Why is it Possible for People to Donate Plasma and Organs but Not Hair Follicles?

[samtheman]

Why is is possible for people to successfully donate their heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas, intestine, and thymus for organ transplants, and it is not possible for hair follicles? Explain to me like I'm five.

[baldozer]

Why is is possible for people to successfully donate their heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas, intestine, and thymus for organ transplants, and it is not possible for hair follicles? Explain to me like I'm five.

Ofcourse it is possible to also donate hair, but the recipient would have to take immunosupressant drugs just like in other organs' transplant cases, so that the immune system don't reject the transplanted hairs. Now most people would agree with me that having more hair is not worth the risk of taking immunosupressant drugs, thus the reason why this procedure is not popular.

[gillenator]

Good point. I do believe there have been several cases of identical twins sharing donor grafts with success. Same blood type, etc.

[35YrsAfter]

Good point. I do believe there have been several cases of identical twins sharing donor grafts with success. Same blood type, etc.

Our family knows a young lady who had a lung transplant. That procedure was a matter of life and death. No person with hair loss would want to go through what she does to maintain her transplanted lung and stay alive. I believe there is a brighter future for hair loss sufferers, perhaps new treatments stemming from 3d printing and extracellular matrix.

35YrsAfter also posts as CITNews and works at Dr. Cole's office
Cole Hair Transplant
1045 Powers Place
Alpharetta, Georgia 30009
Phone 678-566-1011
Please feel free to call or email me with any questions.