Hair Transplant Side Effects

There are a number of side effects to hair transplants that not many people know about. Most people just go in for the procedure and expect to have a few weeks of resting and healing ahead of them. But nobody ever gives conscious thought to all the side effects that people have suffered from in the past after having a hair transplant. The chances that you will develop all known side effects are extremely small. But there is a realitistic probability that you will develop at least one of them. Might as well read up on all of them so you won't be surprised when you do experience some annoyances post-op!

First of all, you might notice your hair becoming very thin after a hair transplant. This is called shock loss. This doesn't necessarily only affect the transplanted hair, but also the surrounding non-transplanted hairs. You might end up with some new bald patches after you start shedding these hairs due to shock loss. It's normal to shed around 100 hairs per day, but anything beyond that number is a clear indication that you are going bald. A couple of months after the shock loss, you will likely see the hair start to grow again as it enters the anagen phase.

It's also possible that you experience swelling of the scalp, your forehead and your eyes right after you have the surgery done. This is a temporary condition that will last no more than a week. And the doctor can prescribe you some medication to help you deal with this a little better. There is often a lot of itching after a treatment. It can get pretty severe, especially when the scabs start forming, but it is important that you do not start scratching your head violently, because that might damage your new hairs. There are shampoos available that will help relieve the itching on your scalp.

Believe it or not, but some people develop the hiccups after getting a hair transplant. This doesn't happen very often, but a handful of people will get this. It's only a minor nuisance, but it might still disrupt your sleep. If the hiccups are very stubborn and won't go away after a long time, your doctor might prescribe something to help you get rid of them a little quicker.

Sometimes, people develop infections after a hair transplant. This doesn't happen very often, but when it does it's very uncomfortable. You can get antibiotics before and after the surgery in order to keep the infections at bay. Take these antibiotics the way the doctor tells you to. Only then will they be the most effective.

When getting a strip hair transplant, you will likely develop scarring in the back of your head. As long as you keep your hair longer than half an inch, nobody will ever notice your scar. Some people develop cysts if the surrounding hair follicles have been damaged, or if hair follicles have gotten too deep under the skin.

As with any procedure, the side effects of hair transplants are plenty. But knowing about them will keep you sharp, thereby increasing the chances you'll either avoid them or deal with them effectively. Be sure to ask your performing doctor about all of these hair transplant side effects before you actually go in for the surgery!