Will Alcohol Damage Hair Growth After A Hair Transplant

I had a hair transplant 3 weeks ago and I’m wondering if it is okay to drink a few alcoholic beverages. Do you think having a few drinks will hinder the growth my hair transplant?

Drinking excessively can prolong the surgical recovery period. Alcohol consumption can cause blood thinning. This can lead to excessive bleeding while recovering from the surgical procedure. A prolonged recovery period can lead to infections. If the infection is severe, the growth and yield of the procedure could be jeopardized.

Most hair transplant surgeons will ask their patients to avoid drinking alcohol for two weeks prior to the hair transplant surgery. Two weeks is enough time for the body to process any alcohol and enough time for the blood to return to normal. Drinking alcohol within the two week period can jeopardize the  entire procedure because the hair transplant surgeon would not continue with the surgery if the patient is bleeding excessively.

Patients are advised to abstain from alcoholic beverages for at least two weeks after surgery. The transplanted hair follicles are anchoring in to the scalp in the first week. Most hair transplant surgeons advise their patients to return to their normal routine after they have shed all of their transplanted grafts. For most patients this is around three to four weeks after surgery. At that time, patients may consume alcoholic beverages, but should limit their alcohol consumption and not go overboard.

The first seven days after a hair transplant are crucial for the success of the procedure. This is what some refer to as the “make or break” period. Hair grafts are vulnerable in the first week, because they are not anchored in to the scalp yet. This means the hair grafts are at higher risk of becoming dislodged and ultimately lost if the patient is not careful.

Written and published by,
Melvin- Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network and The Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physician