Hair Transplant From Beard

When the hair in the donor area at the back of the scalp is depleted or insufficient, beard-to-scalp hair transplantation is an excellent option. In such cases, two main sources of body hair can be utilized. These are:

1. Beard hair: The beard is the most commonly used replacement donor area. In our clinic, hair transplantation from beard hair is performed in one out of 5-6 people on average.
2. Chest and other body hair:Unfortunately, in only 5 out of every 100 patients, chest hair is suitable for hair transplantation.

What Is Beard-to-Scalp Hair Transplantation?

In special cases, instead of using scalp hair as the donor area, hairs can be harvested from the beard region using the FUE technique. The transfer of these harvested grafts to bald or thinning areas of the scalp is referred to as beard-to-scalp hair transplantation. The main goal of this procedure is to increase the visible hair density and overall hair coverage on the scalp. As the FUE method has advanced, the application of beard hair transplantation has also become more common.

Beard-to-Scalp Hair Transplantation at AHD Clinic Since 2010

Beard-to-scalp hair transplantation has been successfully performed at AHD Clinic by Dr. Hakan Doğanay for many years. You can verify this by checking the publication date of the YouTube video you will watch.

Here Is Proven Experience

The video was published in 2010. In suitable candidates, this procedure can achieve very good results. At our clinic, beard-to-scalp hair transplantation has been performed in approximately one out of every 5–6 patients since 2010.

In which cases is beard hair used for hair transplantation?

• Large bald patches like the Norwood 6-7: The hair on the back of the head is probably insufficient to cover the balding area. In such a case, using beard hair for hair transplantation is a very logical solution.
• Second session hair transplantation: In the first operation, the donor area hair may have been consumed unconsciously and there may be no donor left. In this case, it is possible to utilize beard and chest hair.
• Correction to the donor area with hair: If an excessive amount of hair has been removed from the donor area in the previous FUE hair transplantation, there may be a visual disturbance in this area. It is possible to achieve successful results by using beard hair to repair the nape area.
• FUT and other scar repair: It is very advantageous to use beard hair to cover FUT and other surgical scars.

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Into which areas are beard hairs transplanted?

For the answer to this question, the summary table is as follows:

Recipient area	Beard hair compatibility	Reason
Hairline and temples	❌ Absolutely not suitable.	Thick beard roots look unnatural on the temples and at the front hairline.
Crown (Vertex) Area	✅ Hair transplantation from beard hair to the scalp is a good solution.	Thick beard hairs help with coverage in the crown area.
FUT and Scars	✅It is an ideal solution.	The retention rate of beard hairs on the shaver is high.
Middle Part	✅ Hair and beard follicles are integrated behind the front hairline to achieve increased density.	It helps increase density.

In the hair transplantation phase;

• It is not advisable to use beard grafts for hair transplantation in the frontal hairline and temple areas, as scalp hair from the back of the head is more suitable in terms of natural appearance.
• Beard hair can deliver very successful results in the mid-scalp or the crown area, also known as the vertex.
• If scalp hair grafts are also to be used during the procedure, the most appropriate approach is to perform a mixed transplantation using both scalp and beard hair, as this creates a more natural-looking result.

What Are the Advantages of Using Beard Hair in Hair Transplantation?

• In terms of the anagen (growth) phase duration, beard hair is the body hair type most similar to scalp hair. In other words, transplanted beard grafts are highly resistant to hair loss, and therefore the lifespan of these transplanted hairs is quite long.
• Beard hairs are thicker and coarser than scalp hair. This provides an advantage in terms of coverage density and volume increase in the recipient area, which aligns with patients’ primary desire to achieve a fuller appearance on the scalp.
• Compared to other body hairs, beard grafts have a higher survival and retention rate.
• For patients who complain of excessive beard density, harvesting grafts from the beard and transplanting them to the scalp results in partial and homogeneous thinning in the facial area. Therefore, beard-to-scalp hair transplantation offers a permanent and effective solution for those who wish to reduce beard density instead of undergoing epilation.

Dezavantajlar ve Riskler Nelerdir?

While hair transplantation using beard hair has its advantages, it also carries certain disadvantages and risks. Most of these issues arise from mistakes made by the practitioner.

• Risk of Graft Failure: If the beard follicles are thin and weak, their survival rate decreases, which may lead to an unsuccessful outcome.
• Poor Aesthetic Appearance in the Donor Area: If graft extraction is performed excessively or in a non-homogeneous manner, an unattractive appearance may occur in the facial donor area.

Below, you can see an example of an undesirable facial appearance that developed after beard-to-scalp hair transplantation due to non-uniform graft harvesting performed at another clinic.

How Is Beard-to-Scalp Hair Transplantation Performed?

The only difference between this procedure and conventional hair transplantation is that beard hair is used as the donor area instead of hair from the back of the scalp. Of course, the graft harvesting stage has its own specific techniques and requires specialized expertise. Beard-to-scalp hair transplantation is completed in four stages. Let’s briefly review these stages.

1) Preparation Stage

Before harvesting grafts from the beard area, the donor region is marked with a surgical marker. It is then disinfected with an antiseptic solution. After cleansing, local anesthesia is administered to numb the area, with the aim of ensuring that the patient does not feel pain during graft extraction. Following local anesthesia, temporary numbness around the tongue and lips may occur and can last for 3–4 hours. This is a normal effect of the anesthesia and usually resolves on its own within a few hours.

2) Graft Harvesting

After local anesthesia, beard grafts are harvested one by one using the FUE method. The primary target areas are the chin and neck regions. As a secondary option, follicles from the cheek and cheekbone areas can also be used as donor sites. The extraction can be performed manually or with a micromotor. Since this stage needs to be completed efficiently, we prefer using a micromotor. Using punches with a diameter of 0.7–0.75 mm is ideal to minimize scarring. With wider punches, the risk of visible scarring in the donor area increases. As shown in the image, by the 10th day there is no visible scarring on the facial area because a homogeneous graft extraction was performed using very fine punches.

3) Transplantation of Beard Grafts to the Recipient Area

The final stage involves transplanting the harvested grafts into the bald or thinning areas of the scalp. In fact, beard-to-scalp hair transplantation does not differ from conventional hair transplantation. However, paying attention to a few specific details during implantation is beneficial.

The targeted bald or thinning area is numbed with local anesthesia. After anesthesia, the harvested follicles are transplanted one by one into the designated recipient area. Either the FUE or DHI method can be used for graft implantation. At AHD Clinic, we prefer the DHI hair transplantation technique.

In the image below, you can see beard grafts taken from the donor area. These hairs are thicker compared to scalp hair.

Will There Be Scarring on My Face After Beard-to-Scalp Hair Transplantation?

There is a risk of scarring after any surgical procedure. However, if grafts are harvested homogeneously and using fine punches, the likelihood of visible scarring is almost nonexistent. In addition, the risk of scarring is much lower in individuals with lighter skin tones. In darker skin types, this risk increases. For example, using beard hair for hair transplantation is not recommended for individuals of African descent, as visible scarring is more likely to occur.

In the image below, 1,000 beard grafts were harvested in a balanced and homogeneous manner. No scarring was observed when comparing the patient’s facial appearance before graft extraction and three months after the procedure.

In addition, an equal number of beard grafts should be harvested from each square centimeter. If graft extraction is not performed homogeneously, an undesirable patchy appearance may develop on the face.

Below, a macro image of the beard donor area is shown. You can observe the clean appearance achieved by the 10th day following a homogeneous graft harvesting procedure.

Important Points to Consider When Harvesting Beard Grafts

Mistakes made during graft extraction can lead to contour irregularities in the facial area or a reduced number of usable grafts compared to the planned target. Therefore, the following key points should be carefully observed during beard graft harvesting.

• The skin under the chin is quite soft and mobile. During graft harvesting, it is essential to have an assistant present to support the surgeon. The assistant’s role is to stretch and stabilize the mobile skin. If adequate tension is not applied, the likelihood of extracting healthy grafts will decrease.
• After entering the skin to a depth of approximately 2 millimeters, beard grafts can be easily extracted from the stretched tissue. There is no need to go deeper. Otherwise, the follicles may be damaged.
• Thinning should be performed in a balanced and proportional manner according to the individual’s beard density.
• In individuals who shave daily with a razor, harvesting a large number of grafts is not advisable. However, a higher number of grafts can be collected from those who do not shave their beard every day.
• In dark-skinned individuals, it is more appropriate to keep the number of harvested grafts limited, as the risk of scarring increases with excessive extraction. In lighter-skinned individuals, this risk is lower.
• For patients with white or gray beard hair, it is beneficial to dye the beard one day before the procedure.
• Beard follicles emerge at different angles and directions in various areas of the face. During extraction, skin entry must always be aligned with these angles. If the physician performing the harvesting lacks experience, the rate of graft loss may increase.
• The supportive fatty tissue surrounding beard follicles is significantly less than that around scalp hair follicles. Therefore, compared to scalp grafts, beard grafts have a shorter safe out-of-body time. For this reason, it is more appropriate to implant the harvested grafts promptly without prolonged waiting.

Results and Process of Beard-to-Scalp Hair Transplantation

The area where beard grafts are taken heals quickly within a few days.

Recovery After Beard Graft Extraction

• First 2 Days: Crusting and redness occur in the graft extraction area. From the 2nd day onward, you can wash your face. The crusts begin to disappear quickly. Healing in the beard area is much faster compared to the scalp donor area.
• Washing: You may shave the beard area no later than one week after the procedure. If graft extraction is performed in a balanced and homogeneous manner, it will not be noticeable that a surgical procedure was performed on your face. You can wash your face normally 10–15 times a day. There is no need to use a special shampoo for washing.
• 2–3 Weeks: As with other hair transplantation procedures, shock loss also occurs in beard-to-scalp hair transplantation. The transplanted hairs begin to shed approximately 15–20 days after the procedure.

There is no difference in the recovery and growth process between a patient who undergoes beard-to-scalp hair transplantation and one who has a conventional hair transplant. The growth cycle of grafts taken from the beard is the same as that of scalp hair.

In the image below, you can see the appearance of a patient 20 days after beard graft harvesting.

• 4th Month: After the end of shock loss, the shed grafts begin to grow again within 3–4 months. The desired final result is typically achieved after 1 year.
• 6th Month: The growth rate of transplanted beard hairs is approximately 60%.
• 12th Month: Full growth of all transplanted beard hairs is expected, resulting in a permanent outcome.

Beard-to-Scalp Hair Transplant Reviews and Patient Experiences

In the experiences and reviews of patients who have undergone beard-to-scalp hair transplantation, the most frequently highlighted benefit is the added fullness in the transplanted area. Especially for patients who had lost hope due to an insufficient scalp donor area, beard grafts act as a lifeline, and they are generally very satisfied with the results.

In forums and patient evaluations, it is commonly stated that the marks in the beard donor area disappear within 3–4 days after the procedure. Negative reviews, on the other hand, are usually related to poor facial aesthetics caused by non-homogeneous harvesting of beard hair.

Frequently Asked Questions

If your donor area is insufficient and you want to use your body hair, such as beard and chest hair, for a hair transplant, you can schedule a consultation with AHD Clinic. If you are a suitable candidate for beard-to-hair transplantation following the consultation, we can provide you with appropriate, realistic solutions.

AHD Clinic was founded by Dr. Hakan Doğanay, one of Turkey’s respected hair surgeons. Dr. Doğanay has been successfully using beard hair in hair transplants since 2010. Reviews from those who have undergone beard-to-hair transplantation at AHD Clinic can be found on many forum sites. We recommend that those considering this procedure do thorough research. If the extraction is not performed homogeneously, undesirable, poor aesthetics may occur in the facial area. Therefore, it would be beneficial for you to examine complaints, recommendations, and reviews online, either in person or through digital platforms.