My donor area is still tender and painful 5 days after FUE procedure, is this unusual? (photo)

Question

I've had a 3500 graft hair transplant by FUE method which is healing up well, however 5 days have passed and I'm finding it difficult getting an uninterrupted 8 hours sleep due to the tender, bruised almost burning sensation to my donor area, painkillers and antiseptic cream provides me relief temporarily. When should I expect these symptoms to subside? is there anything I can do or apply on the my skin for a more comfortable nights sleep? Thank you, Kind Regards. Avi

Ozge Ergun, MD · Answer

Dear av_regalThanks for the question. You should follow the washing and post operative instructions as given by your clinic/surgeon. I wish you all the best.

Ross A. Clevens, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question. You may feel slight discomfort and redness, however, you should be able to decrease your discomfort by taking the pain medication prescribed by your surgeon and by gently rubbing your scalp area. I suggest that you consult with your board certified facial plastic surgeon for additional guidelines on caring for your scalp.Best wishes,

Jae Pak, MD · Answer

If you have pain and tenderness after surgery, it is best to contact your doctor and have a recheck. It may be normal or it may not be  normal.

Glenn Charles, DO · Answer

Many people experience pain a week post op, but the way each patient experiences pain is different. It is normal to have some pain 1-2 weeks after a hair transplant. Extra strength tylenol or ibuprofen should ease some of this pain. Contact your doctor should this pain be unbearable. They should be able to prescribe something to help.

Sean Behnam, MD · Answer

Different patients have different reactions to the surgery with regards to pain and discomfort. Some won't feel anything after the surgery, while others, like you, may have pain for over a month. Your doctor can help by prescribing you something to help manage the pain better. It's not often that a patient experiences discomfort for more than a month.

Baubac Hayatdavoudi, MD · Answer

Unfortunately, it sounds like normal recovery.  Typically the donor region does well until day 5-7 post procedure.  At this time, as fluid under the skin relocated and nerves awaken, you will experience a throbbing discomfort.  The quickest way to alleviate this is begin massaging the donor region with vitamin e oil with moderate pressure.  It will hurt but you will find the pain will significantly dissipate and improve over the next 24 hours.

Ilker Apaydin, MD · Answer

5 days after Fue Hair transplant surgery soreness and itching might be acceptable but pain if it is unbearable should be checked by your hair surgeon.

Matt Tahsini, MD · Answer

Hello, and thank you for posting your question. It is very common after a procedure to have some discomfort. You are only 5 days post-procedure. Some patients may have tenderness up to 2 weeks post, but it is not very common with FUE. Hope this helps.

William Rassman, MD (retired) · Answer

At 5 days, it is unusual to have pain in the donor area. If you are concerned about the degree of pain, go back to your doctor and have your doctor examine you.

My donor area is still tender and painful 5 days after FUE procedure, is this unusual? (photo)

Answers (9)

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