Hair Replacement Surgery Benefits and Risks

Before committing to undergo hair replacement surgery, it is important to weigh the benefits and risks of the procedure. Thanks to modern techniques, the benefits of hair replacement surgery are becoming greater and the risks fewer. During your consultation, your surgeon will provide complete details, including a hair transplant timeline that details any potential problem that you may encounter. Below you will find information on the risks and benefits of hair replacement surgery, including the possible side effects of a hair transplant.

Benefits of Hair Replacement Surgery

For most patients, the risks of hair replacement surgery are insignificant and far outweighed by the potential benefits. During your pre-operative consultation, your doctor will discuss all facets of the procedure, including the potential side effects of a hair transplant, so that you can make an informed decision.

Improved Appearance

The most evident benefit of hair replacement surgery is that it gives the patient a more youthful appearance, which can have a positive influence on both business and social interactions. Hair loss, especially premature hair loss, can make people look older than they are.

Improved Self-Esteem

Along with an improved appearance, most hair replacement surgery patients achieve improved self-esteem. Most people try to resist aging, especially when the signs of aging seem to come prematurely. The ability to regain a more youthful appearance nearly always makes people feel better about themselves, which, in turn, can improve their outlook on life.

Potential Hair Transplant Problems

As with any surgery, there are risks involved with hair replacement surgery, primarily during the healing process. There is always a very slight chance of skin infection, which is usually easily treated. Other issues are more accurately characterized as a possible hair transplant problem, but these issues seldom qualify as major medical risks. During your consultation with a hair loss specialist, the possible side effects of a hair transplant and any potential problem following hair replacement surgery will be discussed in greater detail.

Side Effects of Hair Transplants

One side effect that can be a hair transplant problem is numbness around the donor or recipient site. This lack of sensation is almost always temporary and should disappear within two or three months of hair replacement surgery. Although not a true medical risk, there is also a slight chance that the transplanted hair will not survive the procedure.

Hair Transplant Timeline

The following hair transplant timeline details the recovery period for patients who have undergone hair replacement surgery. Though the results may vary from patient to patient depending on the extent of the hair transplant, this timeline should cover the general course of growth and recovery for most patients. Approximately 24 hours after the hair transplant procedure, the patient will notice that small scabs will have formed on each of the grafts. This is normal, and they will usually be shed in about seven to ten days following hair replacement surgery. Approximately six to fifteen weeks after the procedure, the grafted hair should begin to grow at the normal hair growth rate of 1 cm each month.

Hair replacement surgery is a complicated procedure that may require several hair transplant sessions over a period of one to two years before the desired result is achieved. The fact is that hair transplant surgery has become a more involved and time-intensive procedure in order to ensure better results. The smaller groupings of follicles that enable a truly natural look necessarily take longer to harvest and longer to properly implant. Enduring a lengthier process is its own reward; modern hair transplantation produces consistently natural looking results.

DocShop Can Help You Find a Hair Transplant Surgeon near You

It is important that you choose a qualified and highly experienced hair transplant surgeon to perform your hair replacement surgery. A skilled hair loss specialist will be able to answer your questions about the possible side effects of hair transplant surgery, providing a timeline that covers any potential problem you may experience down the road. We encourage you to use DocShop to help you locate a local hair loss specialist.