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SURGICAL PROCEDURES: More About Hair Restoration
Recovery
Whenever you are cut, you heal by the process officially called "fibrosis," known to most of us as “scarring.” If you’ve had a hair transplant, small scabs—which usually fall off within one week—will form on the scalp at the graft sites. Sutures (stitches) in the donor site incisions will be removed approximately one week after surgery. (In the meantime, you can cover them with your existing hair or by wearing a cap.)
Depending on the surgery you’ve had and the type of work you do, you may be able to go back to work immediately. Most people take a day or two off and are advised to avoid strenuous physical activity for a few days. You should discuss this with your doctor during the consultation.
Your doctor will give you instructions for post-operative care. Many prescribe a topical antibiotic to keep your scalp moist and clean, encourage healing, and discourage infections, and pain medication for any discomfort. You can generally resume shampooing within a day or two.
Grafted hair will grow for about 3 weeks and then fall out. The follicle remains, in a resting stage. After about 3 months, it will begin to grow hair again just as it did before—about 1⁄2 inch per month for the rest of your life. Whatever you did with your hair before the surgery you can do again: cut it, curl it, perm it, color it. It’s still your hair, just the same as it always was—it’s simply in a new place!
More Information About Hair Restoration
What You Need to Know
Why Men and Women Lose Hair
About the Procedure
Who is a Candidate?
Preparing for Surgery
Pain
Recovery
Risks
Costs
More to Know
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The "Pluck and Sew" Technique to Individual Hair Follicle Placement
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