Does Minoxidil Help Hair Growth after a Hair Transplant?
This question, asked by a member of our Hair Restoration Social Community and Discussion Forums, was answered by Coalition surgeon Dr. Cam Simmons:
I was wondering how hair regrowth after a transplant works if you are applying 5% minoxidil to encourage growth (after the transplanted hairs have shed)? Does the hair shed, then go through a dormant stage and then regrow? Is that why the timeline for growth can be a few months after a hair transplant? If that is the case, is this situation comparable to users who use 5% minoxidil for the first time and don’t see any hair growth right away, but after a few months of continuous use, start to see growth?
In my situation, the first time I used 5% minoxidil, it took a few weeks before I saw small vellus hairs growing around my hairline and they eventually grew out a bit over a few months. I’m wondering if I get a hair transplant, would this essentially be the same scenario after the transplanted hairs shed?
In a few patients some of the transplanted hair just keeps growing and is not shed. Most patients still shed more than 90% of the transplanted hair but it has a shorter resting phase and grows back faster. Finally, some seem to grow their hair back at the same pace as those who don’t use Rogaine (minoxidil).
Overall, patients see their results faster if they start minoxidil in the first few days after their hair restoration surgery but some respond better than others. We can’t predict in advance how much minoxidil will help any individual.
Minoxidil can also reduce but not eliminate postoperative shedding of existing hair in a transplanted area.
Cam Simmons MD ABHRS
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David – aka TakingThePlunge
Forum Co-Moderator and Editorial Assistant for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Restoration Forum
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