A hair transplant only takes a few hours, but seeing the final result takes much longer. One of the many surprises that patients often find is that the process doesn’t begin and end at “transplant” and “new hair.” The healing, shedding, waiting, early growth and the beginning of the thickening process take place before the result begins to look natural. On top of that, often times, the internet gets caught up in the before and after photos, but those photos don’t show you the months in between. Thus, if you understand the changes that take place during those quieter phases it can make it easier navigate the entire journey.
Read this guide to understand more about the hair transplant timeline.
First Few Days
The scalp requires time to settle down right after a hair transplant. There might be some redness, mild swelling, tenderness or small scabs around the transplanted area. The donor area may also be tender as it is healing. At this stage, the appearance of your hair is not an indication of the eventual result. It’s all about protecting the newly-grafted areas and giving the scalp time to heal. Your clinic will give you instructions on how to wash, sleep, touch the scalp, exercise and products that you can use. It is crucial to follow these instructions carefully in the early recovery process. Some feel well enough to return to normal activities relatively quickly, others prefer a few more days before returning to work or social events. Your recovery will depend on your procedure and individual healing.
First 2 Weeks
Your scalp may appear more prominent than you would like in the first few weeks. Small crusts can develop around the grafts and there may be a slight irritation at the recipient area while healing, which will not cause any discomfort. This sometimes leads patients to question if the transplant will eventually look “natural.” But, the first two weeks appearance is only temporary and should not be the only basis for the final result. Gradually, as healing occurs, the crusts will lift and the scalp will become more settled. The newly transplanted follicles will not be in their long-term growth period, and you may still have a sparse appearance to your hair. However, careful washing, as directed by your clinic, and avoidance of unnecessary rubbing or picking can aid the healing process.
2-8 Weeks Later
One of the most unexpected stages of a hair transplant procedure is shedding. During the weeks following treatment, many of the transplanted hair shafts fall out. If you weren’t expecting this, it can be alarming. You may look in the mirror and feel as though your hair transplant is moving backwards rather than forwards. The transplanted follicle, however, stays under the skin as the visible hair shaft falls out. The follicle then undergoes its normal growth process until it starts to grow new hair. That is why the early shedding phase shouldn’t be assumed to be a transplant failure. After all, it’s just one of the steps that may happen before new growth is observed.
2-4 Months Later
Once you’ve shed hair initially, you might find yourself in the most tranquil period of all. Your scalp will be mostly recovered, but new growth may not be apparent. At this point, patients tend to get impatient. You may visit your hair daily or view pictures or look on the internet for other people’s 3-month results. This can be even longer than it seems because each person grows at a different rate. However, the absence of obvious growth during this period doesn’t necessarily mean that nothing is happening. Hair follicles have a life cycle and changes in the hair take time to manifest themselves. Rather than taking daily photos, you should take progress photos at regular intervals to get a better visual clue of how your hair is evolving.
4-5 Months Later
The journey can begin to get interesting at this point. By this time, some patients may start to see new hairs growing in the transplanted area. These hairs may initially look very different from your existing hair. They may be either fine, soft, light, or unevenly distributed. Thus, don’t expect them to immediately provide the density you ultimately want. After all, the initial growth is just the beginning and new hair may slowly become thicker and visible over the course of several months. Other areas may experience faster development as well. There may be new hairs appearing along the hairline and a different area may look virtually the same.