His hair today, hers tomorrow

Science News, Dec 4, 1999 by J. T.

An early Christmas present? In a first-of-its-kind procedure, a woman received a transplant of hair follicles from her husband's scalp. Placed on the wife's arm, the transferred follicles took root and started producing new hair within 3 weeks.

In addition to raising hopes that follicular transplants might aid people suffering from hair loss, the finding, reported in the Nov. 4 NATURE, confirms suspicions that hair follicles enjoy a status called immune privilege, which allows them to be transplanted between unrelated people without the risk of rejection.

Colin A.B. Jahoda and Amanda J. Reynolds, the researchers from Durham University in England who led the work and participated in the unusual experiment, had previously transplanted hair follicles between unrelated mice. In their latest endeavor, they removed bits of follicle-containing tissue from Jahoda's scalp and inserted them into small cuts made on Reynolds' forearm.

Within several weeks, dark, thick strands uncharacteristic of Reynolds' arm hair sprouted from the transplanted tissue. DNA analysis of follicles in the transplant area revealed Y chromosomes, also indicating that they originated with Jahoda. No signs of transplant rejection were observed, the scientists report.