Is my donor area over harvested and do I require another hair transplant? (Photos)

Question

Is my donor area over harvested? The left side looks full while the right side looks depleted. Do I require another hair transplant? I am 6 weeks post op. I got the hair transplant in turkey and texted the pics to the doctor and he said its shock hair loss but the right side has looked depleted since day one after the procedure compared to the right side then how can it be shock hair loss? Please take a look at the pictures.

Gary Linkov, MD · Answer

After a hair transplant we advise to carefully protect the transplanted hairs for the first 5 days, after which showering and increasing your activities is possible. The transplanted hair shafts will typically fall out in about 3 weeks and the new hairs will start to grow in at 3-4 months. Full growth is judged at 10-12 months. Sometimes the native hairs in the recipient area will continue to thin over time which can give the illusion of a failed transplant, when in reality most of the density is actually from the transplanted hair. 
In your situation, it is too soon to tell whether or not you will need another transplant. However, the donor area does look over-harvested. Again, only time will tell the effects of this, for the hair takes a long time to grow. SMP could be a potential option to create the appearance of density.

Gary Linkov, MD
Hair Specialist
Manhattan

Glenn Charles, DO · Answer

I does appear that the right side was over harvested. Did the left side look that originally? Did they tell you they took more grafts from the right compared to the left.? I agree that SMP might be your only option to tr and even the donor area appearance..

Michael Vories, MD · Answer

Only time will answer this question. If it is shock loss, then the next 6 months should result in a substantial improvement in the donor area. The fact that one side is much better than the other suggests it is shock loss and not over-harvesting.

Kapil Dua, MBBS, MS · Answer

From the pictures provided, it does look like overharvesting has been done. But it will be better to wait for 3 to 4 months before making the diagnosis because if it is a shock loss then they would recover on their own. You should start applying 5% minoxidil in this area. And if there is no recovery, then either you might have to grow the hair long or get the scalp micropigmentation done.

Piotr Osuch, MD · Answer

Hello!
Unfortunately to me it looks like you have been overharvested on your right side. I would go for trichopigmentation/SMP to cover it up as much as possible. 
Hope this helps.

Is my donor area over harvested and do I require another hair transplant? (Photos)

Answers (10)

Answer: Overharvesting of donor area

Answer: Overharvesting of donor area

Answer: Over harvesting

Answer: Over harvesting

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Hair Transplant

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.

Is my donor area over harvested and do I require another hair transplant? (Photos)

Answers (10)

Answer: Overharvesting of donor area

Answer: Overharvesting of donor area

Answer: Over harvesting

Answer: Over harvesting

Browse related questions

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Hair Transplant

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.