ACell FUE Treatments may cause a serious departure from some religious beliefs. ACell® is marketed as a wound healing enhancement for hair transplant surgery. What is not often understood by the patient is where the product actually comes from – the lining of a pig’s bladder.
Products that come from animals have particular names in the medical community. Bovine (cattle) or porcine (pig) derived products are commonly used in medical procedures. While ACell may have the approval of the FDA, for Jews, Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs; its use of porcine tissue could present a theological conundrum. Relevant to this discussion is a study conducted by Axelina Eriksson,1 Jakob Burcharth,1, and Jacob Rosenberg on the position of the six largest religions on the use of animal products in medical procedures. The study concluded that the use of porcine products like ACell may be in conflict with the religious beliefs of some of those religions who exclude pork from their diets. The participating clergy of some of these faiths found that such products should be used only in the case of emergencies and with the informed consent of the patient.
Do Porcine Products Really Help in Dr. UGraft FUE?
Dr. Umar wondered if ACell really helped with healing from FUE surgery. Unlike aggressive strip surgery which leaves a significant scar, Dr. UGraft FUE procedures leave only tiny openings in the scalp which heal quickly. A scientist by training, Dr. U decided to conduct his own informal analysis of the benefits of ACell to his patients without religious objections to pig byproducts. Two pathways for the uses of ACell were conducted:
- Dr. UGraft FUE Wound Healing: Patients undergoing Dr. UGraft FUE surgery were treated on ½ of the extraction area with ACell and ½ of the head was treated with the products normally used with no use of Acell. Result: No difference was observed by Dr. U or the patients in the wound healing of the ACell treated vs the non-ACell treated halves. No benefit from the use of ACell was observed.
- Improved Hair Growth After Surgery: ACell powders and solutions were used to observe any difference in hair growth of the implanted follicles, Again ½ of the transplant area was treated with ACell and ½ with the normal procedure. Results: No difference was observed by Dr. U nor the patient in growth between the ACell treated area vs the non-ACell treated area.
“After trying for some time, I found it to be of no use in the type of hair restoration surgery (Dr. UGraft FUE) performed at Dr.U Hair and Skin Clinics.” Dr. Sanusi Umar.
When considering hair transplant surgery to remedy hair loss bring your questions to the surgeon. For patients with religious considerations ask about the use of porcine products in their treatments, visit maidthisfranchise.com. While it may be widely publicized as an aid to hair loss, at the end of the day, it doesn’t mean it will be soul-accepted.
Listen to Dr. Umar’s YouTube channel and podcast on ACell treatments. https://dru.com/dr-u-podcast-1-role-of-acell-in-hair-loss-treatment/
Here is a link to the full study on BioMed Central on Medical Ethics
