What are hair transplant side effects and how long do they last?
There are a few hair transplant side effects associated with the modern-day FUT hair transplants and FUE hair transplants, most of which are temporary. With the latest advancements and techniques coupled with a highly skilled surgeon, any more permanent in nature side effects like scarring should be kept to a minimum and be a non-issue. More on that a little later in the article. Temporary side effects can include redness, swelling, numbness/loss of sensation, itchiness, pimples, bleeding, tenderness, and shock loss. Let’s take a look at some of these temporary side effects individually.
Common FAQ’s About Redness After Surgery
To what extent the tissue will remain red or discolored following a hair transplant procedure and the duration of that redness can vary depending on several factors. Individuals with fair or sensitive skin will usually experience more noticeable redness that may linger longer compared to those with darker skin tones. Typically, a noticeable reduction in the color of the tissue will occur in the first 2-3 weeks following the procedure. For those paler skinned individuals, the period of redness can last 2-3 months and even longer. However, once the transplanted hair starts to grow in, any lingering redness in those patients is mostly obscured by the new growth.
For work confined mostly to the hairline, the existing hair behind the work can often be combed forward to conceal any redness. For more extensively restored areas of the front where the comb forward is not viable, the use of makeup or concealers can be a good option and employed 1 week or more after a procedure. Most hats or caps can also be worn one week or more post-op. Makeup and concealers should be used sparingly when necessary and washed out thoroughly after each use. Avoid any build-up that may create an unhealthy environment for the newly transplanted grafts.
Examples Redness As A Side Effect Of Hair Transplant Surgery
Below are images illustrating the typical progression of redness in a patient with fair skin following the procedure. In this typical case, the redness has diminished by the end of the third month. Any slight remaining redness if any is now starting to be concealed by the new growth.
1 Week After Surgery
1 Month After Surgery
3 Months After Surgery
Common FAQ’s About Numbness After Surgery
Numbness or loss of sensation should start to reverse within a few weeks and gradually get better every week thereafter. Numbness usually resolves around 3-4 months post-op but it can take up to 6 months or more to fully return to normal. This side effect is not a concern and recovery time can vary from patient to patient. There are some factors such as larger procedures or dense packing that can also influence the duration you may experience the loss of sensation.
In a well-executed procedure such as one you would expect to experience at Hasson and Wong, post-op operative pain should be minimal. While some mild pain is common, most patients will feel relatively good right after a procedure. In some cases, post-operative pain can be more of an issue. Medications for pain and inflammation are provided in your post-op package. Most patients will not need much if any of these medications. There are some stronger pain medications provided but over the counter medications such as Tylenol and Advil are usually sufficient. While usually manageable not an issue, you may experience some pain that can last a few days and, in some cases, up to a week or two.
During a hair transplant procedure, superficial nerve endings will be severed. This will result in some numbness or loss of sensation in both the recipient and donor areas. These nerve endings will eventually regenerate over time usually within 2 to 6 months of the procedure. Any permanent long-term damage to the nerves that is significant is very rare, especially in the hands of skilled surgeons such as Dr. Hasson and Dr. Wong. A surgeon with less experience may pose a higher risk of causing more significant nerve damage during the procedure. This is another reminder of the importance of choosing a qualified and experienced surgeon.
Bleeding
Blood spotting and occasional light bleeding from the donor area may occur 12 to 14 hours after a procedure. Firm constant pressure over the area for up to 20 minutes will usually be enough for the bleeding to subside if necessary. Within the first 48 hours or so if you were to bump your head in the recipient area and dislodge a graft, bleeding at that particular graft site can be more prevalent. Firm pressure is also used in this instance.
Day After Surgery
3 Days Post Surgery
10 Days Post Surgery
Swelling (Eedema)
Swelling could be one of the hair transplant side effects that may look worse than it actually is. While harmless, post-operative swelling can be an inconvenience that temporarily effects your appearance. It will usually start within 2 or 3 days of the procedure, last 2 or 3 days and be gone by about 1 week post-op. Swelling can start in the forehead and run down into the eyes and nose area and then dissipate. Swelling will vary from patient to patient and there is no way to predict to what degree it will occur. The impact of the swelling may be greater with work in the hairline and frontal zone. Swelling as a result of work in the crown will not be noticeable as the fluid will run down behind the ears and at the nape of the neck.
Common FAQ’s About Tenderness After Surgery
Once the local anesthetic wears off, some tenderness can become evident. The first night or two can be slightly uncomfortable but usually after the first few days, most of the tenderness will subside. Usually by the one-week post-op mark, things are feeling pretty good and areas have returned to a somewhat normal state. There will still be some numbness that will take longer to resolve but most of any previous tenderness should be gone.
Some post-operative discomfort is normal. Pain medication can help alleviate some of that discomfort and can be used in the first few days if necessary. However, in a well-executed procedure by a skilled surgeon and team, pain should be minimal. It is not unusual for some patients to experience little pain and not need any pain medication. For others, medications for pain are necessary and discomfort may last a few days longer than average.
You will receive a post-operative packet at the end of your procedure which will include some medication for pain. Some over the counter medications such as Advil and some prescription medications such as Percocet. Some patients will not need any medication for pain, others might. The donor area may also feel more tender with FUT than with FUE. The degree of discomfort can vary from patient to patient and with each method of extraction. Pay attention to the post-op instructions and use any provided medications as directed to alleviate any pain you may experience.
Pimples
Rarely pimples can form in the first day or two post-op and can indicate the possibility of a small surface infection. Most patients will be seen 1-2 days post-op and small steps can be taken to alleviate this if necessary. Pimples occurring later, between 2 and 5 months post op and sometimes later are usually the result of a transplanted ingrown hair trying to break through the surface of the skin. In this case if a white head forms, simply pop it to release the hair. At this stage the pimples are usually few and far between but you will likely notice a few here and there.
Common FAQ’s About Shock Loss
Shock loss as the name implies is a result of shock or stress placed on the follicle during a hair transplant procedure. In most cases this type of loss is temporary. Hair will grow back after a certain period in cases of temporary shock loss. As a result of the shock to the follicle, the hair follicle will go into the resting phase and the hair will shed. It will then usually take about 3-4 months for a new hair to emerge after the period of rest. Permanent shock loss on the other hand is as the name implies, permanent. Permanent loss can happen when a surgeon is not precise with his or her incisions when transplanting among existing hair. Any material miscalculation of the proper angle of the blade required when making recipient site incisions can result in transection of the surrounding hair. If the follicle is transected during this process, it can be compromised and will no longer produce hair. Permanent shock loss is to be avoided. A talented and experienced surgeon can effectively prevent this type of loss.
In the hands of a capable surgeon, virtually no permanent shock loss of viable hair should occur. As for temporary shock loss, up to 20% of the existing hair may get shocked into the resting phase and fall out before it will grow back 3-4 months later. In some cases, this number can be higher, in others, it may be lower. In some more rare instances, the percentage of temporarily shock loss of existing hair can reach closer to 50% or more.
Hair transplant side effects and scarring
Scarring is usually the only one of the hair transplant side effects we mention that is not temporary. However, in the capable hands of surgeons Hasson and Wong, scarring is typically kept to a minimum. Factors such as an individual’s healing characteristics can influence scarring but without proper skill and technique even in the best healing patients, scarring can be more prevalent than it should be. . The surgeon cannot control the healing characteristics of the individual patient. If they are less than ideal, a slightly larger scar can result. With our custom size blades and small incisions, we see virtually no scarring in the recipient area. In the donor area where the grafts are extracted there is a degree of minimal scarring. While there is actually more square centimeters of scar tissue with FUE, the small individual scars are spread out over a larger area making them less noticeable to see when the hair is cut short. With FUT there is one long linear scar and less actual scar tissue but because it is a line it can draw a little more attention when the hair is cut too short. We consider are donor area scarring to be the best in the industry. Examples of some of those FUT scars here: Hair Transplant Scars
Hair Transplant Side Effects Summary
In a properly executed hair transplant procedure in the hands of a capable surgeon and team, perhaps the most important and exciting hair transplant side effects are the cosmetic benefit and how the result makes you feel.
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