Can I Have a Skin Graft After Scalp Cancer?
I had a large skin cancer on the top of my head that was removed and a skin graft was
taken from my thigh.
I also had to undergo 30 days of radiation.
I have a crater on the top of my head due to this.
Could it be possible to have hair replacement therapy or anything to help hair grown there?
Thank you for your question!
So you're asking about the ability to actually have a hair transplant in an area where you
had cancer on the scalp and addition to that you had radiation.
Well, the short answer to the question is that it is possible to actually transplant
hair to skin that has been grafted.
And essentially, what we have been able to do in a lot of people who've had scars, burns
and had successfully been able to transplant hair without too much difficulty.
But when there is a history of radiation, there is always a concern about the blood
vessels, vascular supply and whether it will be adequate to build the support of hair follicles.
You also mentioned that there is an indentation there and there could be some fat atrophy
or volume loss from the radiation or from the excession.
So, since I can't do a physical exam, I would consider some different actions.
As far as trying to give you hair back into that area, for one thing, we can also treat
potentially the indentation by something called micro fat transfer but it depends a lot on
the quality of the skin and whether or not it is stuck down to the skull.
On where there is a lot of scar tissue, it may or may not be practical.
Something that we would also do in our practice, surgical hair transplant practice which we
do routinely is we us a material called Extracellular matrix (ECM) that is been developed by a company
ACell.
This is a material that is derived from the bladder of pigs and it has a series protein
that is called a scaffold that has been used to help restore wounds particularly open wounds,
in the military or war injuries.
And I have had the pleasure of using this material for the past 7 years both for my
surgical treatment of hair loss.
But I am a more certified cosmetic surgeon specializing in both facial and body extremity
surgery.
I've actually used the same material for several of my cosmetic surgeries as well as my reconstructive
surgeries.
And in a world where there are a whole lot people of claiming miracles, I have to say
in some many ways this is quite impressive how well this material is able to regenerate
tissues.
The concept is that when we use this material instead healing by scaring or traditional
healing process, the body sends adult stem cells that heal by duplication of the natural
tissue that's supposed to be there.
So if its skin, it heals with skin and if for muscles, it heals muscles.
If its hair, we see increase hair growth.
So what I would probably do after a physical exam is consider just doing a test session
where we would do a few hairs from the donor part of your scalp using a combination with
this extracellular matrix.
And with very good microscopic surgical technique, place a few hairs, maybe a 100 or 200 hairs
and see how those hairs grow.
If they grow and do well, then I would have more confidence about doing the procedures
so that you can get some coverage.
You can't get the same you had before you lost your hair and it appears you have some
male pattern hair loss besides having the scar or the skin graft and so we have to be
strategic.
You have a limited number of hairs and we have to use them strategically.
But I think the step wise approach use of this very new and advanced regeneration concept
of adult stem cells using extracellular matrix can probably your best bet and chances of
success if you were to consider having the transplant.
So I know this is a new information for you, please do the research.
I hope that was helpful and thank you for your question.