Question:
What are some of the potential side effects and risks associated with hair transplantation and how common are they?
Answer:
One of the more common risks of hair transplantation that exists, even in the best performed procedure, includes some shock hair loss which can be minimized but still occurs in some patients, especially women and young men with thinning hair. Another common side effect is some widening of the scalp scar, which even with perfect closure can sometimes widen but can be prevented or at least minimized by the use of certain surgical techniques. Other side effects that are temporary include pimples at the site of the transplants and numbness in certain parts of the scalp. Of course, side effects are greater when the procedure is not performed properly and the results are unnatural.
Posted by Jeffrey S. Epstein, MD, FACS