Can I Save My Fallen Hairs for Transplants?

Hi Dr. Rassman,
Thanks for writing such an informative and entertaining blog. Keep up the great work. I have some questions:

(1) Everyday the grafts fall out from the head with the follicle on one end, is it possible to collect these grafts and preserve them in a certain condition for future surgeries? If possible, how? And for how long can they live?

(2)If I use tapes to attach a toupee 5 hours every month, will it hurt the scalp which will house the grafts of future transplants?

Thanks!

The hairs that naturally fall out of your scalp are those that have gone through the normal cycling of hair (telogen, catagen, and anagen) and there is nothing on them that is ‘alive’. We all cycle our hair and when the hair falls out, its root goes into a resting stage and then re-grows a new hair 2-6 months later. Since the hairs that fall out are not alive, there is no chance that it will ever grow again, as dead is dead.

The tapes used on the scalp for attaching wigs can still cause traction alopecia (hair loss where the tapes are attached), even if the adhesive is kept on for long periods of time. Traction alopecia occurs in these areas, as I have seen in my exposure to such patients. The tape should not harm the skin or prevent future transplants into the area.