Synthetic Hair Implants: What They Are and the Risks
Drafted by the Fix My Hair editorial team · Clinically reviewed by Dr Hisham Band · GMC No. 7550130 · Last reviewed 20 Oct 2026Synthetic hair implants are artificial fibres knotted into the scalp, not your own hair moved from one place to another. They are banned as medical devices in the United States, and published reports link them to infection, inflammation and scarring, which is why they are very different from a hair transplant.
Looking for a permanent option using your own hair? Start with FUE hair transplant.
What a synthetic hair implant is
An artificial hair implant places man-made fibres, or processed hair, into the skin of the scalp so that they look like growing hair. The fibres do not grow and are not alive. A hair transplant is different: it moves your own living follicles from the back and sides of your head to where hair has thinned, and those follicles keep growing.
Why they are banned in the United States
The US Food and Drug Administration lists prosthetic hair fibres as a banned device under federal rule 21 CFR 895.101, in force since 1983. The rule covers fibres implanted into the scalp to imitate natural hair or hide baldness, whether synthetic or processed human hair, and it specifically excludes natural hair transplants, where a person's own hair is moved to another area of their scalp.
The complications reported
A 2017 case report in the International Journal of Trichology lists allergic reactions, irritation, foreign body granuloma, infection and scarring as the skin complications of artificial hair implants. The authors summarise published rates of 7.4% to 30% for temporary inflammation or infection, and 1% to 2% for serious inflammation or infection that needed the implants removed. They also note that fibres can harbour bacteria, so when problems do not settle with treatment the fibres may have to come out.
They need topping up
Because the fibres are not anchored by a living follicle, some fall out over time and are replaced in further sessions. The same 2017 paper cites a study in which fibre loss was up to 10% a year in most cases. A hair transplant does not need topping up in the same way, although the hair around it can keep thinning.
How they compare with a hair transplant
- Material: artificial fibres against your own living hair
- Growth: fibres do not grow; transplanted follicles keep growing
- Upkeep: fibres are lost and replaced over time; transplanted hair usually lasts
- Regulation: banned as a device in the United States; hair transplants are a recognised surgical procedure
If surgery is not right for you, there are non-surgical options that do not go into the skin, such as human-hair systems or scalp micropigmentation.
Questions to ask if you are considering them
- Who performs the procedure, and are they a registered doctor?
- What happens if the scalp becomes inflamed or infected, and who removes the fibres?
- How many fibres are expected to fall out each year, and what does replacing them cost?
- What independent evidence supports the product's long-term safety?
Common questions
Are synthetic hair implants the same as a hair transplant? No. Synthetic implants are artificial fibres placed in the scalp. A hair transplant moves your own living follicles, which keep growing.
Are synthetic hair implants banned? In the United States, prosthetic hair fibres are listed as a banned device under 21 CFR 895.101, in force since 1983. Natural hair transplants are excluded from that ban.
What are the risks of synthetic hair implants? Published reports describe allergic reactions, irritation, granulomas, infection and scarring. Some cases need the fibres removed.
Does Fix My Hair offer synthetic hair implants? No. Fix My Hair arranges FUE hair transplants using your own hair, plus non-surgical options such as human-hair systems and scalp micropigmentation.
Key points
- Synthetic hair implants are artificial fibres, not your own growing hair
- The US lists prosthetic hair fibres as a banned device; hair transplants are excluded
- Infection, inflammation and scarring are reported, and fibres sometimes have to be removed
- Fibres fall out over time and need replacing
Medical note: This article is general information, not medical advice. Whether a hair transplant suits you is confirmed only at a consultation with a GMC-registered doctor. Experiences and results vary from person to person.
Sources: 21 CFR 895.101, Prosthetic hair fibers (2024 edition, accessed 20 Oct 2026); Colli P, Fellas A, Trüeb RM. Staphylococcus lugdunensis and Trichophyton tonsurans infection in synthetic hair implants. Int J Trichology 2017;9(2):82-86.
