Can I Cut My Hair Before My Transplant?

Question

Can I cut my hair prior to my hair transplant?

Ken Anderson, MD, FISHRS · Answer

Sure you can cut your hair prior to a hair transplant.  I would check with your hair transplant surgeon, obviously, but know that if you’re having a linear strip procedure, the longer your hair is in the donor areas the less likely it is for the linear sutured wound to be seen following the transplant, as hair is used to cover the sutures.  If you are having an FUE procedure, I would have the physician who is performing the FUE procedure trim your hair, as there’s a fairly specific length (eg: 1-2mm) needed for FUE procedures.I remember this one patient who came to me for an FUE procedure in 2004.  During his consultation he had his hair at about 2 inches long all around.  I told him during his consultation that we’d be trimming his hair down very short for the FUE procedure, as it was manual back then, and I needed to estimate the angle of the hairs under the skin of the scalp using the hair protruding from the scalp.  However, on the morning of surgery, he decided to shave his head with a bic razor...right down to the scalp, and since there was no hair outside the head to observe and make an estimation on the angles inside, I was forced to cancel the surgery altogether, as it was impossible with the hair shaved right down to the scalp.Bottom line: check with your hair restoration surgeon

Ozge Ergun, MD · Answer

Dear Thanks for the question. Although you do want to protect your scalp from the sun after surgery, avoid wearing hats for the first couple weeks. You can get back into the routine of getting a haircut about three weeks after your surgery. If you dye your hair, you can do so again at the end of the first month. I wish you all the best.

Jae Pak, MD · Answer

You can cut your hair or perm your hair or color your hair before a hair transplant surgery.  However it is always a good idea to check with your doctor

William Rassman, MD (retired) · Answer

I generally tell a person to to keep the hair long for the transplant so that they can use their original hair for cover if they need it. Many people with frontal transplants, can comb their hair forward and to the side to cover the frontal work. The same is true for crown work. and even for FUE if the hair is long enough.

Jonathan Ballon, MD (in memoriam) · Answer

You should ask the doctor who will be performing your surgery, but it shouldn't be a problem. If you're having a strip (FUT) procedure, it's a good idea to leave your hair long enough in the back to cover the sutures as well as any shaved area that was not completely excised.

Can I Cut My Hair Before My Transplant?

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Can I Cut My Hair Before My Transplant?

Answers (6)

Answer: Hair cut before a hair transplant

Answer: Hair cut before a hair transplant

Answer: Haircut before hair transplant?

Answer: Haircut before hair transplant?

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Everything you need to know about Hair Transplant

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