Hair Surgery Side Effects
If you’re experiencing hair loss, you might be considering hair replacement surgery. While this procedure is much more advanced than it used to be, and the results are much more predictable, it’s good to fully educate yourself about the process. Hair transplant surgery is a type of cosmetic surgery, where the doctor creates the look of a a full head of hair by using hair from a donor area.
It’s important to understand that a hair transplant doesn’t stop any additional hair loss. The transplanted hair will remain, but many men continue to loss hair due to male pattern baldness. This can result in odd patches of hair and might require additional hair transplant operations for the desired appearance. Although hair surgery can offer fantastic results, it’s important that you are realistic with your expectations.
No matter how successful the operation was, there are potential side effects. For most patients, these side effects are very minimal and short-lasting. While there is the potential for serious side effects, such instances are very rare.
Hair surgery, like any other surgery, has limitations and potential risks. Not everyone is a good candidate. You need to have a adequate hair density in the donor area in order for it to be transplanted. Those individuals who have diffuse (widespread) hair loss don’t make good candidates.
Some of the most common after-effects from a hair transplant include
- Headaches resulting from the manipulation of the scalp during the operation
- Bleeding and scabbing in the transplant area
- Numbness or tenderness in the scalp
- Thinning of existing hair
- Scalp redness
Redness, numbness and thinning hair known as “shock loss” are the most common, but all are temporary and typically resolve within a few weeks of the procedure.
Some less common side effects include
- Swelling around the forehead, eyes, cheeks and nose. This swelling appears within a day or two of the procedure and can last 2-5 days.
- Itchy scalp (due to the healing process). Be sure not to scratch it!
- Infections in the transplant area
Your hair surgeon will give you a list of things you need to do during your recovery period. This list might include things such as using ice for swelling, over-the-counter pain relief medications like Tylenol and Advil, and to avoid strenuous physical activity.
Something that most patients don’t think about is that once you have hair surgery, you won’t be able to shave your head due to the scarring. Although the scarring won’t be visible due to growth of the donor hair, if you shave your head or cut your hair to short, it can be seen. This is much less a factor with modern procedures than in days past. For some patients, the scarring could be so minimal that they are still able to wear their hair quite short without the scars being to evident.
The main thing you need to understand is that a transplant doesn’t stop the loss of hair in area around the transplant area. If you get your transplant as a fairly young age (high 30s to early 40s) it’s entirely possible that your balding will progress, leaving you with additional areas of hair loss around the transplant area. Many patient are prescribed the use of topical hair loss treatments such as finasteride and minoxidil, but some people don’t respond to these drugs and will continue to lose hair. You could always get additional transplants to cover the new balding areas, but you can run the risk of running low on donor hair, giving your head a patchy appearance.
For most people, a hair transplant can provide a very satisfying result. Nut like any medical procedure, there are risks involved. If you’re considering hair surgery, discuss these risks adn potential side effects with your doctor so you can make the best choice possible for you.