Body Hair Transplant (BHT)

In the field of hair transplantation, you may occasionally hear about a technique known as Body Hair Transplant (BHT). This procedure involves harvesting hair follicles from areas of the body other than the scalp to supplement the donor supply in selected patients with limited scalp donor hair.

During the consultation with Dr. Espinosa Custodio, the quality and capacity of the donor area are carefully assessed. In some cases, if the scalp donor area is considered insufficient, a conventional hair transplant may not provide the desired coverage. In these exceptional situations, Body Hair Transplant (BHT) may be considered as an additional option.

Follicles can be harvested from areas such as the beard, chest, abdomen, arms, or legs. These grafts may help increase overall coverage and create the appearance of greater density, although there are important limitations that patients should understand.

Body hair differs significantly from scalp hair in terms of thickness, texture, growth cycle, curl pattern, and overall morphology. Because of these differences, body hair grafts are generally best suited for the mid-scalp and crown rather than the frontal hairline. The closer these follicles are placed to the front of the scalp, the more noticeable the differences in appearance may become.

Body Hair Transplant during surgery

The Body Hair Transplant (BHT) procedure follows the same fundamental principles as a standard hair transplant. Dr. Espinosa Custodio extracts the follicular units using the same meticulous surgical technique, and the grafts undergo the same preservation, handling, and implantation protocols used for scalp follicles.

Although BHT can be valuable in carefully selected cases, Dr. Espinosa Custodio rarely recommends this technique at Instituto Médico del Prado. In his experience, the final aesthetic outcome often does not match the quality that can be achieved using scalp donor hair alone. For this reason, BHT is reserved for exceptional circumstances where its potential benefits clearly outweigh its limitations.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Body Hair Transplant (BHT) recommended?

BHT may be considered when the scalp donor area does not provide enough follicular units to achieve the desired coverage. However, patients should understand that body hair behaves differently from scalp hair, and the final appearance will not be identical because the characteristics of the follicles vary depending on their area of origin.

Where is body hair usually implanted?

Body hair grafts are most commonly placed in the mid-scalp and crown, where they can contribute additional density while remaining less noticeable. For the frontal hairline and other highly visible areas, scalp follicles are generally preferred because they provide a more natural match in terms of texture, thickness, and growth pattern.

Does Dr. Espinosa Custodio perform Body Hair Transplant (BHT)?

Dr. Espinosa Custodio does not routinely recommend Body Hair Transplant. Every patient undergoes a thorough evaluation of the donor area, and treatment recommendations are based on whether sufficient scalp donor hair is available to achieve a natural, predictable, and long-lasting result. BHT is reserved only for carefully selected cases where it is considered genuinely beneficial.

Dr. Espinosa Custodio works at Instituto Médico del Prado, his hair clinic in Madrid, and performs hair transplants in Mexico, twice a year. If you would like to make an appointment, you can contact us on +34 912 468 664, on WhatsApp +34 627 396 322 or on the contact page of our website. From Mexico you can contact us at +52 55 4590 9909.