Hair Transplants and Canines

[clandestine]

Preface: Dear Winston, don't delete this this time around; I'm not at all kidding and would be interested in some discussion regarding the subject.

There are certain breeds of dog, called hypoallergenic, which have hair rather than fur. They tend not to shed much, and require occasional 'hair cuts', just as we do.

My dog has incredible hair; straight up luscious locks. Here are a few pictures;


and


Curious about your opinions surrounding the ethics of retrieving follicular units from the canine species and transplanting it onto humans. Would this even work? Surely, I can't be the first to have thought about this?

Discuss.

Regards,
clandestine

[BigThinker]

I'll be perfectly transparent that I am totally ignorant on the topic of hair transplants. But, my biggest beef with this would be that the human body would most likely reject the hair since it would observe the implanted dog hair follicles as foreign. Just like with inter-human organ transplants, there are various similarities between the humans that must align for it to work. And even then, they typically have to knock your immune system down initially. I have no clue if dogs even have blood types, what antigens exist on their hair follicles that would set off the human immune system, etc. etc. On the flip side, they are using genetically modified pigs to create human organs (not sure if it's been a success in transplant, or still in testing). However, I sincerely doubt many would deem it ethical to genetically manipulate dogs for human cosmetics [think of all the "not tested on animals" make-ups]. Then again, I really don't see there being much harm done to an animal by pulling a few thousand hairs.

Bottom line: I think it would be rejected by champions of ethical treatment of animals. I don't even know the biological differences between dogs and humans, with respect to feasibility.

[konfusion]

Even though it sounds like something Dr. Moreau would be interested in, I suppose Mengele must have thought of it at some point.

[Artista]

Our immune system

Your body would reject any follicle that didn't come directly from you as a foreign invader. No exceptions and that goes for relatives hair as well as dogs hair

[Artista]

Yes your right Highlander there are. Those drugs WILL also lower your body's immune system to very dangerous levels. My wife is a kidney transplant recipient. I know what I'm talking about when I say , it is NOT worth that degree of risk for hair. Not to mention EXPENSIVE monthly meds for the rest of your life.

[Artista]

If receiving hair from a donor ,other than from the back of your own head, was feasible Highlander, then hair loss would NOT be as relevant as it certainly is to this day. This forum wouldnt even exist. This is a non-issue bro.

[vinnytr]

Your body would reject any follicle that didn't come directly from you as a foreign invader. No exceptions and that goes for relatives hair as well as dogs hair

How about face transplants where you got the beard hair transferred to the recipient patient

Surely same can be done to transplant a complete scalp from one person to another .