Shedding After A Hair Transplant In Toronto

May 23, 2017 by in Patient Resources

Shedding After A Hair Transplant In Toronto

Hair Transplant
It is common for people who are considering hair transplant surgery to do a great deal of research beforehand. If you do online research, most articles make reference to how the procedure will be performed (the doctor will determine a suitable donor site and hair follicles will be harvested, then moved to the new growth site). Information about what to expect after a hair transplant in Toronto is also easily accessible (recipients of hair transplant surgery typically see new hair growth within 4 to 6 months), but what is less commonly known is a nearly universal side effect of hair transplant surgery, namely, shedding. Healthy hair will potentially shed from both the donor and new growth sites. It can be disconcerting to see hair shed, particularly after time and energy have been spent attempting to restore hair growth, but there is no cause for alarm, as this is a perfectly common (and temporary) side effect of a hair transplant.

 

Shedding Is No Cause For Concern

After receiving hair transplant surgery (before the new hair growth becomes visible), most patients will experience effluvium, or “shedding”. The new growth site hair, transplanted from a suitable donor site on the patient’s body, will fall out, which can cause the hair at the new growth site to temporarily appear thinner. The shock to the hair itself during transplant can cause the death of an individual strand, causing it to fall out (or “shed”), but this process leaves the newly transplanted follicles intact and active. Occasionally, non-transplanted hair near the new growth site will also be affected by the hair transplant surgery and undergo effluvium as well, but just like the transplanted hair, the follicles will remain intact and active, and all of the hair that was shed will regrow, typically within 4 to 6 months.

Every individual has a unique physiological makeup, and while the course of effluvium can be fairly accurately predicted using existing patient histories and statistical probabilities, individual effects may vary. A small number of patients recorded no hair loss whatsoever after a transplant. Their donor hair simply continued to grow once transplanted. Another group of recipients recorded that their transplanted hair remained anchored in the new growth site for several weeks until the transplanted follicles began producing new hairs, stimulating effluvium.

Shedding after hair transplant surgery is more common/noticeable in younger patients who are currently losing hair. If a patient’s natural hair loss has stabilized, which is commonly seen in older patients, then the risks of effluvium are lower. Experiencing or not experiencing shedding after a hair transplant is in no way indicative of a successful or unsuccessful surgery. It is merely a physiological reaction to the procedure.

Working To Minimize Shedding

Effluvium can be minimized, but not prevented with any sort of certainty. It is a normal physical reaction to the stresses of a surgical procedure. It is not uncommon for some doctors to claim that their methods can completely eliminate effluvium. However, in Dr. Torgerson’s Toronto offices, we realize that the body has certain natural restorative/regulatory processes, so we work within them to minimize shedding after a hair restoration procedure. When performing a hair transplant in Toronto, we are careful to perform your procedure at the optimal time for your unique physiology. If your hair loss has not yet stabilized, it can be difficult to predict the progression of your hair loss, resulting in an unsatisfactory hair transplant. During your private consultation, Dr. Torgerson will discuss your history, goals, and options with you to avoid such an eventuality. Post-operative options to minimize hair shedding, such as medications like finasteride or minoxidil and topical creams used to soothe the scalp, will also be reviewed during your consultation.

If you are considering improving and restoring your hairline and your hair’s lustre with a hair transplant, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Torgerson and our team at our Toronto Hair Transplant Clinic by phoning 647-343-0207. Our offices are equipped with the latest in hair restoration technology, and our staff are dedicated and knowledgeable. We will take the time to ensure that you are well informed about the options available to you before you commit to a course of action.

Brian Kessler

Brian is the manager of the Toronto Hair Transplant Clinic. He is experienced in managing different businesses and people. After the loss of their house in the fires of Fort McMurray, Brian and his family relocated to Toronto. Brian has not only moved to a new city, but also into a new position where he enjoys being able to help others who struggle with hair loss. He is also a patient of the THTC and a hair transplant recipient of 2,200 grafts.

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Brian Kessler
Brian is the manager of the Toronto Hair Transplant Clinic. He is experienced in managing different businesses and people. After the loss of their house in the fires of Fort McMurray, Brian and his family relocated to Toronto. Brian has not only moved to a new city, but also into a new position where he enjoys being able to help others who struggle with hair loss. He is also a patient of the THTC and a hair transplant recipient of 2,200 grafts.
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