Hair transplant is a surgical procedure that involves two major treatment periods

• The surgery
• The recovery period

The surgery

Presuppositions for a surgically successful hair transplant

• a surgeon and in specific a hair transplant expert
• specialized and qualitative surgical instruments
• and equipment
• proper hair follicular graft handling
• trained nursing staff
• patient’s role: smooth cooperation with the medical team

The recovery period

It involves:

1. the healing process
2. the permanent reception of the skin hair follicular grafts in the recipient skin
3. the hair growth of the implanted hair follicles

1. The healing process

• The donor scalp area heals within 3-5 days post op
• The recipient transplanted scalp area heals within 5-7 days post op
• Patient’s role: Proper scalp care and special scalp washing process are mandatory and essential for a smooth healing

2. The permanent reception of the skin hair follicular grafts in the recipient skin

As in any case of skin transplantation, so in the case of hair transplantation the skin micrografts take about 10 days to get permanently received in their new location / the recipient skin.

This is also how long it takes for the recipient skin to produce new micro vessels in order to form the dermal papilla for each and every transplanted hair follicle.

Patient’s role: Following the post op instructions / restrictions during these 10 days is crucial for the operation’s outcome.

3. The growth of the new hair

The hair growth of the transplanted hair follicles is a slow process that starts about one month post op and lasts about 7-10 months

The rate of the growth of the new hair depends on:

• the patient’s general health condition
• the skin condition (recipient skin’s and skin grafts’)
• the location of the recipient transplanted area (zones A and B as well as the face show a faster growth of the new hair compare to the C zone of the AGA pattern)
• Patient’s role: to be in contact and report any kind of general or local skin problem that may appear during this period

The patient’s role

Hair Transplantation is NOT finished on the surgical procedure day.

Healing process, permanent reception of the transplanted skin grafts and growth of the new hair last for a long time after the surgical procedure.

During this time and for each phase of the above, it is mandatory and necessary for the patient to comply with the post op instructions and be in contact with the medical team for any problem that may arise.

Hair Transplant is a team work of both the medical staff and the patient both during the surgical operation and during the recovery period