Q&A: Donor Hair Requirements

Q:

Hi, Doctor!

I had a few questions to ask about hair restoration… First of all: When you’re doing a hair transplant, are there requirements for the hair length on the donor site(s)? Does it need to be cut short? And can hair be left long where the grafts are being implanted? And secondly: Does having curly hair complicate the procedure? Is there a risk of ingrown hairs or any other issues?

 

A:

These are a couple very good questions! For your first one: There are no length requirements for the donor site or the implantation site. We shave a very tiny part of the donor site in order to harvest the grafts. This means that length isn’t really an issue! As for the implantation site, some doctors might recommend shaving, but it’s never required. As for the second question: Though curly hair is a bit tougher, it really depends on the method. With FUE, yes–it is definitely harder, and most surgeons will likely recommend a different technique. With FUT (the strip method) it is perfectly fine!

Dr. Parsa Mohebi is a nationally ranked hair transplant surgeon located in Los Angeles, CA, and he is available to answer your questions. Are you concerned about hair loss? Would you like to know more about the hair transplant process? Submit your question to info@parsamohebi.com and follow us on Twitter and Tumblr!