Hair transplantation is the most effective and permanent solution for hair loss. For this procedure, grafts are taken from donor area and transferred to bald area. After surgical procedure, healing process begins. Candidates should be careful during this process and act according to the instructions of their doctors. Well, how long after hair transplant are grafts secure? Is it normal for grafts to fall out or does it indicate a problem?
Table of Contents
What is Hair Graft?
Although graft is thought to mean the same as hair follicles, it is a different concept. It has a structure that includes skin and hair follicles. It may contain 1 to 4 hair follicles. According to the number of follicles, grafts are classified as single, double, triple and quadruple.
In hair transplantation, grafts are transplanted, not follicles. In fact, taking follicles one by one is very difficult due to their structure and position. Therefore, grafts are taken and transferred to relevant area. Thus, follicles are moved suitably.
What Kind Of Procedure Is Applied With Grafts During Hair Transplantation?
Grafts are taken as individual follicles with hundreds or even thousands of small punch incisions from donor area during surgery. Then, they are left in an aqueous and cool solution so that their structure does not deteriorate. This process continues until enough follicles are taken.
- After collecting enough follicles, they are placed into relevant area. This area can be front, middle or crown parts of scalp.
- For the procedure, channels that are smaller than 1 mm are opened on scalp first.
- Afterwards, follicles are placed into these channels.
This way, necessary steps are taken to regenerate hair that did not exist before. After the procedure, donor areas are bandaged.
Read Also: How Many Hair Transplantation Grafts Do You Need?
Are Grafts Falling Out After Hair Transplant Normal?
Grafts that fall out after hair transplant are generally the main point of concern for patients. However, this shedding is extremely normal and expected. About 2 weeks after the operation, a part of hair falls out. This shedding happens all at once and is called as shock loss.
Grafts falling out after hair transplant is not a sign showing that the procedure has failed or something is wrong. It is a condition related to the growth phase of hair and is considered as normal in the process. This is a necessary step for your new hair to grow thicker.
After shock loss, hair goes into resting phase. The duration of this phase is about 2-3 months. After resting phase is completed, follicles begin to produce hair strands again.
Points to Consider for the Safety of Grafts
Hair transplantation is done with grafts taken from the person himself. It is not possible to use follicles taken from a different person. In such a case, follicles cannot adapt to the new body and lose their vitality in a very short time. Therefore, the operation made fails.
During hair transplantation, grafts are alive at every stage and maintain their vitality until transplanted. They are kept alive during extraction, separation, sorting and planting from donor area. So, when they are transplanted to their new place, they continue their cycle. The safety of grafts has great importance for the continuation of this growth cycle.
If safety is not fully ensured, hair follicles might be damaged. In such a case, follicles do not remain alive and the procedure does not have a chance of success. For this reason, it should be noted that grafts remain alive at every stage and those that are thought to be damaged should not be used in hair transplantation.
It is not possible to immediately understand whether the roots of damaged follicles are alive or dead. This is usually understood within 3-6 months. The reason why this period is so long is that it takes about 3-6 months for follicles that come out of resting phase to start producing hair strand again. This period has an important place in the question of how long after hair transplant are grafts secure.
Factors Affecting the Life of Hair Grafts
Due to the fact that hair transplantation is performed only for suitable candidates and the advanced techniques used, there is usually no problem with grafts. However, there are some important factors for the safety of grafts. These factors can be listed as follows:
- Skin problems in donor area
- Dehydration
- Surgical conditions
- Physical damage to grafts
- Graft storage problems
- Preferred surgical method
- Ischemia-reperfusion injury
- Blunt trauma
How Many Days After Hair Transplant Are Grafts Secure?
There are different factors that affect the survival of follicles taken from donor area, such as dehydration, temperature and lack of oxygen. Therefore, for graft health after surgery, you should definitely take into account your doctor’s instructions.
Follicles transplanted to a different region are fragile and delicate, just like repotted flowers. They need some time to settle into place. Adaptation period of grafts is usually 14 days, and as a result of complete recovery, follicles settle and are fixed. However, it should not be thought that the answer to the question of how long after hair transplantation are grafts secure is 14 days.
Although the follicles have settled in their place, you should avoid exhausting activities and exercises for 1 month after the surgery in order to reduce the redness and prevent the transmission of sweat to sensitive areas.
After the surgery, a bandage is applied to donor area, but transplanted area is left open. In the first 2 weeks, you should be careful for transplanted area and take your doctor’s instructions into account at this point. Follicles must be strong enough to wash your hair without touching it 5 days after the operation.
Read Also: Washing After Hair Transplantation: Important Instructions
Things to Do and Avoid for the Safety of Grafts
Things that are done in the process after hair transplantation is closely related to the safety of grafts. Things that you should do and avoid in this process can be listed as follows:
Things to Do:
- In the first 4-5 days after the operation, saline solution should be sprayed and kept moist.
- After the first wash done by your doctor, you should wash your hair as often as your doctor prescribes.
- Use the medications prescribed by your doctor regularly.
- Pay attention to the protection of treated area from external factors.
Things to Avoid:
- Do not scratch or rub your scalp.
- Do not dry your hair with a towel after washing it. Instead, let your hair dry by itself.
- Don’t have different manipulative surgical operations following hair transplant surgery.
- Do not expose your hair directly to the sun during the first 2 weeks after the operation.
- Do not apply excessive pressure when washing your hair.
- Avoid exercising, especially for the first 14 days.
Until you get the answer to the question of how long after hair transplant are grafts secure, you need to follow the considerations here and your doctor’s instructions.
Growth Process of Grafts
After hair transplantation, it takes a few months for hair to start growing again. It takes about 8-12 months to get the best form. With shock loss experienced after the surgery, hair follicles go into resting phase. After completion of this phase, hair strands regrow.
Read Also: FUT & FUE: Comparison of Graft Scar and Differences
Healing Process
There are different factors that affect healing process. In addition, considering that people’s body structures are different, recovery period might be different for everyone. At this point, by taking into account the instructions and recommendations given by your doctor, you can ensure that healing process is issueless and shorter. Healing process should be examined separately in terms of donor area and receptive area (planted area).
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Donor Area
During the procedure, individual follicles are removed from donor area. For this, very small incisions are made on the relevant area. Due to very small incisions, donor area heals in about 5-7 days.
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Receptive Area
New techniques used have ensured shorter recovery time. It takes about 5-14 days for receptive area to heal after FUE technique. In DHI technique, this time is much shorter as there is no need to open a channel. In this process, it is very important to keep scalp clean and follow doctor’s instructions.
CONCLUSION
The answer to the question of how long after hair transplant are the grafts secure is generally like this. After the procedure, you can go through the process without any problems by following the instructions and recommendations of your doctor.
If you want to have a hair transplant or get information about it, the specialist surgeons within the Cosmeticium will offer you the best options that are suitable for you. You can contact us for detailed answers related to your questions.
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