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FUE Hair Transplant Timeline
After a hair transplant, it’s natural to wonder how soon you will start seeing the results of your procedure. How can you tell if your recovery is on track or if your hair is growing faster or more slowly than the average patient’s? The timeline for recovery and results is one of the most common questions people have once their FUE hair transplant is complete.
If you are concerned about a faster recovery process, an FUE hair transplant is probably your best choice. Unlike the older FUT method, there is no need to remove a strip of scalp from the back of the head. As a result, FUE allows for a faster and more straightforward recovery process. It also means there will be no linear scar across your scalp, giving you more freedom to wear your hair short.
Here is what you can expect in the days and months following your hair transplantation procedure with Dr Bonaros.
Reviewed by Dr Epameinondas Bonaros
Table of Contents
FUE Hair Transplant Recovery Timeline
Our leading hair transplant clinic in Glasgow offers advanced FUE hair transplant procedures, allowing for less invasive surgery and faster recovery times.
You can expect to be fully healed and enjoying the results of your investment within a few weeks after an FUE surgery.
Day of the Hair Transplant Procedure
On the day of your procedure, a local anaesthetic will be used to numb the donor and recipient sites. Local anaesthesia works by blocking the transmission of pain signals from nerves to the brain.
What to expect during the first hours after treatment:
- The effect of anaesthesia usually lasts between 4 and 6 hours and may cause the sites to feel swollen or tight. Be careful not to injure the numbed area during this period, as you may not feel any damage.
- As the local anaesthetic wears off, you may experience a tingling or burning sensation.
- After surgery, your donor area will be covered with bandages. You can remove these the next day. A small amount of bleeding into the dressing is normal.
- Dr Bonaros will give you detailed aftercare instructions for caring for your newly transplanted hair grafts. Receive expert assistance whenever you need it with our comprehensive support features.
What To Expect After Your Hair Transplant
The first few days following hair transplant surgery are the most critical, as the hair follicles are adapting to their new environment.
Days 1 – 3 After the Procedure
Following a hair restoration, it is possible to experience some general complications around the transplant areas, such as:
- Swelling
- Redness
- Itching
- Discomfort
The graft sites will also form scabs 24 to 72 hours after surgery.
These are normal reactions and typically subside quickly.
During the first 3 days, patients may also experience swelling of the forehead or donor area.
Some people return to light work the day after surgery, although most prefer to take at least 2–3 days off.
Days 4-10 After Your Hair Transplant
At this point in the recovery period, you should no longer have a swollen scalp, and all redness should be faint or completely gone.
During this time, Dr Bonaros will have his patients gently remove their graft crusts by thoroughly soaking and then gently rubbing them with a finger.
By 10 to 12 days after your FUE hair transplant, all crusts should be gone.
Weeks 2 – 3 After the FUE Procedure
The donor site will continue healing, and any remaining redness will start to fade.
At this point, the transplanted hair may begin to fall out. This is a normal part of the healing process and can occur as early as two weeks post hair transplant.
The extraction and transplantation of hair generally shocks the transplanted follicles into the telogen (resting) phase.
For this reason, most patients may shed some or all of their newly transplanted cells until about 6–8 weeks after surgery.
Months 1 – 2 After Hair Restoration Surgery
Almost anything you did before your surgery can be resumed 1 month after your hair transplant — even swimming laps in the pool.
Your hair follicles will now be in the resting phase of their growth cycle. The length of the resting phase can vary between patients.
FUE Hair Transplant Growth Timeline
Months 3 – 4 After the Procedure
About 3 months after your hair transplant, you should start to grow hair that is very fine, transparent, short and wispy. This will eventually normalise.
At this point, it is also normal for some patients to see what appears to be an imbalance in the areas of regrowth. As hair regrowth continues, the distribution of hair will soon appear more even.
Dr Bonaros will hold check-up appointments in the third month to evaluate and take photos of your progress.
Months 5 – 9 After the Hair Transplant
Five months after your hair transplant, you should notice a considerable amount of hair growth. This hair will still be thin, but from now on, it will become thicker and exhibit textural changes.
After 6 months, approximately 60%–70% of new hair has fully penetrated the scalp, and the result is around 40%–50% mature. The maturation process refers to the darkening, thickening, and normalising of your hair.
At this stage of the recovery process, Dr Bonaros will organise another follow-up to see how you are doing.
6 Months After Your Hair Transplant
The six-month mark represents the halfway point of your total hair transplant recovery time. By this stage of recovery, most patients are satisfied and have begun to see actual cosmetic results.
Your transplanted and native (existing) hair should blend together seamlessly. This new, full head of hair is easily styled and cut according to your preferences.
12 Months After Your Hair Transplant
Typically, your new hair is fully grown and matured a year after your transplant procedure. Dr Bonaros will schedule a follow-up appointment to examine the overall outcome and discuss any questions you may have.
It’s important to remember that this hair transplant timeline is just a rough guideline. For some transplant recipients, it may take longer for hair to emerge and mature in density and thickness.
This is especially true for patients who undergo mid-scalp or crown hair transplants. These areas grow and mature more slowly than those in the front, and it may take a full 18 months to see final results.
If you find your recovery to be ahead of or behind the curve, it does not mean your overall hair growth and coverage result will be better or worse. It just means your FUE recovery timeline is unique to your situation.
Help ensure the success of your hair transplant recovery with expert advice from Dr Bonaros. Feel free to contact us at any stage of your recovery with any questions you may have.
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