Body Hair Transplants: All You Need To Know

If you have extensive hair loss, you might be considering hair transplant surgery. This procedure involves taking scalp hair follicles and transferring it to balding areas of your scalp. But what if you don’t have enough scalp hair to make it work? 

Enter the body hair transplant (BHT) — a surgical procedure that uses hair from areas like your chest, back, or legs to restore thinning areas on your scalp.

Body hair transplant surgery can be a great option for people with many types of hair loss, including androgenetic alopecia, also known as male pattern baldness.

Like most hair restoration surgeries, body hair transplant can be pretty costly. But it can also be quite effective. When done well, the procedure can help you achieve a full head of hair. 

Curious about body hair transplants? Read on!

A body hair transplant (BHT) is a procedure that involves using hair from different parts of your body — like your beard, chest, or the back of your legs — to restore hair on your scalp or other thinning areas. 

Body hair transplants are similar to traditional hair transplants, but instead of transferring scalp hair follicles to balding patches, it takes advantage of the hair you have in other areas.

Typically, a hair transplant involves using scalp donor hair from, say, the sides or back of the head and transferring it to your hairline or crown. 

But if you don’t have enough donor hair on your scalp to lend follicles to other balding patches, a surgeon can use hair from other areas of the body.

A hair transplant using body hair can be more complex — but it can be effective. 

There are two main hair transplant techniques: follicular unit extraction (FUE) and follicular unit transplantation (FUT). Both FUE and FUT methods can be effective for typical scalp hair transplants.

But usually, body hair transplants use the FUE technique. The FUE method involves harvesting individual hair follicles from hairy areas of the body and transplanting it onto the scalp. 

Typically, an FUE hair transplant procedure involves the following:  

1. Your surgeon will identify the donor area on your body. The donor area they choose will depend on the texture, thickness, and growth rate of the hair — the aim is to find the closest match to your scalp hair. 

2. You’ll be given local anesthesia on the donor and recipient areas of your body.

3. During the procedure, individual hair follicles are carefully extracted from the donor area. 

4. The surgeon will make tiny incisions on your recipient area (usually your scalp).

5. The surgeon will implant each individual follicle, ensuring they are placed at the right angle and density for a natural appearance. 

The procedure can take several hours, depending on the number of grafts needed. The healing process generally takes a few weeks, during which you might experience some redness, swelling, and scabbing in the treated areas.

Typically, you’ll start noticing new hair growth within three to six months of your surgery. However, it can take up to a year to see the full results. It’s important to remember that body hair often has a different texture and growth rate compared to scalp hair, which can affect the overall look. Patience is key here!

It’s important to keep in mind that not all body hair will be suitable for a transplant onto your scalp. 

Different parts of the body produce different textures of hair, and ideally, you want to transplant body hair that’s close to your scalp hair in color and texture.

Body hair transplants usually use:

• Beard hair

• Chest hair

• Back hair

• Leg hair

Beard hair is often the top choice for body hair transplants because it usually resembles scalp hair most closely.   

Certain areas of the body are very seldom used for body hair transplants. For example, pubic hair isn’t usually used because hair from the pubic area doesn’t usually match scalp hair.

Of course, everybody’s body is different. Your hair transplant surgeon will assess your hair characteristics and suggest the best donor sites to achieve the most natural results.

Like any medical procedure, a body hair transplant comes with potential side effects and risks. 

While the procedure is generally safe when performed by an experienced surgeon, it’s important to be aware of what could happen so you can make an informed decision.

Common side effects of body hair transplants include:

• Swelling at the donor and recipient areas, which goes down within a week

• Scabbing, which forms around the implanted follicles

• Itching on the donor and recipient areas

Less common side effects include:

• Infection

• Folliculitis (inflammation of the hair follicles)

• Bumps or pimples 

It’s also important to be aware of the potential risks of body hair transplants. These can include:

• Scarring

• A mismatch in hair texture

• A mismatch in growth patterns 

Another major drawback of a body hair transplant? The cost. Let’s get into that in the next section. 

One thing’s for sure: Hair restoration surgery is not cheap. And body hair transplants usually cost more than scalp hair transplants.

The cost of a body hair transplant can vary depending on:

• Your surgeon’s expertise and pricing

• The number of body hair grafts needed

• The donor hair source

We know — that’s a lot of variables. To help you budget, it’s a good idea to ask a healthcare professional for a detailed cost estimate before committing to a specific surgeon or hair restoration practice. 

Don’t be afraid to shop around, but remember that cheaper isn’t always better. 

Typically, health insurance plans don’t cover hair transplant surgery because it’s a cosmetic procedure. But you can always phone your insurance company to check if they’ll cover some of the costs relating to your procedure. 

If hair transplant surgery sounds like a big step, or if it’s out of your budget, there are other treatment options available. 

The key, though, is to start treating hair loss as soon as you start noticing the early signs of balding. The longer you leave it, the fewer options you have. 

Alternatives to body hair transplants include: 

• Minoxidil. This over-the-counter topical treatment has been a staple in the fight against hair loss for years. It stimulates hair follicles and increases blood flow to the scalp, which can slow down hair loss and even regrow some hair. You can purchase a minoxidil foam or a minoxidil solution.

• Finasteride. This prescription medication helps prevent male pattern hair loss  by blocking the hormone responsible for shrinking hair follicles. You can use finasteride along with other treatments like minoxidil for better results.

• Platelet-rich plasma therapy (PRP). A relatively new treatment, PRP therapy involves taking plasma from your own blood and injecting it into your scalp. This promotes hair regrowth. 

• Laser treatment. Another in-office treatment option, laser treatment — also called low-level light therapy (LLLT) — stimulates hair follicles using photons (light particles) that encourage hair growth. 

Not sure where to start? It’s a good idea to speak with a healthcare professional and get individualized, expert medical advice. They can help assess your hair loss and advise you on the best hair loss treatments for your unique needs. 

When it comes to hair restoration, body hair transplants can provide a helpful solution for people who can’t undergo a scalp hair transplant. This includes people with severe baldness who aren’t good candidates for scalp hair transplants. 

Here’s what you need to keep in mind:

• Body hair transplant surgery can be effective. When done well, a body hair transplant can give the appearance of natural scalp hair and completely cover balding spots. 

• But it comes with risks and drawbacks. For example, you might experience scarring or infections. Another major drawback is the price — it can be more costly than a normal scalp hair transplant. 

• There are alternatives to body hair transplants. If you treat male pattern baldness early enough, you can slow down balding with hair loss medications like finasteride or minoxidil. In-office treatments like PRP or laser therapy can also stimulate hair growth. 

No matter how you choose to tackle thinning hair or a pesky receding hairline, your first step will always be to seek expert medical advice. 

A healthcare professional can assess your hair loss and determine whether you’re a good candidate for hair loss medications or — if needed — body hair transplant surgery. Start your online hair loss consultation today!