How Common Is Shock Loss in the Hair Transplant Donor Area?

This question, from a member of our Hair Loss Social Community and Discussion Forums, was answered by Coalition hair transplant surgeon Dr. Michael Beehner:

After my hair transplant I never suffered shock loss in my donor area. Does this mean that if I have another procedure I won’t suffer any the second time or can it vary from procedure to procedure? I’ve looked at a lot of post-op pics on the hair loss forum and I see a lot of people that suffer shock loss in the donor area.

Shock loss in the donor area is a very, very rare event. When it does occur, it is almost always caused by excessive tension in closing the wound. This excessive tension can be because the patient’s scalp was very rigid and didn’t have much laxity, or because a wider strip was taken than should have been. This latter sometimes occurs because the patient is pushing the doctor for a larger number of grafts than his scalp laxity and density will allow for.

The only reason shock loss could be slightly more likely at a second hair restoration surgery is because the laxity often decreases just slightly with each strip excision. In my practice, I usually go one millimeter less in width with the next session.

Mike Beehner, MD
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David (TakingThePlunge)
Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q & A Blog.
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