Do Hair Transplants Have Side Effects?

I want to get a hair transplant, but I am wondering if there are any side effects associated with the procedure?

Hair transplants unlike medications do not carry side effects however, there are some post-operative concerns that patients should be aware of prior to having a procedure.

Minor swelling can occur immediately following a hair transplant procedure. In most cases, patients experience swelling around the forehead and eyes. However, some patients may also exhibit some minor bruising around the eyes and forehead. Generally, most patients heal very rapidly and the bruising and swelling typically dissipates around the 7-10 day mark.

Redness in the recipient area occurs when micro-incisions (recipient sites) are created in order to place the follicular units in to the balding area. It is normal for a patients skin to become red or pink while healing from a hair restoration procedure. Generally, patients with a darker skin complexion recover faster than fair skinned patients. Furthermore, scalp redness is typically indicative of minor inflammation of the skin, which is normal after having a hair transplant, but patients should contact their surgeons if they suspect they have skin-based infections such as folliculitis.

Telogen effluvium (shock loss) is a form of short-term hair loss that occurs after stress, trauma or a surgical procedure. This temporary hair loss is mainly contained on the top of the scalp, but can spread to other parts of the scalp. Telogen effluvium or shock loss can occur from surgery because hairs are transplanted in close proximity to native hairs. This causes trauma to the surrounding follicles which can cause telogen effluvium or shock loss. In most cases, all of the hair returns and the hair life cycle returns to normal. However, some patients may not always regrow all of the lost hair. Therefore, it is imperative that a patient stabilize their hair loss prior to having a procedure.

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Melvin- Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator