Five Months and No Growth Did My Hair Transplant Fail?

I am 35 years old, and I underwent an FUE hair transplant five months ago. I haven’t seen any hair grow, and I’m starting to get worried that my procedure has failed. Is it normal to see no growth at five months?

Patience is a virtue; having patience is one of the hardest things to do after getting a hair transplant. You had a hair transplant five months ago, and yet you see no growth. Do not freak out. Yes, it is normal; not every patient will grow at the same rate. Some patients notice a significant increase in growth by five months, while others see nothing.

Hair Transplant Growth Timeline

On average, you should see some signs of growth around the third month, but the hair is thin and hard to see. Around the fourth month, the hairs start to sprout and become more visible, but still hard to see without magnification. In the fifth month, patients should begin to see more growth; an outline of the transplant should start forming.

The sixth month is when things start to take off in terms of hair growth. Generally, around fifty percent of your transplanted hair sprouts, but keep in mind the hair is not mature. More on that later. In the seventh month, the hair continues to grow but also starts to thicken. In the eighth month, most of the transplanted hair is growing. The hair is also thickening. The same goes for the ninth, tenth, and eleventh months.

Why Is Waiting Twelve Months Important?

Most people place all of their emphasis on density, but the thickness of the hair follicle is as important if not more important than density. All of your transplanted hair is grown by the twelfth month. However, the hair will continue to thicken over the next six months.

Not only will the hair continue to thicken, but the texture will change as well. In the beginning, you may notice the transplanted hair growing curly, but as the hair matures, the hair will soften and straighten. For some, the process can take even longer than eighteen months.

Conclusion

Hair follicles are independent. They grow at different stages. Don’t ever compare yourself to anyone else because no two people are the same. Don’t start setting off the panic button at five months; give it time and stay patient. Most importantly, trust in the process. Your hair transplant surgeon should have some examples to share with you of their patients that were also ‘slow-growers,’ but ended up with excellent results.