How Long After Hair Transplant Surgery Should Patients Begin Using Minoxidil (Rogaine) Again?

This question comes from a member of our hair loss social community and discussion forums: 

For the past 8 years, I’ve used minoxidil (Rogaine) to help combat my progressive hair loss. While it’s done a good job preventing ongoing shedding, I’m scheduled for a hair transplant procedure to restore the hair I’ve permanently lost. However, I’ve been told I need to stop the minoxidil for a short period around the time of surgery. While this is fine, I want to make sure I’m not off the minoxidil for too long, and want to know how long after surgery can I restart the topical treatment?

Minoxidil (Rogaine) is one of only two hair loss medications proven safe and effective by the US FDA. Because of this, many hair restoration physicians recommend it to their surgical and non-surgical patients. Unfortunately, because the product is applied topically to the scalp, it must be stopped during the post-operative healing phase of a hair transplant procedure. This ensures the newly healing grafts aren’t dislodged by manipulation of the scalp during minoxidil application.

However, in order for minoxidil to effectively halt progressive hair loss and revitalize hair follicles, it must be used continuously. If it is stopped for an extended period of time, the balding process resumes and any stabilization achieved from the minoxidil is lost. This leaves minoxidil users undergoing hair transplant surgery with an important question: how soon after surgery should minoxidil be resumed?

If minoxidil is resumed too quickly, manipulation of the scalp during application risks the newly implanted grafts. However, if it is delayed for too long, the hair loss process may resume and patients will lose what they achieved by using the minoxidil in the first place. Because of this, hair restoration physicians usually recommend restarting minoxidil within 1-2 weeks after a hair transplant procedure. By restarting within 1-2 weeks, patients are allowing the newly implanted follicular unit grafts enough time to properly (and permanently) “anchor” (which normally takes 7-10 days), but not delaying the treatment long enough to restart the hair loss cycle.

However, opinions may differ on the most appropriate time to restart minoxidil after surgery, and it’s important to always follow your hair transplant surgeon’s post-operative instructions as closely as possible. If patients are curious about their physician’s specific instructions with regard to minoxidil use after the procedure, it is recommend to discuss this issue during the pre-surgical consultation phase.

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Blake Bloxham – formerly “Future_HT_Doc”

Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator 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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