What to Expect Before, During, and After a Receding Hairline Transplant?

A hair transplant is a significant procedure. It involves months of preparation and restoration. So, if you are planning to undergo a hair transplant for your receding hairline, knowing what will happen before, during, and after the transplant can help you prepare for it. Here’s what to expect before, during and after a receding hair transplant.

What is a Hair Transplant – Types of Hair Transplant

A hair transplant has emerged as one of the most effective ways of dealing with a receding hairline. It refers to performing a surgical procedure involving taking hair from one area of a scalp and transplanting it to another. The hair transplant surgeons transplant the follicles from the donor site to recipient site.

Advancements in dermatology have led to the development of two types of hair transplants – FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) and FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction).

While both hair transplants aim to restore hair growth, their procedures differ. FUT involves cutting a piece of skin from the scalp containing the follicle, separating the follicles and then transplanting them. On the other hand, FUE comprises individual extraction of hair follicles and then transplanted on the scalp.

Before a Hair Transplant for a Receding Hairline

You cannot have a hair transplant immediately on the day you decide to do it or on the next day. It takes a few weeks to prepare your scalp to undergo the procedure.
So, while being around four weeks away from the procedure, start working on your scalp health and keep it as nourished as possible. Massage your scalp for ten to 30 minutes every day to regulate the blood flow and make the skin tone consistent. These factors will help promote healing after the transplant. Additionally, you may be required to undergo tests like ECG or blood to determine whether you are fit for surgery.

Now, around a couple of weeks before surgery, see your doctor and check if you should stop taking certain medications to avoid bleeding or hamper healing. Also, inform your doctor if you’ve been consuming any blood thinning medications, anti-depressants, or beta-blockers as they can impact the healing process. The doctors may also prescribe vitamin C medicines to expedite healing.

Avoid consuming alcohol to avoid widening the blood vessels and increasing swelling at the incision site. Besides, stop cutting your hair to keep hair at optimal length.

A week before surgery, stop smoking. Smoking impacts the recovery process by impeding the flow of oxygen in your body. The doctor may also prescribe a few medications to control any type of infection in your body. Also, stop consuming vitamin B and E medications, if you’ve been taking them. These medications can increase the bleeding from the wound and hinder the healing process.

On the day of surgery, wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner as normal. Avoid using gels or wax. The idea is to keep the hair as natural as possible.

Follow the doctor’s instructions on the time when you can have your last drink or food. That’s because doctors require patients to have an empty stomach during anesthesia. Besides, wear loose-fitting clothes. Avoid wearing T-shirts requiring you to pull over your head to prevent damage to the incision spots while changing clothes post-surgery.

During an FUE Hair Transplant for a Receding Hairline

What happens during a FUE hair transplant for a receding hairline? Let’s see.

• After pre-preparation, the first step involves surgeons extracting donor grafts one by one without making a cut or scar on the donor region.
• After extracting the graft, surgeons preserve it. Further, they clean and sort it based on the number of hairs it has and submerge it in an active plasma solution that optimizes its survival.
• The surgeons then refrigerate the petri dishes with the grafts until implantation.
• Once the surgeon extracts enough grafts, they implant them one by one. It helps them implant grafts between existing hair and yields a high density of implantation.
• After the procedure, the donor and implantation areas are washed.

Of course, there’s more to post-operative care. Let’s now look at that.

After a Hair Transplant for a Receding Hairline

Hair restoration happens over ten to 12 months. Here’s what to expect.

• Redness and Crusting in the Hair Transplant: Redness and crusting is a normal cyclical effect and gets resolved in a few days.
• Shock Shedding: Shock shedding happens when the hair follicles are shocked by the operation’s trauma and shed hair. It is a normal and temporary phase, as the hair eventually grows back after a while.
• Hair Growth: Hair growth is usually observed after nearly a year of the transplanted hair reaching its optimal growth potential. Initially, the hair growth is slow. However, it accelerates later.

The doctors will also prescribe a set of do’s and don’ts after surgery. Here are some.

Do’s

Have someone drive you home, as you may be under the sedative’s influence.

• Sleep with your head elevated for a week or until you experience swelling.
• Apply ice just above the eyebrows to prevent swelling from occurring on the third or fourth day after the transplant procedure.
• Wash your hair gently for the first five days starting from day three.
• Use a cup to rinse the scalp.
• Apply a gentle conditioner to the scalp to alleviate itching.
• Keep yourself adequately hydrated.

Don’ts

• Sleep flat on your stomach or side.
• Rub your hairline against a pillow.
• Apply ice directly to the scalp’s transplanted areas.
• Wash your hair for the first 48 hours.
• Scratch your scalp.
• Expose your scalp to direct sunlight.
• Engage in activities or exercises causing heavy sweating.
• Consume alcohol for the first five days.
• Smoke for at least a month after surgery.

We hope this article helped you gain vital insights into the before, during, and after of a hair transplant for a receding hairline. For more information on knowing the best hair transplant for a receding hairline and factors like hair transplant for a receding hairline price, etc., book a consultation appointment with any of our clinics in Karve Road, Baner, or Koregaon Park. Click to connect with us.