What is shock loss after a hair transplant?

Possible side effects include: (1) swelling of the forehead, which eventually disappears on its own after a few days; (2) temporary in-grown hairs, which can appear a few weeks after the surgery but are not permanent; and (3) shock loss — temporary hair loss of otherwise healthy hair in the donor and recipient regions. This happens in approximately 15% of patients, though using minoxidil for several weeks prior to your procedure can reduce the chance of it occurring by 50%.

In the first few days after a hair transplant, we ask that you use a neck roll for support while sleeping and keep your head elevated at 20-30 degrees. This stabilizes your head position and prevents you from rolling over in the middle of the night, protecting your newly transplanted follicles. The head elevation minimizes the risk of forehead swelling.

No — there is no correlation whatsoever between a hair transplant and dandruff. However, dandruff after a hair transplant can occur for other reasons, like beginning to use a new hair loss shampoo or a topical medication like Rogaine.

After three days — go for it. However, we strongly advise you to warn your partner to avoid tugging, pulling, or even running their fingers through your hair for a week after the surgery.

Yes — we can fix a bad hair transplant, assuming there are enough follicles remaining on your head within the donor region to harvest from. Typically, bad transplants fall into three camps: 1) unnatural looking hairline, 2) low density, 3) linear scarring from the old strip method.

A bad hair transplant with an unnatural looking hairline can be fixed through softening or changing its shape. A low density bad hair transplant can be fixed by inserting additional follicles. Linear scarring can be minimized by inserting new follicles directly into the scar itself, or by having SMP (scalp micro-pigmentation) performed in that area.

While medication isn't required for everyone, many patients choose to take FDA-approved treatments like finasteride and minoxidil to help maintain their existing hair and support long-term results. Your doctor can recommend the best approach based on your individual needs and goals.