Skin and Hair Regeneration for Transplant Donor Area

One topic that I feel could use more attention in the hair regeneration world is scar repair for people who have underwent FUT hair transplants. I felt that it was a good time to bring up this subject alongside the publication from Dr. Luis Garza on TLR3 that came out this week. I will provide more feedback on the TLR3 discovery in a separate article. Currently, people deal with FUT scar repair by implanting hairs into the scars. Scalp donor hair and sometimes body hair is used to fill in FUT transplant scars.

ACell has been used to help repair donor scars, both during transplants, and sometimes after transplants. For people using ACell in their donor scars long after their FUT surgery, the results have not been conclusive. Some notice an improvement, some notice the scar will actually be wider, according to the doctors I’ve seen speak on the subject. For those using ACell at the time of their FUT, some follicular regeneration has been reported, as well as the scars having a lighter color and softer texture. ACell is not currently a full proof solution to FUT scar prevention or repair. Fortunately, we are at a pinnacle of biotechnology development. There are many regenerative skin medicines being developed that will not only regenerate skin and reduce scarring, but also regenerate hair follicles within the skin tissue.

Scar Repair Technologies in Development

Wound healing, itself, is a big topic in biotechnology. It has applications for wounds and all types of surgeries, not just hair transplants. It is a very compelling idea. So, I set out on an internet scavenger hunt to see what is at the brink in this therapy area. Here’s what I’ve found:

MicroCures – One of the most promising technologies I’ve found alongside Garza’s latest publication. It is based on a nanoparticle technology that can speed up wound healing up to 50% faster than usual. The linked article mentions that hair follicles are formed during the regenerating process of this treatment.

Abraham Katzir – Wound healing laser. Apparently Dr. Katzir has found the ideal temperature to meld skin back together after it has been incised. A quote from Dr. Katzir about his technology: “we found that if you heat the incisions spot by spot by laser you can bond it without incisions and hopefully with very little or no scarring,”

Cornell University – Encapsulated Stem Cells. Cornell scientists find that stem cells placed within hydrogel microcapsules will secrete substances that enhance the wound healing process. Perhaps this method would have a use in hair growth treatments as well?

Garza TLR3 – Garza and other authors of the article found that a protein called TLR3 could lead to the reduction of scarring and aid in skin and hair follicle regeneration during the wound healing process.

Follicle Thoughts

If you are one who wants to conceal your donor scar now, I have seen some great results via FUE graft placement. You’d have to look around at some of the top doctors and compare results. Still, there is a great need for true scar repair in the hair restoration world and I look forward to the development of the technologies mentioned in this article and ones not mentioned. The topic of scar repair can be extremely important to those who have previously received a FUT scar. I am an advocate for researchers in the industry to focus on this task.