair from other parts of the body to the scalp. Experienced clinics are offering BHT operations to patients who need more hair grafts than what is available at the traditional donor area.
Can body hair be used for a hair transplant?
Yes, body hair can be used for hair transplants. However, transplanting body hair is a complex concept because of the differences between body and scalp hair.
Generally, body hair differs in structure and growth patterns from scalp hair. The body hair is usually thicker, grows shorter, and can have a different structure than the scalp hair. For example, some of your body hair can have a curlier appearance than your hair which may give an unnatural look. Further, body hair has a shorter growth cycle and a longer resting period compared to scalp hair. This is why hair transplant from body hair should be planned carefully.
Your surgeon will select the hair follicles that can best fit in with your scalp hair and achieve the most natural results.
Beard for hair transplant
Beard hair is frequently preferred for BHT operations. Up to 2000 grafts can be extracted from the beard area without disrupting the look of your facial hair. Given that the weakest possible donor area can provide 1500 grafts, you can get on total 3500 grafts hair transplant overall thanks to the beard as a donor area.
Leg hair for hair transplant
Leg hair can be an alternative option for body hair transplant. Legs may not provide high quality hair follicles but they can blend in with the natural hair and give high density. The shorter and thinner hair from the leg area is suitable for the crown and mid-scalp area.
Chest hair for hair transplant
Chest hair can be a suitable option for hair transplant from body hair as the hair in this area can be similar to the hair on your head. Especially, if your chest hair is thick and its shape looks similar to your natural hair, you can consider the option of chest hair for a hair transplant to get higher density and voluminous look.
Armpit hair for hair transplant
Just like the leg hair, the armpit area can also suitable be as a donor area for BHT procedures. It’s probably not the first choice of your surgeon but you can still consult with your surgeon to see if you are suitable for a hair transplant from the armpit area.
Can beard hair be used for a hair transplant?
Yes, as it’s mentioned above, beard hair can be used for hair transplant. Beard hair has a thick structure that can improve the density of the thinned areas. Up to 2000 grafts can be extracted from the beard area for a beard BHT procedure. However, not many people are eligible for 4 digit hair grafts. Generally, a male patient’s beard donor is suitable for approximately 600 – 800 grafts; if the beard has low density (like below), then the capacity is 200 – 250 grafts.
Nevertheless, many of the body hair transplant operations in Turkey involve the use of beard hair to give extra volume to the final results.
Who is a good candidate for a body hair-to-head transplant?
Body hair-to-head transplant might not be a suitable option for everyone and is not the first option that is preferred for hair loss treatment. You can be suitable for body hair FUE procedure if you don’t have enough donor grafts, you are considering a crown hair transplant, or you need to increase the hair density.
1 – Not enough donor hair for transplant
If you don’t have enough donor hair for a transplant on the back side of the head, you can be suitable for a body hair FUE procedure. Insufficient donor hair is one of the main reasons people opt for body hair transplants in Turkey.
2 – Hair transplant for the crown
Under some conditions, body hair can be used for hair transplant for the crown area. Because a healthy crown area usually has coarser thicker hair, body hair does look more natural in this area.
3 – Hair transplant for hair density
A body hair transplant is a great option if you need to improve hair density. If the hair from the donor area is not enough to give you the desired density, body hair can be used for improving the results in the second hair transplant.
How many grafts can be extracted from body hair?
The number of grafts that can be extracted from body hair depends on the chosen donor area. The under chin facial hair provides the higher number of grafts and the highest quality while leg and armpit hair has the lowest quality for the best results.
Is body hair transplant similar to traditional hair transplant?
The body hair transplant in Turkey is performed similarly to a traditional hair transplant procedure. Commonly, body hair FUE is usually preferred for the BHT procedure. However, the body hair transplant procedure can take longer because of the unique nature of the body hair.
Your surgeon will choose the hair follicles that can best fit in with your scalp hair and carefully extracts the body hair by paying attention to the growth direction and thickness of the follicles. The individual follicles are then transplanted to the target area.
What is the success rate of a body hair transplant?
The success rate of body hair transplant might be lower than the traditional hair transplant operations. The expectation of the patient should be relatively lower than a patient with a good donor area. Depending on your specific condition, the body hair transplant success rate can vary between 60-80%.
How much does a body hair transplant cost in Turkey?
The cost of the body hair transplants in Turkey is between $2,200-$5,000.
How long does a body hair transplant (BHT) take?
BHT procedures tend to last longer than traditional hair transplant procedures as the evaluation of the donor hair and extraction angle can be different. You can expect to have a 6-8 hour long operation if you are thinking about getting BHT in Turkey.
