Phases of Hair Growth after FUE Surgery

A “patient” patient will see the result!

After hair transplantation surgery, hair growth goes through a process which takes about a year to achieve the final outcome. In fact, everyone has their own hair and of course their own cycles of hair growth. There are also some “ups and downs” in the process, hence, the patient should be informed completely about the hair growth cycle after hair transplantation procedure. Moreover, since the natural untouched hairs grow at their normal rates, and the transplanted hairs cannot “surpass” them, the patient needs to have the required tolerance to wait and see the result of the treatment after a year or more. Here are the different stages of hair growth that happen in the months after a hair transplantation procedure:

• The first hour: The patient can see the new hairline immediately after the surgery.
• Days 1 – 5: The most critical days of the healing process are the first days. During this period, the patient experiences a slight swelling of the affected areas such as forehead and the back of the head. The recipient areas where there are tiny slits made for implanting the hair grafts may look red. The redness will disappear after a week or two. There will be no more tenderness in the donor areas after a few days.
• Days 6 – 10: After 10 days, there will be no swelling and redness on the scalp. There will also be crusts that form for each hair graft. The grafts should be soaked completely and then gently rubbed by a finger to be removed. When all the crusts are away, the transplanted hairs will appear. The sutures or staples have to be removed after ten days.
• Weeks 2 – 3: In this period the transplanted hairs begin to fall out and by the end of the fourth week, all has gone. But, no need to worry! This is a natural process known as hair shock loss. This is because the follicles were starved of its blood supply for a short period. After 3 months, the hairs start to regrow as the follicular units and bulbs are totally intact and continue to grow a new hair shaft.
• Weeks 4 – 8: The follicles go through the resting phase. This is the time when the patient looks like he or she has not undergone hair transplant surgery and seem the same before the procedure. In this phase, the patient can dye and style the existing hair as he or she wishes.
• Months 2 – 4: Wishes come true! The new hairs are appearing. However, in some patients, this may happen sooner or later. The patient will see how the newly transplanted hairs are coming out. However, hairs grow uncoordinatedly with each other and will always be in different stages at any given time, meaning there will be no massive increase of hair. The new hairs are thin and delicate. The donor area will heal completely and the redness disappears.
• Months 5 – 9: The patient will see a remarkable amount of hair coming out of the scalp. The transplanted hairs will be 7 cm long and ready to be groomed. In the ninth month, the implanted hairs begin to undergo texture changes and thicken up. The donor area will return completely to its natural situation.
• The first year: 80% of the transplanted hairs will emerge by the end of the first year after the surgery. A little degree of curvature is expected in new hair that will resolve. The hairs will perfectly appear natural in the second year.
• The second year: For some patients the final appearance will be realized at this stage when there is an increase in the transplanted hair’s density and thickness. However, some may get the full appearance sooner or later. Obviously, as the hair grows longer, a fuller appearance is created due to the increase in the volume of hair.