Never too old to regenerate? Wound induced hair follicle neogenesis after secondary intention healing in a geriatric patient. Issue 2 (May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wong, Tak-Wah; Hughes, Michael; Wang, Szu-Han
• Is Part Of: Journal of tissue viability. Volume 27:Issue 2(2018)
• Page Start: 114
• Page End: 116
• Publication Date: 2018-05
• Subjects: Basal cell carcinoma -- Hair follicle -- Regeneration -- Secondary intention healing; Wounds and injuries -- Periodicals; Ulcers -- Periodicals; Bedsores -- Periodicals; Bedsores; Ulcers; Wounds and injuries; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 617.1406
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jtv.2018.01.001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0965-206X

Abstract

Abstract: Wound healing is a natural process to restore the structure and function of injured or diseased tissues. Repair of a skin wound usually leads to a scar while regeneration implies fully recovery of function and structure of the damaged tissue. Adult skin wound usually heals with scar while fetal skin heals scarless. Hair regeneration in elderly scalp wound has never been observed. We reported an 80-year-old patient with a large wound on the scalp after excision of a basal cell carcinoma healed by secondary intention wound healing. The patient's wound healed very well aesthetically. Interestingly, on approximate post wound day 180, a hair was observed to be growing towards the surface and eventually erupted in the center of the wound. The hair remained black at 42-month follow-up. This case demonstrated that neogenesis of hair is possible even in geriatric patient. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of hair regrow in human skin after wound healing. Highlights: Secondary intention healing of a large skin wound defect can result in minimal scar. Hair regeneration has never been reported in human skin wound, especially in elderly patient. This may be the first report on human hair neogenesis in elderly scalp after wound healing.