When is It Safe to Have a Hair Transplant After Radiation Treatments?

Question

I am a 37 year old female and received 6 weeks of radiation for a brain tumor. The last treatment was over 6 months ago, and I still have a 3 inch X 4 inch bald spot on the crown of my head covered with only light fuzz, while the rest of the hair has filled in nicely.

Ozge Ergun, MD · Answer

Dear 5928anonThanks for the question. If it would do, so everybody should have hair loss. Nowadays everybody has a TV or smartphone. The answer is "no" it does not effect your hair transplantation. I wish you all the best.

Jae Pak, MD · Answer

You can have hair transplant surgery after radiation treatment as long as your radiation doctor and hair transplant doctor are in agreement.  Your skin / scalp must be fully healed

Sanusi Umar, MD · Answer

After the radiation inflammation is gone it may result in scarring alopecia. As long as the course of radiation treatment is complete and a period of at least six months has elapsed, I will consider a biopsy to exclude active inflammation before doing a test procedure as a prelude to a full surgery. If the area is small to begin with, then the actual treatment can be done in lieu of a test.

Kevin Ende, MD · Answer

I would suggest waiting 12 months from the date of your last treatment with radiation since the hair may still grow in. There is a chance that hair transplants will not work because of the fibrosis from radiation. Although you could try hair transplants, several different types of flaps may be better options. You would still be at a higher risk than the average person undergoing a flap procedure due to the radiation changes.

Toby Mayer, MD · Answer

I would wait another 3-6 months, since this hair may still grow. Flap reconstRUction is what I usually due for this since grafts don't seem to do as well as flaps post radiation.

Jack Fisher, MD · Answer

I always wait at least one year after radiation treatments for the scalp to recover. I have done several hair transplants in your situation. The problem is the scalp never returns to normal and the growth of transplanted hair in the radiated area is never quite as successful as a normal scalp.

Nicole E. Rogers, MD · Answer

Again, I would wait for at least a year for the hair to regrow! If you have small 'fuzz' hairs already that is very promising that the hair will come in. You may also want to apply some topical minoxidil (Rogaine) to encourage those hairs to come in sooner. Good luck!

William Rassman, MD (retired) · Answer

You can have a hair transplant within a year after the radiation provided that the doctor who examines you finds that your goals are realistic

Richard W. Fleming, MD (retired) · Answer

Because you have "fuzz", normal hair growth may return. If there is no improvement over the next 6 months I would use a flap from the surrounding scalp to treat your hair loss because the results are immediate and normal uniform density is achieved. Hair density is less than normal after hair transplants, it will take 9-12 months to see significant improvement after transplantation, and hair growth will always be compromised in radiated skin.

When is It Safe to Have a Hair Transplant After Radiation Treatments?

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Answers (9)

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