Complications from hair transplants are uncommon, but do occur. Some complications common to any surgical procedure include reactions to the anesthesia, bleeding/bruising, infection, and swelling. Patients that are prone to hypertrophic scars, like keloids in patients of African descent, may develop scars with lumped borders that disrupt the surrounding hair in donor areas.
Lost Hair and Shock Loss
A somewhat troubling, but completely expected outcome of after hair transplants, is the loss of the transplanted hair. After your procedure, expect four-fifths of the transplanted hair to fall out within the first three weeks. You can also expect some surrounding hair to fall out (referred to as “shock loss”), however, this can be minimized (or avoided) by starting Propecia 4-6 weeks before your procedure. In any case, the lost hair will recover and grow back beginning in three months or so, and patients can expect full regrowth at the end of the first year after hair transplant surgery.
No Growth, Unnatural Results
Complications unique to hair transplantation surgery include grafts that “do not take” and unnatural looking hairlines. Both of these are almost always due to poor surgical technique. If the follicular units are mishandled or mistreated, the transplanted units may not produce hair. It may be necessary to use a medical hair replacement drug such as minoxidil or finasteride to bolster the growth of transplanted hair. In addition, half of all men that undergo hair transplantation surgery have a repeat procedure no sooner than six months after their original surgery.
If you are thinking about having a hair transplant, I recommend meeting with 3 different doctors before making a decision. A good place to start is with a free consultation from Bosley Medical.
