A hair transplant moves existing hair follicles from a donor area to an area that is thin or bald. It does not create new follicles or stop future hair loss. Surgery is not suitable for everyone.
The hair transplant procedure: harvesting and graft placement
Diagnosis and design come first. Follicles are then harvested using FUE, or as a strip with FUT. The grafts are prepared and placed into the recipient sites. The team should keep a record of how the grafts are handled. It should provide a care plan for both the transplanted area and the hair that remains.
Who may be suitable for a hair transplant?
People with permanent, patterned hair loss and enough donor hair may be assessed for surgery. Some problems need more investigation first. These include patchy hair loss caused by an autoimmune condition, scarring disorders and shedding that is not stable. Unrealistic goals for coverage also need careful review.
The decision should follow a face-to-face examination and a review of your medical history. Discuss the alternatives and what they can realistically offer. Photos, measurements or scans may be used if they help the clinical plan.
Before surgery: diagnosis, donor assessment and hairline design
A clinician should first find the cause and pattern of hair loss. Donor hair density and thickness help guide the graft count and hairline design. Scalp health, age, family history and the chance of future thinning also matter.
- Confirm who will carry out each surgical step, including extraction and making the recipient sites.
- Ask how the team will protect donor reserves for future hair loss.
- Review the long-term plan. A graft count alone does not explain it.
Recovery and aftercare: early healing and later growth
The scalp may feel tender or swell as it heals. Small crusts can form. Grafts need careful handling in the first two weeks. Transplanted hair shafts often shed before new growth starts. Visible change takes months. The result can take a year or longer to mature.
Recovery varies from person to person. Follow your written aftercare instructions rather than a general timeline. Tell the treating team promptly about new severe pain, breathing difficulty, heavy bleeding, fever or any other unexpected symptom.
Hair transplant risks and limitations
A hair transplant is surgery, even when the team uses motorised or robotic tools. The name of a technique does not replace a diagnosis or a doctor's oversight. Careful management of the donor area is still needed.
- Bleeding, infection or a reaction to anaesthetic
- Temporary shedding, numbness, swelling or folliculitis
- Visible scars, poor graft growth or a hairline that looks unnatural
- Taking too much hair from the donor area, and further loss of hair that was not transplanted
Questions worth asking at consultation
- What is the medical cause of my hair loss?
- Who performs extraction, makes the incisions and designs the hairline?
- How many donor grafts should be kept for the future?
- What happens if my existing hair keeps thinning?