Hair Transplant Surgery
Step by Step - The Post-Operative Period
The patient
will leave the hospital approximately one
hour after surgery has finished.
We use a special spray (graft cyte) that aids
in the integration of the grafts in the scalp,
therefore no type of bandage is necessary
and the patient leaves the hospital in a more
discreet manner.
Appearance
of the transplanted area at the end of surgery
The patient
(or the patient’s companion) is given
an envelope with all of the post-operative
instructions, analgesics for the first 24
hours, as well as an anxiolytic, which will
facilitate a peaceful night’s sleep.
These medications are enough to reduce the
pain, which generally occurs in the donor
area (region where the incision is made) only
in the first 24 hours.
You will also have the cell phone number for
Ruston Clinic, which is turned on 24 hours
a day, should you have any doubt or something
occur during the night. But do not worry;
we will call you during this period to find
out how you are doing.
The following day, 24 hours after surgery
(therefore in the afternoon), we will wash
you hair for the first time at Ruston Clinic.
We will give you a detailed explanation about
how your hair should be washed and you will
be able to do it yourself from the next day
on.
You
will then have the opportunity to clarify
any doubts you may have regarding instructions
for the post-operative period and will receive
another kit containing special shampoo, a
cap, instruction sheet for washing your hair,
and some medications to prevent swelling.
From this point on you are free to go about
the normal activities of your daily routine,
with a few restrictions (see
post-operative instructions).
The scar in the donor area is imperceptible,
even with wet hair. The recipient area however,
will have many mini-wounds, though quite small
and round, like a pin prick. In the cases,
where hair is transplanted in areas where
the patient already has hair (cases of increasing
density), these mini-wounds will not be visible
as the hair will be sufficient to camouflage
them.
In more advanced cases of balding or in regions
without any hair, these wounds will be visible,
although very discreet, and as the grafts
are transplanted with a length of 3mm, you
will already see some results.
These small
scabs begin to fall out around the seventh
day post-surgery
and they will have all fallen out within 2-3
weeks.
Integration
and Growth of the Grafts
Some of the scabs will fall out leaving the
transplanted hair in place, which will in
turn continue to grow. The percent varies
from patient to patient, but in general it
is around 20-30%. Therefore, around 70-80%
of the scabs (the bigger ones) will fall out
taking the hair with them, which had been
in the growth process, leaving behind only
the roots. From these roots new hairs will
grow, reaching the scalp after one to four
months post surgery. This gradual growth of
the hair helps provide a totally natural appearance
during the post-operative period. Many people
think that the patient has taken medication,
and not undergone surgery.
Before
and 3 months after
3 months
after surgery
The
final result comes about nine months after
surgery and the transplanted hairs will never
fall out again, having been removed from an
area that does not have the genetic code for
hair loss.
Before,
During and After
The
result therefore, is for the rest of your
life. To better understand, please see an
animation by clicking
here.
The Scar
As soon as suturing the donor area has concluded,
the scar is already imperceptible as it will
be camouflaged by hair.
Donor area
marked
End of Surgery – wet hair
In other
words, do not worry about the appearance of
your scar as it will not be noticeable post-surgery.
The transplanted area is more obvious than
the scar.
We use a surgical suture, which is biodegradable.
It does not need to be removed as it will
fall out spontaneously between 10 to 20 days
after surgery.
Surgery
End and After stitches have fallen out (15
days)
In the
first three months the scar appears to be
red and is subject to some changes in sensitivity
(itching, numbness, etc.).
By the fourth month the scar begins to lighten,
reaching the skin’s natural color between
six months and one year after surgery. During
this period the changes in sensitivity also
end. One year after surgery the scar is imperceptible,
even with short hair. Only a fine line can
be seen when lifting up the hair or when it
is very short (1cm or less).
In some
cases the scar really cannot be seen
If a
new surgical session is necessary we will
always remove the donor area at the same scar
line, with the exception of changes in elasticity,
which forces us to create a new scar.
Some people do, however, experience a different
scarring process (around 2% of patients) and
in these cases the scar may remain a little
red or wide. In these cases scar revision
(repair) can be done six months after surgery. |
