Beard Reconstruction Using Hair Grafts in a Free Flap

This case report detailed the successful use of micrograft and minigraft hair transplantation for beard reconstruction in a patient who had undergone free flap reconstruction for head and neck cancer. The patient, a 56-year-old man, had previously experienced complications with other reconstructive methods, leading to the use of a free iliac crest osteocutaneous flap. To address the aesthetic concerns of a hairless flap, two sessions of hair transplantation, each involving 200 follicles, were performed. The procedure resulted in a realistic beard appearance and excellent camouflage of surgical scars, with the patient expressing high satisfaction with the outcome. The study demonstrated that micro- and minigraft hair transplantation was a safe and effective method for achieving good aesthetic results in free flap skin paddles.