Is it normal for new transplanted hairs to grow immediately after procedure?

Question

I’m 21 days post op. I recently had a 3,200 FUT procedure. Since the day of surgery, my new hair is noticeably longer. When should I expect the growing hairs to “shed”? Is it normal for transplanted hairs to grow so quickly?

Daniel J. Lee, MD, FACS, ABHRS · Answer

After a hair restoration procedure, 3/4 of the transplanted hairs will fall out in the first month or so.  Some fall out immediately and others take several weeks.  Because the follicles are moved from one portion of the scalp to another they undergo a lot of physiologic stress.  They are removed from their blood supply, kept cool to slow their metabolism and then placed back into the scalp.  New blood vessels need to grow to supply nutrients to the new follicle.  Because of this "stress" many of the follicles move into the "shedding" phase from the growth phase.  Hairs then shed.  They then move into the resting phase which can last from 3 - 8 months.  Only after moving from the resting phase to the growth phase will the new hairs begin to grow again.  That is why I tell my patients that they shouldn’t expect much growth from their new hair for several months.  And when it starts, more and more hairs will grow each month (as they come out their resting phase).  It can take up to a year for all of the hairs that were transplanted to grow.  However some of the hairs will stay in the growth phase and begin growing soon after the transplantation.

Ross A. Clevens, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question. No. The existing hair will fall out in about 2-3 weeks as the regrowth cycle restarts. In about 3-4 months, new hair will begin emerging in the transplanted area and will continue to grow normally. Please continue to work closely with your board certified facial plastic surgeon and medical team.
Best wishes,

Amiya Prasad, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. You are 21 days after your hair transplant, and asking if it’s normal for newly transplanted hair to grow so quickly after a transplant, and when you can expect the hair to shed.
I can certainly give you some guidance about this, without a photo of your hair grafts for reference, and without a physical exam. I’m a Board-certified cosmetic surgeon and Fellowship-trained Oculoplastic surgeon. I’ve been in practice in Manhattan and Long Island for over 20 years. I’ve been performing hair transplants since I started my practice, and have been prescribing finasteride to male pattern hair loss patients since 1997. I’m also the founder of TrichoStem Hair Regeneration Centers, based on a system originally developed to help hair transplants and the donor area heal better, but has since become a non-surgical treatment for pattern hair loss for men and women.
It is completely normal for hair grafts to continue growing immediately after a hair transplant. I say continue because hair grafts do continue to grow after they are harvested, then transplanted. 
As for when your grafted hair will shed, this is impossible to tell. About 8-10% of total scalp hair sheds or is in the resting phase where they are not growing at a given time. The timing of when your hair sheds cannot be determined as it relies on where you currently are in the hair shedding/growth phase. Shock loss, where the trauma of transplant surgery makes native and transplanted hairs shed soon after surgery does not happen to all patients, and it doesn’t sound like it happened to you.
I suggest you just wait about a year for your full transplant results to be realized. Keep in mind that a hair transplant does not treat progressive pattern hair loss, so I recommend a DHT-blocker like finasteride to slow hair thinning, and a treatment like our Hair Regeneration PRP+ACell treatment to thicken thinning hair, and stimulate growth from dormant hair follicles that are still viable, but currently not growing. Actively managing hair loss after transplant can improve coverage and transplant results further, as well prevent or delay the need for additional hair transplant surgeries. I hope you found this information helpful. Thank you for your question.

Prima Tossaborvon, MD, MSc · Answer

Normally the transplanted hair will start falling out after 2-4 weeks post-op. However, some will not but get longer. It is because of the following reasons:1. It continues growing. In this case, the hair will keep growing non-stop. 2. It's pushed out and about to fall. In this case, it will stop getting longer at some periods of time.

Karl Hekimian, MD · Answer

The hairs in the grafts usually shed after transplant.  However, it is not unheard of for the hairs to continue growing.  When that happens, it's a pleasant surprise.

Is it normal for new transplanted hairs to grow immediately after procedure?

Answers (6)

Answer: Hair shedding starts after 2-4 weeks post-op

Answer: Hair shedding starts after 2-4 weeks post-op

Answer: Hair growth after transplantation

Answer: Hair growth after transplantation

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Is it normal for new transplanted hairs to grow immediately after procedure?

Answers (6)

Answer: Hair shedding starts after 2-4 weeks post-op

Answer: Hair shedding starts after 2-4 weeks post-op

Answer: Hair growth after transplantation

Answer: Hair growth after transplantation

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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.