Question:
I have a fair amount of hair on top about 40-50 hairs per sq inch, and thinking about getting 5000 grafts over the whole top to thicken it. I am wondering will my old hair on top grow back at the same rate as before in from day one so that after about a month will I look the same as before the transplant or will I be bald on top until new hair comes in at about 4 months?
Answer:
Post operative shock may occur less frequently when the patient allows the doctor to shave the recipient area before the procedure, at least when performed by less experienced surgeons. At the very least it is much harder to notice the hair loss due to shock once the shaved hair has grown back. If you currently have 40-50 FU’s per sq cm in the recipient area I would expect some shock loss in the first month after the surgery. Healthy hair follicles that fall out due to shock should start growing just before or at the same time as the transplanted hairs. The shaved original hairs in the recipient area that are not shocked should start growing at a normal rate (1/4-1/2 inch per month) starting from the day of the procedure.
Posted by Jeffrey S. Epstein, MD, FACS
