Hair Transplant Process, Hair Transplant Pain

Hair Transplant Process, the last option to permanently eliminate hair loss is a hair transplant. Hair Transplant Pain, this procedure helps to restore full hair, which looks natural. However, many fear that they will feel pain during this procedure. This is no longer the case with the modern methods that new doctors use.

In the case of anesthesia without a needle with the Comfort-In system, hands can be completely dispensed with. Hair transplantation can be performed without pain and fear.

When can pain occur during a hair transplant?

Since many fine nerves run in the scalp, it is particularly sensitive. During a hair transplant with the FUE method, many small puncture channels are placed on the scalp. Also, when using a Choi pen in DHI hair transplantation, the hair roots must be implanted into the scalp with the help of pressure.

The donor area is also affected. Here, the hair follicles are taken with rotating microneedles for further processing and transplantation. Since the entire procedure is performed only after anesthesia of the scalp, the operation is not perceived as painful.

Local anesthesia before surgery is necessary to avoid pain during transplantation. If the scalp is anesthetized with needles, this can be unpleasant for some people. The small puncture with the fine needle does not cause severe pain. But people with a fear of needles face a big problem here. To make the procedure comfortable for these people, an anesthetic of the scalp without needles is performed using a comfort-in system.

Does the pain occur after a hair transplant?

There is no pain after self-hair transplantation. In the first few days, you will receive medication that suppresses any pain to make the healing stress-free. Nevertheless, it is important that you strictly follow the instructions of the hair surgeon and take care of yourself. Sports and strenuous activities of everyday life must not be practiced too quickly.

Due to the strong sweat, bacteria can settle in the small wounds due to too early dissolution of the crusts. The development of inflammation is promoted. If the scalp is inflamed, pain also occurs.

Can there also be a pain in the donor area after hair transplantation?

By removing the hair roots in the donor area, the scalp is damaged and stressed. The removal of the hair follicles is completely painless due to the local anesthesia of the scalp. So that after the procedure you do not feel pain in the wound area, you will be given a painkiller that can be taken in the first few days.

After hair transplantation, the scalp is very sensitive.

Tight headgear or bumps quickly cause inflammation. Wound healing is delayed, and pain appears. As a result of these complications, hair roots may die.

Redistribution instead of multiplication

A hair transplant can effectively hide receding hairline corners or semi-bald spots. No, you don’t suddenly have more hair on your head after a hair transplant. The recipe is called redistribution.

The surgeon removes the hair follicles in places with the densest hair growth possible, to subsequently reinsert them in the problem areas. The bottom line is that after the procedure you will have the same amount of hair on your head as before – they are distributed more optimally only for the overall picture!

There are two common methods for hair removal:

• the FUE technique (Follicular Unit Extraction)

In this technique, individual hair follicles are removed by means of a hollow needle and re-inserted at the bald spot. Only minimal scars remain due to the removal, but this procedure takes a very long time and is extremely time-consuming. This is reflected in the high cost.

• the strip technique

For the strip technique, strips of skin with hair several centimeters long are taken – usually at the back of the head. Under a microscope, the strip is then divided into micrografts with 1 to 2 hair follicles and mini grafts with up to 5 follicles. These are then implanted in small holes in the bald parts of the head. The scar for hair removal is significantly larger than with the FUE technique, but the operation takes less time and is therefore considerably more cost-effective.

A transplant for everyone?

Hair loss is not the same as hair loss but can have a variety of causes. Therefore, before going to the beauty clinic, you should visit a dermatologist to clarify the cause of hair loss. On the one hand, it may be that after the trigger has been removed, the hair will sprout again on its own, on the other hand, diseases such as alopecia areata (circular hair loss), diabetes, malfunctions of the thyroid gland, hormonal disorders or infectious diseases such as shingles may be behind sudden hair loss. In these cases, hair loss is not an optical problem but an indication of a disease that needs to be treated urgently to limit far-reaching health risks.

Only in the case of hereditary hair loss – androgenetic alopecia – is a transplantation of the hair follicles really useful, since long-term success can occur here. In the other cases, an increase in the transplanted hair does not guarantee new growth.

Beauty surgery with risks

Like any (beauty) surgery, a hair transplant is not without risks.

• Intolerance to anesthesia
• Delaying wound healing
• Any infection
• Post-bleeding
• Scarring
• Impairment of the nervous system on the scalp

Reputable clinics will inform you about any risks, discuss the course of the operation with you and give you instructions for optimal prevention and follow-up.

Depending on the method of operation, the transplant can take up to several days. After completion of the operation, they usually remain in inpatient monitoring before being discharged home.

Wound pain in the extraction area, swelling in the forehead and eye area, as well as irritation in the implantation area, are common after-effects of this operation. After a few days, however, these complaints should be overcome. For an optimal wound healing process, care is required in the first few days. In addition, an antibiotic is usually prescribed to prevent infection.

Waiting for success

Anyone who expects to score with new fullness on the head shortly after the hair transplant will be disappointed: six to twelve months pass until the final result!

In the first weeks, the grafts used even repel the hair follicles – the hair falls out. Due to the interruption of oxygen supply to the follicles during surgery, this is a normal reaction. Only after the old hairs are shed, do the new hairs begin to grow slowly. By this time, often six to eight weeks have already passed. Initially, the hairs sprout only sparsely in the implantation areas and only become denser and stronger over the next few months. Until the hoped-for fullness becomes visible, you need a good portion of patience and confidence.

General risks of hair transplantation

Although hair transplantation is one of the surgical procedures, it does not take place under general anesthesia. Therefore, there is not the usual surgical risk with a hair transplant. Nevertheless, it takes place in an operating room and is an intervention in the body. This results in a few general risks, which we will consider in more detail below.

Hair Transplant Risk: Circulatory Problems

From the testimonials of patients who have already had a hair transplant performed, it is clear that they sometimes suffer from circulatory insufficiency during the procedure. The general excitement, insomnia, and, in the case of hair transplants abroad, the general travel fever lead to a strain on the circulation. Depending on the surgical method, the patient sometimes lies on his stomach longer in the operating room.

Tips for avoiding risks in hair transplantation:
It is important to sit up slowly before getting up and wait a few minutes until the circulation is back in momentum.

Hair Transplant Risk: Infections

Before the procedure, the scalp is anesthetized. For the injection itself, sterile conditions must prevail. Above all, this means disinfecting the scalp sufficiently. If this is done, then there is almost no risk of infection.

Tips for avoiding risks in hair transplantation:

Find out in advance exactly about the reputation of the clinic.

Allergic reactions

An allergic reaction can be triggered by many circumstances – even beyond the operation. In hair transplantation, a very low-allergy anesthetic is used.

Tips for avoiding risks in hair transplantation:

If you are prone to allergies, you can inform yourself in advance at the clinic about which anesthetic is used. A general practitioner will perform an allergy test on request. How to minimize the risk of allergic reactions during hair transplantation.

Special hair transplant risks with the FUT technique

Depending on the chosen method of hair transplantation, special risks and pain may arise in the patient. In the FUT technique, a small strip of skin is removed with a scalpel. At this point, a wound surface is formed. Bleeding may occur during surgery. There is also a certain risk of infection, which can never be completely ruled out during surgery with an open wound. In rare cases, wound healing disorders may occur when the removal site heals. In addition, some patients claim to feel a strong feeling of tension. Finally, a piece of scalp is missing at the extraction site. In addition, there is always a scar, which will be visible on short hair.

Special hair transplant risks in the FUE technique

With this method of hair transplantation, the risks are somewhat lower. Since no whole strip of skin is removed, but only individual grafts, there is no large wound area. This eliminates all risks associated with the wound. There can only be risks with this method if the clinic is working uncleanly. With the FUE technique, you will avoid scarring in any case.

Hair Transplant Risks and Pain: Swelling after surgery

Common risks include swelling in the head and face area that forms in the days after surgery. These swellings are caused by the anesthetic that is injected into the scalp before the hair transplant. After the operation, this remedy is still in the tissue. It slowly moves down towards your face. As a result, the forehead looks thicker and plumper. The lymphatic system at this time struggles with transporting the excess fluid from the tissues. This may take a few days. So do not put dates for beauty contests on the calendar during this period.

Tips against swelling after cosmetic surgery:

Get a tight-fitting headband. It is best to place this firmly around the head immediately after the procedure. In this way, you can even avoid swelling from developing in the first place. As a result, the swelling ideally does not slip into the face at all. You mustn’t take off the headband, so as not to accidentally take off grafts with you. At night, just put it around your neck.

Hair Transplant Risk: Pimples on the scalp

In half of all testimonials, you can read about pimples on the scalp. After surgery, about 90 percent of the transplanted hair falls out. The hair root regenerates, and after a while, new hairs grow back. If these hairs push through the scalp, then pimples of different sizes can form. The scalp is still irritated after the procedure. Their reaction is the formation of pimples. Especially if patients suffer from oily scalp, then pus pimples can also form more and more, which are unfortunately clearly visible due to the lack of hair fullness.

Tips against severe pimple formation on the scalp

Many doctors recommend taking an antibiotic after hair transplantation. This also works if the complexion has deteriorated sharply.

Risk of poor efficacy or unpleasant result

If you click through the testimonials of hair transplants on the Internet, then fortunately it can be found that most patients are very satisfied with the result. The choice of the clinic and meticulous planning in advance are the most important conditions for obtaining the desired result.

1. Hair Transplant Risk: Uneven grafting of the grafts

When the grafts are inserted, it can happen to an inexperienced doctor that they are used irregularly. The highest precision is also required in the design of the hairline. Otherwise, an unclean result will result. It can also happen that the hair is implanted in the wrong direction of growth. As a result, the hairstyle looks unnatural and unattractive in retrospect.

2. Hair transplant Risk: Hair density too low

In very rare cases, it can happen that not all grafts grow well and thus the desired hair density can not be achieved. This is also the case when there is no longer sufficient donor hair.

3. Hair Transplant Risk: No Hair Growth

This risk of hair transplantation is extremely low – but cannot be ruled out 100%. As a rule, hair growth always begins after a certain time. But at first, all the hair falls out since such a procedure is always a trauma for the individual hair. It can take weeks to months for hair growth to occur as desired. During this period, you just need a little patience.

How painful is a hair transplant?

The hair transplantation itself takes place under local anesthesia. Some patients describe it as unpleasant when the syringes are put, in but less painful than the anesthesia at the dentist. Whether the injection itself is painful depends on the individual pain sensation of the patient. But the good news is: after the local anesthetic works, you will not feel anything further.

The removal of the grafts is not felt by the patient – nor is the insertion – so you can relax in the operating room after the first excitement, read a book and look forward to the beautiful result.

What pain should I expect after hair transplantation?

Some patients report slight feelings of tension and tightness on the scalp in the days after surgery. With the FUE technique, redness develops in the extraction area. With the FUT technique, the feeling of tension will be in the foreground due to the lack of a piece of skin. In very rare cases, patients describe itching and pain – on the contrary, in this case, light painkillers will help.

What you can do to avoid risks and pain during hair transplantation

No painkillers before the procedure

Your clinic will advise you that you should not take painkillers before hair transplantation. Painkillers have the side effect of diluting the blood. The risks of hair transplantation – especially with the FUT technique – include increased bleeding. Therefore, be sure to adhere to this instruction. Drink plenty of water

Your clinic will recommend that you drink plenty of water after the procedure and also in the period after it. The body needs to recover from the procedure. This is most quickly achieved if the water balance is sufficiently replenished. Avoid contact.

Hair Transplant Process

In the following, we will explain to you what to expect in the weeks and months after your hair transplant. Whether FUE or FUT method: it is a surgical procedure and your head should be given special care afterward. In addition, we will explain to you which behavioral measures you can use to accelerate the healing process of the scalp and further improve the growth rate of the grafts.

In the second week after the operation, all the crusts fall off in front of your scalp, many of them also with hair. The crusts must fall off so that the hair can grow back undisturbed. So, if by the end of the second week all the crusts did not fall off on their own, you can gently rub them to facilitate the process.

Process of hair growth after hair transplantation

From the first to the third month after hair surgery, 90% of the transplanted hair falls out again. Some of the natural hairs that are next to the transplanted grafts may also fall off. However, this does not have to worry you, it is a completely normal process, and most importantly, temporary. From the third month, your hair will grow again.

From the third to the fourth month there will be a stationary stage. About 5% of new fine hairs can begin to grow during this period. Between the fourth and fifth month, 20-25% of the transplanted hair begins to grow. In months six to nine, most of the transplanted hair will grow (about 75%) and your hair will become thicker and denser. After the ninth month, another 20 – 25% of new hair grows. In some cases, it may take up to 18 months for the hair in the vertex area to fully develop.

Washing hair after hair transplantation

With the right behavior after the hair surgery, you support the surgical result and the growth rate of the hair grafts. This also includes postoperative hair washing. In order not to endanger the growth of the freshly transplanted hair follicles, the first hair wash must be done no earlier than 48 hours after the hair surgery. Thus, the hair roots have enough time to connect with the scalp. If you wash your hair too early, there is a risk that the grafts will be torn out.

Why post-operative hair washing is so important

Shampooing after hair transplantation is not only for hygiene, the application of the shampoo also promotes the growth of the implanted hair. After all, both in the donor and in the transplant area, crusts are formed after the operation. These have to heal and dissolve to accelerate the healing process – and this is exactly what the shampoo supports. After your hair transplant, you will receive the pH-neutral.

How to wash your hair after hair transplantation?

1. Apply the shampoo

Lather the medicinal shampoo in your hands, and then gently spread the foam on the scalp. Do not rub it over the skin! Otherwise, it may happen that individual hair roots are accidentally removed. Leave the shampoo on for 2-3 minutes before washing it out.

2. Rinse the shampoo

After the exposure time, rinse the shampoo with lukewarm water. It is best to put the water in a bowl or glass and pour it over your head. Under no circumstances should the hair wash be done in the shower or a hard stream of water. Rinse gently but thoroughly to remove both the shampoo and lotion.

3. Drying hair and scalp

To protect the freshly operated area, you should not use a towel after shampooing. It is best to let hair and scalp air dry. Alternatively, you can also use a hair dryer, but this should only be used on a cold level and at a distance of 50 centimeters to the scalp.

Moisturize the scalp

Doctors recommend that you perform the above-described form of hair washing daily for around 14 days after the hair surgery. After these two weeks, all the crusts on the scalp should have come off. If this is the case, the application of the lotion is no longer necessary. You can also use your usual shampoo again after this period. Please also handle this with care when using it. Please do not continue to use a towel to dry your hair!

If after 14 days not all encrustations have dissolved, you can continue the application of lotion and shampoo as usual. No later than 20 days after the hair transplant, all the crusts should have come off your scalp.

In addition to the Sensitive Calm Shampoo, you can also get the Aloe Vera Spray from us. You can use this at any time in addition to the lotion to moisturize the scalp and prevent it from drying out. In addition, the spray relieves tension, and itching and prevents inflammation.

About a month after your hair transplant, you can return to your usual hair care routine and use a towel to dry your hair again.

How to sleep properly after hair transplantation?

After hair transplantation, there are some basic things to consider to ensure rapid healing of the scalp and an optimal growth rate of the transplanted hair. In addition to postoperative shampooing, this also includes the correct position when sleeping.

Sleep on your back for the first few nights after the procedure and it is best to use the special KÖ-HAIR neck pillow. This prevents contact with the pillow and prevents the fresh grafts from sticking to the pillow and being torn out. Slight bleeding is normal in the first few days after the operation and does not have to worry you. With the green pad that you get from us, you avoid soiling the pillow.

Sleeping in nights 1 to 5

In the first three days after hair transplantation, you should wear a headband. The anesthetic that we injected you with during the operation will drain out of the pores via the scalp in the days after the operation. With the headband, you avoid swelling on the forehead and eye area. In the first five next after the procedure, you should

• use a neck pillow and a disposable pad
• sleeping exclusively on your back
• move as little as possible during sleep

The neck pillow

With the special neck pillow, it supports you in your restful night’s sleep after your hair transplant. The ergonomic design stabilizes the neck during sleep. Thanks to the practical Velcro fastener, you can customize the pillow individually, for the greatest possible comfort. In contrast to other neck pillows, the KÖ-HAIR pillow encloses the entire neck and thus offers the highest possible protection.

The neck pillow is made of 100% breathable and skin-friendly cotton. Thanks to its practical dimensions of 14×15 centimeters and light weight of just 270 grams, you can also easily take the KÖ-HAIR neck pillow with you wherever you go.

Sleeping in the 6th to 9th night

The wounds have now healed better, so you can now sleep on your side again. However, you should still use the neck pillow and the disposable pad to avoid contact with the scalp with the pillow. Continue to try to move as little as possible during sleep.

Sleep from night 10

The transplanted hair follicles have already grown well now, and the crusts are already beginning to heal. You can now do without the neck pillow again. If you prefer to sleep on your stomach, this is now possible again.

Hair transplantation Operation history: The phases before and after the operation

A hair transplant surgery must be well planned, after all, it is a procedure that is crucial for the appearance of the following years. In theory, an operation goes like this: it starts with a patient talk and the examination of the patient, the discussion of the target picture, the planning of the procedure, the execution of the operation, and the follow-up care.

In practice, however, patients differ, and with them the course of hair transplantation. Different examinations are necessary because the causes of hair loss are manifold and not everyone has enough donor hair on their head, then alternative approaches are needed.

Anamnesis & determination of the type of hair loss

Careful preparation is the foundation for successful operations and medical examinations. First of all, the attending physician must inform himself comprehensively and in detail about the individual case.

• For example, in the case of genetically caused hair loss, the pattern of loss must be precisely determined and the treatment adapted to it. For this, male and female relatives (1st and 2nd degree) must be taken into account in the so-called family anamnesis.
• In the case of diffuse hair loss, it is important to determine the cause of the hair loss: often it is due to a deficiency or hormone fluctuations. But also a disease, stress, or a side effect of a drug can be causative.
• In the case of circular hair loss, a disorder of the immune system is underlying. Here, the hair loss trend must first be stopped, if necessary, some hair roots can regenerate again.
• Scarring alopecia is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks and destroys its hair follicles and surrounding tissues.

The mentioned types of hair loss are often observed. However, there are also special forms or they occur in connection with each other.

Hair Transplantation Surgery

After the cause has been clarified, the hair loss has stopped, or at least the course is apparent, and the planning of the operation follows. In a consultation, we discuss the process, the necessary steps as well as the preparation and follow-up with you.

So that you can already get an insight into hair transplantation surgery, you will find a summary below.

Examination of operability

We only perform a hair transplant operation if we can also assume a very high probability of success. It is no coincidence that our success rate is over 90%. With us, the treatment of your hair loss and the selection of the best treatment for you is in the foreground and not to sell you a hair transplant.

• In addition, there are patients for whom it is necessary to weigh well whether surgery is an option. These include, for example, patients with a blood clotting disorder (e.g. ​Hemophilia), with a still active autoimmune disease, or a strong manifestation of scarring (keloid formation).
• Of course, sufficient donor hair must be available. Because hair is a finite good. As a rule, the donor’s hair is taken from the back of the head or lateral areas of the head. However, there is also the possibility to use body hair.

Before hair transplantation-surgery

For the hair transplant procedure to proceed smoothly, we ask you to observe the following instructions.

• no alcohol in the evening
• early night rest
• 2 Days before no aspirin-containing drugs
• 2 Days before no sleeping pills and stimulants or drugs (of any kind)
• 5 Days before the transition of patients with Macrumar therapy to heparin therapy (in consultation with treating internists)

On the day of hair transplant surgery

• wear loose and comfortable clothes to the surgery, which are not taken off over the head (zipper, button closure)
• if you take medication regularly: please bring it to the surgery
• The total duration of the procedure varies and depends on the number of grafts to be transferred. It can range from 2 to 12 hours. In some cases, several sessions are also required.

Hair Transplant Surgery

• First, affected parts of the head (donor and recipient area) are shaved, which is more hygienic and increases the success rate of hair transplantation (no gluing, lower risk of infection). A partial shave is usually sufficient, with receding hairline corners it is usually sufficient to shave only the donor area.
• All areas are now disinfected.
• Before the actual surgery begins, we put on a local anesthetic. Even if the IFUE hair transplant is minimally invasive and associated with low pain, the operation is relatively lengthy.
• Now the donor’s hair is removed. With the help of a hollow needle, hair roots are “punched free”, that is, separated from the surrounding skin. To do this, the hollow needle is put over the hair and separated from the skin tissue. Now we can remove the hair together with the root.
• The grafts are temporarily stored in a nutrient liquid for protection. In addition, they are sorted and checked for possible damage.
• In the next step, the recipient area is locally anesthetized. We work here with a minimum of local anesthetic.
• This increases the acceptance rate of the grafts and reduces or excludes swelling of the face and eye area.
• Fine receiving channels are necessary so that the donor hair can be introduced into the desired areas. We use this with the help of the slit technique. These are the finest “receiving holes” that ensure optimal acceptance of the donor’s hair and leave no scars.
• The hair is now brought in. Here, follicular units (hair composite) and hair follicles (individual hairs) are to be distinguished. Depending on the location of the insertion (top hair or hairline), different procedures are necessary.
• The special feature of the IFUE method is the intermittent procedure: the donor’s hair is removed and inserted at several intervals. As a result, the grafts remain outside the body for only a short time, which is accompanied by a high growth rate.
• For a natural result, the direction of growth, the correct selection of grafts, the right technique, and a lot of skill and experience are required.

Hair Transplant Process information. Do not forget to share your thoughts on this subject with us. Be sure to do more research and consult your doctor about your health issues.