What happens to my existing hair? How long until the grafts grow?

     If you have existing hair in the area we are working on, that is great.  This means, we get to add to your existing density.  Unfortunately, we just do not know if you are going to keep your natural (un-transplanted) hair due to genetics.  On the day of the procedure, we are always as careful as we can possibly be to maintain your existing hair.  However, we use extremely sharp instruments and there is no way around it, we will unintentionally be cutting some of your existing hair.  This amount of hair loss is usually not even noticeable.  The real concern of potential hair loss is “shock”.  Unfortunately, shock can happen to anyone, and there is no way to prevent it.  The percentage of any patient getting shock is low.  If your hair falls out due to shock, it will come back the same time as the transplanted hair.  However, if your hair falls out due to shock but it was a dead hair, it will not come back.  It would have fallen out eventually, maybe not on the day of the procedure but over time it would have fallen out. Doing a hair transplant does not harm or destroy existing hair.  Every hair that is transplanted on the day of the procedure falls out with in one to two weeks and does not start growing for about eight to twelve weeks.  The hair then grows at a pace of a half of an inch a month thereafter.  So it generally takes about three months to start growing, then it takes about six months from that three month point until you have about three inches of growth in the transplanted area.

Does it hurt?  How soon can I go back to work?  How long should I wait to return to my regular physical activities?

     As far as surgery goes the answer is no, it does not hurt.  The procedure is done under local anesthetic.  Initially you will feel a few pinches as the medication is being administered, but that is about it.  In the past with the plugs it was much more of an uncomfortable procedure.  However, today it is well tolerated with minimal discomfort.  I write a prescription for pain relief for all of my patients.  The majority of them do not even have it filled; they just take over the counter Tylenol.  The first night is the chance of the most discomfort. There after it is pretty negligible. You will feel fine the following day after the procedure.  You will think that you can go back to all of your regular activities.  However, you do not want to do that.  The easier you take it, the quicker you will heal, and the better your results will be!  Some of my patients go back to work the same day of the procedure.  I do not recommend this.  As long as you do not do any heavy lifting (above 15 pounds) you may go back to work the following day.  You will be able to go back to the gym and your regular physical activities within about eight to ten days after the procedure.