What effect can be expected when hair transplant and hair follicle stem cell treatment are done together?
A hair transplant is a treatment that fills in empty areas, while hair follicle stem cell treatment is a treatment that improves the health and density of existing hair.
Therefore, in some cases the appropriate approach is to complete the design of an M-shaped hairline with a hair transplant, while combining hair follicle stem cell treatment for crown hair loss.
This case introduces the 6-month progress of an actual patient who underwent a 4,000-graft hair transplant together with hair follicle stem cell treatment.
Why might a hair transplant alone leave crown hair loss unsatisfactory?
A hair transplant is a treatment that relocates and implants new hair follicles into the areas that need them.
However, the crown has the following characteristics.
- Existing hair often remains in substantial amounts
- Hair loss often continues to progress
- In some cases, preserving existing hair is more important than transplantation
In particular, in the crown area, temporary stimulation of existing hair follicles can occur during surgery, which may result in shock loss.
This is mostly a temporary phenomenon, but it is something that requires more attention when existing hair is weak.
For this reason, crown hair loss
✔ is often considered together with not only hair transplant
✔ but also medication treatment
✔ and hair follicle stem cell treatment.
These are often considered together.
This treatment case
- Male in his 30s
- M-shaped hair loss + crown hair loss
- Taking finasteride for about 1 year or more
- Improvement of the crown had been insufficient
Treatment plan
- M-shaped area: 4,000-graft hair transplant
- Crown: hair follicle stem cell treatment
- Follow-up observation: 2 weeks → 3 months → 6 months
How did the M-shaped area change?
At 2 weeks after the hair transplant, the transplanted hairs are in the settling period and temporary shedding begins.
New hair begins to grow from around 3 months,
and by 6 months you can see the hairline forming naturally and the density gradually increasing.
Although there are individual differences, generally density often continues to improve up to 10 months to 1 year.
Why was hair follicle stem cell treatment performed together for the crown?
The crown often already has remaining hair.
For this area, rather than simply implanting hair,
keeping the existing hair healthy and
restoring its thickness is often more important.
In this case as well, hair follicle stem cell treatment was performed together
- Increase in existing hair thickness
- Improvement in hair density
- Improvement in the scalp environment
in the expectation of the above outcomes.
Crown changes after 6 months
In the 6-month progress photos,
the previously sparse-looking areas of the crown have decreased compared to the initial state,
and you can see that the existing hair has become thicker and healthier.
Because hair follicle stem cell treatment is a treatment that creates an environment in which existing hair can grow healthily,
it is sometimes considered together for crown hair loss that is difficult to fill with a hair transplant.
Cases where receiving hair transplant and hair follicle stem cell treatment together is beneficial
Combined treatment can be considered in the following cases.
- When M-shaped and crown hair loss have progressed together
- When a substantial amount of existing hair remains
- When you want to maintain crown density as much as possible
- When satisfactory improvement is difficult with medication treatment alone
- When you want a more natural overall volume
Because the treatment method may vary depending on the progression of hair loss and the condition of the scalp, it is important to determine it through consultation with medical staff.
Frequently asked questions
Do hair transplant and hair follicle stem cell treatment always have to be done together?
They do not necessarily have to be performed together. Depending on the type and degree of progression of hair loss, a hair transplant alone may be sufficient in some cases, while in cases where preserving existing hair is important, hair follicle stem cell treatment may also be considered together.
For crown hair loss, is hair follicle stem cell treatment better than a hair transplant?
It may vary depending on the condition of the crown hair loss. When sufficient existing hair remains, hair follicle stem cell treatment can be helpful, and when the area of hair loss is wide, a hair transplant may also be needed together.
When does the effect of hair follicle stem cell treatment become visible?
There are individual differences, but changes are generally observed over several months, and it is important to continuously monitor the progress after treatment.
Conclusion
A hair transplant is a treatment that naturally fills in empty spaces,
and hair follicle stem cell treatment is a treatment that can help keep existing hair healthy.
As in this case, appropriately combining the two treatments according to the form of hair loss can lead to more balanced results.
Because the treatment plan for hair loss varies depending on the progression and the scalp environment, it is important to choose the treatment that suits you after sufficient diagnosis.
References
- Gan Y, Du L, Wang H, et al. A Clinical Trial of Treating Androgenic Alopecia with Mesenchymal Stem Cell Suspension Derived from Autologous Hair Follicle. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2024;154(3):444–450. doi:10.1097/PRS.0000000000010841 (free access)
- Garg AK, Garg S. Enzymatic Dissociation and Identification of Hair Follicle Stem Cells for Reversing Miniaturization in Androgenetic Alopecia. Hair Transplant Forum Int. 2025;35(3):88–92. doi:10.33589/35.3.88 (original text)
The above papers are clinical and experimental studies on hair loss treatment using autologous hair follicle–derived stem cells. The cases and research results introduced do not guarantee any specific effect, and treatment results may vary from person to person.
This manuscript was written after review by the medical staff of Modi Hair Plant Clinic.
This article was written based on an actual treatment case, and the treatment plan and results may vary depending on the individual's hair loss condition and degree of progression.