A hair transplant is a sophisticated surgical procedure that has evolved into an effective solution for addressing hair loss. Several advanced hair transplant procedures, like FUT or Follicular Unit Transplantation, FUE or Follicular Unit Excision, focus on helping you regain lost hair and enhance confidence. Like any other surgery, hair transplant procedures also have a few side effects and risks [1]. Learning about hair transplant side effects will help you stay prepared in advance and plan your recovery management accordingly. In this article, we’ll explore the common and short-term side effects of hair transplant procedures, analyze shock loss and rare complications, to help you effectively manage the recovery process.
Common Hair Transplant Side Effects That You Should Know
While the outcome of hair transplant surgery can transform your life, it is essential to stay well-informed about the common hair transplant side effects [2].
1. Scalp Pain and Discomfort
Some of you might have slight pain that will begin to reduce within 1 or 2 days. Some might feel discomfort in the donor area for a few days after a hair transplant. If you have undergone an FUT procedure, you might experience more discomfort than with FUE.
2. Slight Oozing
You might experience mild oozing at the treatment site on the scalp, which may be noticeable on your pillow covers. This side effect will develop on the night after surgery and might last for the next 3 days. Mild oozing is a common side effect experienced by all, irrespective of the hair transplant procedures chosen.
3. Swelling
As with any surgical procedure, mild swelling around your eyes and forehead, as well as on your scalp, is common after a hair transplant. It will last 3–4 days and resolve within a week after surgery. This common side effect can be effectively managed with proper aftercare instructions offered by your surgeon.
4. Redness
The scalp area treated with the procedure will appear reddish for about 2 weeks, and this side effect will resolve quickly, as it is caused by the tiny incisions made during the procedure. Following the surgeon’s aftercare tips will hasten scalp healing, enhance graft survival, and speed recovery.
Short-Term Side Effects after Hair Transplant Surgery
Here’s the list of short-term hair transplant side effects that you need to know [3]:
Scalp Itching
As the treatment site on your scalp begins to heal, your skin may become itchy. However, it is important to resist the urge to scratch the transplanted area, as this can affect your graft survival rate. You can apply the soothing lotion recommended by the surgeon and moisturize the area to reduce itching.
Temporary Hair Shedding
This short-term side effect is called shock loss, a natural process after a hair transplant. Hair transplant procedure might trigger scalp inflammation and stress, which in turn will disrupt the natural hair growth cycle. So there would be hair shedding in the area of transplantation.
Folliculitis
Ingrown hairs or trauma to the follicles from the transplant might make your follicular units become inflamed. You might notice tiny pimples on the scalp, which might be sore and itchy. It can be resolved by applying hot compresses and antibiotics.
Mild Infection
This short-term hair transplant side effect may occur in the donor area after the FUT procedure, as it involves a strip method transplant. These infections can be managed with antibiotics and an aftercare routine. Scalp infections after a hair transplant might last only a couple of days.
Is Swelling After Hair Transplant Normal?
Yes, it is completely normal to experience swelling after a hair transplant, as it is a part of your recovery process. Swelling is your body’s natural response after the surgical procedure. It causes fluid accumulation in and around the scalp area to initiate healing, which will be evident around the eyes and near the forehead during the initial recovery days [4]. This temporary side effect of hair transplant need not be your cause of concern. The swelling will be extreme during the initial 48 to 72 hours after hair transplant surgery. For most people, swelling after a hair transplant is mild, while for some it can be severe. Swelling after a hair transplant is categorized as:
- 0 Stage – No signs of swelling
- 1st Stage – Mild swelling above the forehead
- 2nd Stage – Slight swelling visible across the upper and lower parts of the forehead
- 3rd Stage – Swelling will spread towards the cheeks and eyes
- 4th Stage – Swelling causes a black-eye look. You will feel discomfort and find it difficult to open your eyes.
To alleviate post-operative swelling, you can sleep with extra pillows or on a recliner to elevate your head. Take the prescribed medications to cut down swelling and combat inflammation. Drink more water to stay hydrated and flush away toxins quickly. Apply ice packs or cold compresses to relieve inflammation and promote blood vessel circulation.
Itching, Redness, and Scalp Discomfort Explained
Redness After Hair Transplant Procedure
During this surgery, your surgeon would make tiny scalp incisions similar to small punch holes for implanting the follicular units. One month after the hair transplant, these incisions would make your scalp appear reddish as they begin to heal. Even though it might look unsightly, it is essential to understand that your skin is repairing during the healing process. The reddish scalp appearance will fade over time, and for most people, it resolves in 2 or 3 weeks. And for people prone to slow-paced healing and inflammation or requiring a large number of follicles for transplant, it might take 3 months to resolve.
Itching and Discomfort After Hair Transplant
It is common to develop itching after the procedure, as it indicates that your body is healing. It is a part of your body’s natural healing response, and the scalp skin becomes dry while healing, leading to itching. During healing, tiny scabs would form around the transplanted hair follicles, causing tightness, discomfort, and itching. Tiny nerve endings would be disturbed during the transplant process, leading to itching as they regenerate and heal. During the initial healing period, scalp inflammation from the transplant can also cause itchiness. Such discomfort can be irritating, but it occurs during the recovery phase to support healing.
Shock Loss After Hair Transplant: Causes and Recovery
Shock loss is a highly emotional and difficult part of your recovery after a hair transplant [5]. You will begin to see shedding of freshly transplanted hairs after two or three weeks. This phenomenon of temporary shedding of transplanted hair is referred to as shock loss.
Causes of Shock Loss
- Natural Effect: It is a common reaction that occurs after a hair transplant and is considered a temporary side effect.
- Dormant Phase: The pressure applied to the hair follicles and temporary blood circulation disruption in the scalp will trigger both your existing hair and fresh grafts to go through the resting or dormant phase.
- Short-term Shedding: Losing hair during recovery doesn’t mean a low graft survival rate, as it indicates telogen or resting phase. It is a temporary phase, and your follicles will be intact in the transplanted site.
Shock Loss Recovery
You must understand that shock loss cannot be averted after a hair transplant, as it is natural during recovery and healing. However, the duration and severity of shock loss can be reduced with specific medications such as Minoxidil or Finasteride, as suggested by the specialist. Having reassurance and patience is the key to recovery with shock loss, as your hair will regrow after 3 months. Hair density will also return by the 7th month after the transplant.
Rare but Serious Hair Transplant Complications
- Necrosis: This rare complication occurs only in people who have heavy smoking habits or are diagnosed with diabetes, as their bodies will have poor blood circulation [6]. The scab will fall slowly, and shallow ulcers might form beneath it.
- Uneven Hairline: You might develop an uneven hairline if your hair transplant was not handled by an expert surgeon. This serious complication is due to placing hair grafts at the wrong angle, improper planning, and failing to analyze your natural hair growth pattern and facial features.
- Scarring Risks: Though rare, you might develop hypertrophic scars and keloid scars if the aftercare instructions and recovery management practices were not followed correctly [7].
When to Worry About Hair Transplant Side Effects
- If swelling remains unchanged even after 4 days, it indicates too much fluid accumulation or severe infection that requires medical attention [8].
- If your scalp looks severely reddish even after several months of hair transplant or has developed infection with pain, pus, and high fever, contact your surgeon right away.
- If you feel that itching is getting severe, even after several weeks, along with infection, swelling, or pus formation, contact your doctor immediately.
If you are considering next steps and want a personalised plan, contact Akruti for hair transplant in hyderabad. The team at Akruti will assess your scalp and donor area, review your medical history, and walk you through realistic outcomes and aftercare
Reference Links
- Garg AK, Garg S. Complications of Hair Transplant Procedures-Causes and Management. Indian J Plast Surg. 2021 Dec 31;54(4):477-482. doi: 10.1055/s-0041-1739255. PMID: 34984088; PMCID: PMC8719980. – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8719980/
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons – https://www.plasticsurgery.org/
- Kerure AS, Patwardhan N. Complications in Hair Transplantation. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2018 Oct-Dec;11(4):182-189. doi: 10.4103/JCAS.JCAS_125_18. PMID: 30886471; PMCID: PMC6371733. – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6371733/
- Loganathan E, Sarvajnamurthy S, Gorur D, Suresh DH, Siddaraju MN, Narasimhan RT. Complications of hair restoration surgery: a retrospective analysis. Int J Trichology. 2014 Oct;6(4):168-72. doi: 10.4103/0974-7753.142861. PMID: 25368473; PMCID: PMC4212293. – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4212293/
- Okochi H, Onda M, Momosawa A, Okochi M. An Analysis of Risk Factors of Recipient Site Temporary Effluvium After Follicular Unit Excision: A Single-Center Retrospective Study. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2024 Apr;48(7):1258-1263. doi: 10.1007/s00266-023-03699-z. Epub 2023 Oct 10. PMID: 37816944. – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37816944/
- Fortes C, Mastroeni S, Mannooranparampil TJ, Ribuffo M. The combination of overweight and smoking increases the severity of androgenetic alopecia. Int J Dermatol. 2017;56(8):862-7. [PubMed ID: 28555720]. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijd.13652 – https://brieflands.com/journals/chbs/articles/150466
- Kerure, Amit S.; Patwardhan, Narendra1. Complications in Hair Transplantation. Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery 11(4):p 182-189, Oct–Dec 2018. | DOI: 10.4103/JCAS.JCAS_125_18 – https://journals.lww.com/jcas/fulltext/2018/11040/complications_in_hair_transplantation.5.aspx
- Kerure, Amit S; Agrawal, Sandip M1; Dhurat, Rachita1; Ginzburg, Alex2. Donor Area Acute Effluvium following Follicular Unit Extraction—Trichoscopic Simulator of Alopecia Areata: Series of Four Cases. Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery 13(1):p 31-34, Jan–Mar 2020. | DOI: 10.4103/JCAS.JCAS_77_19 – https://journals.lww.com/jcas/fulltext/2020/13010/donor_area_acute_effluvium_following_follicular.6.aspx
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