Body Hair Transplant For Body Builders Taking Androgen Supplements
Body building has developed into its own subculture. Often times, enthusiasts choose to take supplements for enhancing their testosterone levels. If they have the genes for pattern baldness, they may notice accelerated hair loss on their head. And at the same time, they may also notice greater amounts of hair growth throughout the body.
Therefore, if baldness is a concern for weight lifters, it would be important to be aware of:
(1) why body hair proliferates when scalp hair declines
(2) why body hair to head transplantation can be a very ideal form of hair restoration treatment for body builders.
Body builders who are taking androgen supplements to produce more testosterone and build greater muscle mass may be facing problems with increased rates of hair loss. According to Dr. U, body hair transplant procedures may be a treatment for professional body builders to consider if they are concerned about balding.
Body hair transplant for body builders : Testosterone and Hair Loss
Individuals may be relieved to know that regular exercise does not worsen hair loss. Certainly, testosterone levels in the blood stream are elevated. But this effect is transient and soon returns to baseline levels. This is why exercise should not be a concern for those who are at risk for losing their hair due to pattern baldness.
However, exceeding the body’s own natural stores of testosterone can be achieved through the intake of certain supplements. In one 1985 study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, researchers studied the effects of administering testosterone enanthate on muscle mass. The results showed that the externally applied testosterone did increase muscle mass across the subjects. This was done by increasing the synthesis of muscle protein.
Body hair transplant for body builders : Types of Supplements for Increasing Muscle Mass
The objective of building bigger muscles is often pursued by taking supplements in conjunction with a weight training program. However there are different types of products that can be considered. The site, Bodybuilding.com lists the following:
(1) Creatine to boost the availability of three important amino acids: glycine, methionine and arginine. And subsequently, this also elevates the body’s store of energy units known as ATP.
(2) Caffeine which increases blood flow to the muscles and causes the heart to work harder. It’s effects on body building results have been supported by studies published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
(3) Growth hormone supplements which improve cell growth and regeneration
(4) Androgen boosters which elevate the body’s production of testosterone which contributes to enhanced muscle mass through proper weight training.
Body hair transplant for body builders : Androgen Supplements and Body Building
Of these different approaches to building muscle, faster hair loss can be reasonably expected (within those who are genetically predisposed to pattern baldness) when testosterone levels increase through the use of androgen boosters. The hormone eventually breaks down into DHT (dehydrotestosterone). And if a person is born with DHT sensitive hair follicle receptors, heightened levels of this byproduct will significantly facilitate hair loss.
Therefore, body builders with male pattern baldness who are taking androgen supplements will be likely to experience the relatively rapid course of baldness along with the prolific growth of body hair. Interestingly, while DHT contributes to the decline of head hair ( in genetically affected individuals) it also works like fertilizer for body hair.
Although androgen enhancers have long been associated with injections, they are also readily available as pill and powder dietary supplements. These products work to elevate one’s store of androgens or help the body to produce more of the hormone.
DHT In Pattern Baldness
While increased testosterone can help with the goal of building larger muscles, it can also break down into larger amounts of DHT (dehydrotestosterone) in the body. An enzyme known as 5-alpha-II-reductase is responsible for this transition.
DHT is present in everyone. But it will only cause hair loss in those who are genetically predisposed to pattern baldness. DNA codes will affect the structure of protein receptors on the hair follicle. Weaker, or more sensitive structures will offer inferior levels of protection against the damaging effects of DHT. This compound binds to the receptors at the base of the follicle. And DHT will therefore inhibit the uptake of nutritional elements.
As a result the follicle will lose its ability to grow new hair as it miniaturizes over time. What ultimately matters in hair loss is genetic predisposition, not the presence of DHT itself.
Body Hair Transplant for Body Builders
Hair transplant procedures offer the most reliable way to restore hair, particularly in men with pattern baldness. It is possible for the donor grafts to be removed, not just from the head, but also the body as well.
Normally, head hair is prioritized over body hair. But if the scalp offers insufficient numbers of grafts to meet a patient’s objectives for coverage, then body hair can be considered.
However, with body builders, the unique characteristics of follicles from the beard, chest, back and other regions makes them ideally suited for their particular needs.
Body hair transplant for body builders : The Effects of DHT On Head and Body Follicles
DHT affects hair follicles from the head and body differently. Much of this is due to the nature of protein receptors that are embedded on the follicles of these regions.
Whereas DHT can have a deleterious effect on head hair, it has the opposite effect on body hair. In fact body hair will grow and flourish in response to DHT.
This dynamic can be noticed in male adolescents. During puberty, the body starts to produce more testosterone which eventually degenerates into DHT. However, body hair will proliferate at this time.
And even when some of these individuals start losing their hair as they get older, body hair will continue to remain quite abundant.
These simple life observances help to illustrate the opposite effect that DHT has on body versus head hair.
The Use of Body Hair Grafts For Hair Transplantation
Dr. U generally uses UGraft body hair transplants whereby hair follicles from the body to create large volume donor supplies for the following cases:
(1) Severe baldness, defined as Norwood levels 6-7
(2) Challenging hair repair cases
In both situations, the head donor supply has been largely depleted either by the natural course of follicular miniaturization or by surgery.
However, since body builders would be expected to have higher than average levels of DHT due to their intake of testosterone supplements, they would not have to wait until they are severely bald to receive hair grafts from the body.
The use of head hair for earlier stages of baldness (i.e. Norwood 1-5) would not yield sustained results in the transplanted regions of the head. The excess levels of DHT would produce a more rapid progress of miniaturization than would otherwise occur in those who do not take testosterone supplements.
However, the inserted body hair grafts would thrive rather successfully in the presence of high DHT levels.
Types of Body Hair Grafts
The grafts for a BHT procedure can be removed from a variety of different surfaces. Typical areas include:
(1) beard regions on the face and neck
(2) chest
(3) abdomen
(4) shoulders
(5) back
(6) arms
(7) thighs and legs
Beard hair is often used for the purpose of achieving volume, density and coverage. Other areas may be considered if these quantities are not enough.
Thinner hair (e.g. legs and nape) are used for replicating the fine border at the edge of the hairline and temples. Although this may initially seem like an insignificant detail, it matters for creating the most realistic and natural looking results that are possible for patients.
How Is A Body Hair Transplant Done?
Body hair is basically removed through the use of specialized punches. The design of regular Follicular Unit Extraction punch tools is more appropriate for removing head hear. It’s capabilities are quite limited when it comes to body hair extractions.
Head hair grows at about ninety degrees. Therefore the use of straight, cylindrical punches is feasible for these types of grafts. However, body hair grows at much sharper and often unpredictable angles. Therefore, a basic punch design would be more likely to sever these follicles. And it would be very difficult to target large quantities of donor follicles if many of the extractions are damaged.
Instead of a regular straight cylinder, UGraft™ punches edges are curved outwards. This creates a cutting axis which is angled away from the hair follicle. Instead of proceeding down the complete length of the structure, the UGraft™ punch simply makes an initial incision to sever the main tissue attachments. And a gentle pulling feature completes the process by helping to remove the follicle from its surroundings.
Body hair transplant for body builders ; BHT Wound Healing
Since body surfaces are more exposed and visible compared to the scalp, higher wound healing standards would obviously be important to the patient.
Regular FUE punches create tiny round wounds. After healing, the remnants often continue to be small. But since the head is covered by hair, any scarring or redness would be quite unnoticeable.
These same marks, however, would be far more visible on the body which is not covered by as much hair.
The formation of scars cannot be stopped. Scar tissue develops as a natural part of the body’s healing process.
However, what can be done is to minimize the appearance of extraneous surface tissue. Another key feature of Dr. U’s UGraft™ system is that the punches create wound cavities which have an inverted shape at the bottom. When the wound closes, excess tissue moves downward, into the cavity instead of remaining on the surface.
Any scarring that does form is typically cosmetically insignificant and quite negligible to the unaided eye.
For those who are interested in seeing actual results on real individuals, Dr. U has many examples of happy patients who underwent body hair transplant procedures. These are available on this site in the photo and video galleries.
Besides the specialized extractions and superior wound healing, the quality of the final results is also marked by detailed graft insertions. Dr. U is an expert in replicating natural hair growth patterns throughout the head in addition to hairline and temple aesthetics. This is extremely important for:
(1) creating the most natural looking results as well
(2) helping each patient look their absolute best through excellence in facial framing
Body builders and other individuals who are likely to benefit from a body hair to head transplant are welcome to learn about past patients we have helped and to sign up for a complimentary initial consultation by using the form on our site.
Body hair transplant for body builders, Related reading:
Is there a connection between creatine and DHT ?
Slow Hair Loss With a Healthy Lifestyle
The Link Between Testosterone and Balding