Consequences and complications after hair transplantation

When we decide to do something radical, we always expect it to solve our problem. After all, we want to understand that we had to endure it for a reason.

Unfortunately, it is simply impossible to see immediately what the final result of such a procedure as hair transplantation will be, because hair does not begin to grow earlier than after 3 months. But you can see how hair falls out after a hair transplantation within these three months.

It is important to understand that hair change is a natural physiological process, and there is no need to be afraid of it. A new hair will appear in place of the fallen hair, and it will be no worse than the previous one. So both those hairs that did not take root and individual specimens from follicular units for which the time has come to change can fall out.

Another thing is that along with the implanted hair, those that remain in place may also fall out. The reason for their loss may be damage to the bulb or disruption of tissue nutrition in the hair growth zone due to damage to nerves and blood vessels during surgery.

Both intact hairs sensitive to dihydrotestosterone, which simply did not fall out before the operation, and those that simply do not receive enough nutrients near the strong transplanted hair, can fall out. Doctors call such a phenomenon as the loss of one's own weak hair after the procedure shock (Hairloss shoсk).

If you do not take measures to normalize your hormonal levels, you will get the following situation: the implanted strong hair from the back of your head and the sides of your head remains in place, while the remaining natural hair on your forehead and crown continues to fall out. It is clear that all this affects the thickness of your hair and the appearance of your hairstyle. For example, a hairless border or gap may form, which requires a second operation to fill the resulting "emptiness." But it is also clear that soon there will simply be nothing to patch up such flaws with.

Another unpleasant moment is the scar after strip hair transplant operations. Firstly, it is quite painful, which makes care procedures difficult. Secondly, it remains noticeable even after some time, because the skin on the head is stretched, stretching the scar at the suture site. Even a 10-centimeter strip is not so easy to disguise, not to mention a scar 20-25 cm long.

The presence of a scar makes it impossible to have a short haircut, since in this case it looks unnatural. In order not to limit yourself too much in choosing hairstyles, you need to think about the consequences of various methods in advance. After a seamless and non-surgical hair transplant, for example, such problems do not arise.

Complications after hair transplant surgery

The possibility of various complications, of course, depends on the type of operation and the transplant used, the professionalism of the doctor, head and hair care after the procedure, the characteristics of the body, and concomitant diseases. Thus, hair transplantation is always a certain risk, which can be reduced by responsibly choosing the type of intervention and the specialist doctor who will perform the operation. In pursuit of beautiful hair, you should not hide existing diseases, so that the procedure does not turn out to be a waste of money along with the resulting health problems.

What dangers may lie in wait for patients who have taken a decisive step towards restoring the image of a person with a luxurious hairstyle using a rare and relatively inexpensive operation of implanting artificial hair:

• very common allergic reactions to biofiber, which manifest themselves in the form of severe itching and rashes on the skin,
• increased sweating in people prone to hyperhidrosis,
• activation of the immune system and exacerbation of skin diseases when introducing artificial components into the body,
• loss of transplanted hair due to its rejection by the body,
• suppuration of wounds in the transplant area (the immune system perceives the artificial hair as a splinter, so “hordes” of leukocytes are sent to the area where the hair is introduced into the body),
• deterioration of the condition of artificial hair, it begins to look unkempt, which over time makes the hairstyle untidy.

Yes, such an operation allows you to save money, getting practically the same result as with a hair transplant, but after a while it may turn out that the procedure only worsened the situation, and the person actually paid for disappointment. Transplantation of artificial hair should be the last thing a person in a state of despair could decide on. The risk of failure in this situation is very high.

Now let's return to more common operations of hair transplantation (autotransplantation) using various methods. As for seamless and non-surgical methods, several types of complications are possible here:

• discomfort in the area of the procedure is possible only in the first day after the operation, there should be no pain, but in order to eliminate the unpleasant sensations, the doctor may advise taking a painkiller,
• itching of the scalp at the site of transplanted hair in the absence of other allergy symptoms becomes an indicator of healing of micro-wounds, it can last up to 10 days, during which it is better not to carry out physical impact on the skin, i.e. scratching the head is not recommended,
• swelling of the face and loss of sensitivity of the scalp in the first period after surgery, which is considered a variant of the body's normal reaction to interference in its functioning,
• the appearance of minor bloody discharge from micro-wounds in the hair transplant area, which usually disappears within the first week,
• bleeding (this complication is extremely rare and requires specialist intervention),
• the formation of a small, painless lump filled with serous fluid (seroma) near the transplant inserted into the skin, which is generally considered harmless, but the fluid will still have to be removed on an outpatient basis and a pressure bandage will have to be applied for a couple of days,
• the appearance of hematomas as a consequence of bleeding on the skin (small hematomas resolve on their own, while large ones require the intervention of a doctor who will help remove the accumulated blood and ligate the bleeding vessel),
• with improper care of the scalp in the first days after transplantation or flaws in disinfection measures during preparation and performance of the operation, infection of microdamages in the places of removal and introduction of hair follicles is possible. It is clear that affected follicles can simply leave their bed, negatively affecting the final result of the transplant.

Surgical strip methods can have even more complications that are associated with the surgical part of the procedure:

• When a flap up to 3 cm wide is cut out on the back and sides of the head, the edges of the wound will need to be pulled together to suture. As a result of strong tension, one can sometimes expect the edges of such a wound to diverge, which is observed in the first weeks after the intervention. In some cases, it is even necessary to resort to repeated sutures.
• If small wounds can become infected, what can we say about a large wound where a flap was taken to cut a transplant? The causes of infection will be the same as in the case of non-surgical methods. In this case, a certain treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics will be required.
• Infection of the wound, strong tension of the tissues around it and genetic predisposition can cause the appearance of keloid scars in the area of the surgical field, which are formations of connective tissue. Scars form after the wound has healed for several months and grow for a couple of years. When their growth stops, you can resort to removing these unaesthetic formations, which can also cause physical discomfort. Until then, you will have to make do with the use of corticosteroids and bandages.
• One of the complications of hair transplantation can be expected even during the operation due to improper actions of the personnel performing the procedure. We are talking about marginal necrosis of flaps taken from the occipital part of the head. Any change in the color of a part of the flap should be alarming. The part with the beginning of tissue necrosis should be excised, it cannot be used for transplantation.

We have talked about possible complications of the hair transplant procedure, which the doctor should additionally familiarize the patient with. The patient has the right to know about all possible risks related to his health.

But the fact that such risks exist does not mean that complications will necessarily occur. Otherwise, hair transplant surgeries would not be as popular as they are today. It is important to understand that there is a risk even when crossing the road at a traffic light, but this does not limit our movements at the intersection if there is such a need.

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