Hair transplants aim to restore hair growth to areas of the scalp with limited or absent growth. They are effective treatments for many types of hair loss, but they cannot stop future hair loss. For lasting results, people may need follow-up transplants.
Hair transplant is a hair restoration surgery done by a seasoned cosmetic surgeon. Active hair follicles from the scalp or any body parts are transplanted to the bald areas of the scalp. The active hair follicles produce the most natural-looking hair in the bald area.
Hair Transplant Side Effects
Hair transplant side effects are rarely painful, and a typical recovery process should be quite simple and easy to manage. Hair transplant side effects are short term in the days, weeks and sometimes up to a month after the procedure. If any adverse side effects occur, you should contact the advice line you will be provided with in your aftercare packet. Our trained specialists will be able to recommend emergency actions or make an appointment to assess hair transplant risk factors and how they might have affected the results of your procedure.
The ASPS say that hair transplants are generally safe when a qualified, experienced surgeon performs them. However, even with successful hair transplants, some side effects can happen.
- Infection or bleeding – Hair transplants involve making cuts or incisions in the skin. A surgeon makes an incision to remove the donor follicles, and they make tiny incisions on the scalp in which to place the follicles. With any incision, there is a risk of infection or excessive bleeding.
- Scars – There is also a risk of scarring on both the donor area and the area of the transplant. A person should speak with their surgeon about these risks before they decide to have the procedure.
The FUSS method usually leaves a long, linear scar where the surgeon removed a strip of the scalp. This scar may become camouflaged as new hair grows in around it. It may, however, be visible if it becomes widened during healing, the surrounding hair is thin, or the person wears it short in style.
The FUE method may also leave some scars in the area where the surgeon removed the follicles with the punch tool. However, these scars may not be as large as the scar from FUSS.
In some cases, a person may have raised bumps around the transplanted hair. As the hair grows back, it may hide these bumps.
- Pain and swelling – Some people may experience pain as their skin heals after the procedure. Their surgeon may provide them with pain relievers to help with this. They may also have some swelling in the head and face as the skin heals.
Hair Transplant Common Side Effects
The most common side effect is scarring, and this cannot be avoided with any procedure.
Other potential side effects include:
- Infections
- Crust or pus drainage around the surgical sites
- Scalp pain, itching, and swelling
- Inflammation of hair follicles (folliculitis)
- Bleeding
- Losing sensation around the surgical sites
- Visible areas of hair that don’t match the surrounding hair or are noticeably thinner
- Continuing to lose hair if your hair is still balding
Hair Transplant Risks and Costs of Treatment
The price of a hair transplant will depend largely on the amount of hair you’re moving, but it generally ranges from $4,000 to $15,000. Most insurance plans don’t cover it.
As with any kind of surgery, transplants have some risks, including bleeding and infection. There’s also the chance for scarring and unnatural-looking new hair growth.
Around the time new locks start to grow, some people have inflammation or an infection of the hair follicles, called folliculitis. Antibiotics and compresses can relieve the problem. It’s also possible to suddenly lose some of the original hair in the area where you got the new strands, called shock loss. But most of the time, it’s not permanent.
Hair Transplant Results
Are you worried about the hair transplant results as well? Hair follows a predictable pattern of growth after surgery. We have mentioned the hair transplant results month by month below:
| Time | Hair Transplant Result |
| After 3 days | Hair shedding will occur |
| 1 week – 6 weeks | Hair shedding will continue |
| 4 week – 6 weeks | Hair shedding with some temporary boils |
| 3 months | 30% of hair will start to penetrate through the scalp |
| 4 – 5 months | 50% of hair will penetrate through the scalp with hair fall use rejuvenating medicines on your scalp |
| 6 – 9 months | Complete results are visible for some people |
| 12 – 15 months | Most people see results after 12 months of surgery |
A hair transplant is a foreseeable procedure. There is no need to worry regarding what will occur after it or the results you will get. Your specialist will provide you with details regarding all the post-operative stages. Nothing will be unexpected, and so you do not have to worry.
Discussion about this post