FUE: How bad will the post-op swelling be?

Generally my patients have very minimal swelling.  However, in some patients they do get minor swelling between day 3-5 which lasts a couple of days.  Applying Ice to the forehead can help as well as sleeping with your head elevated.

Almost every patient will develop some swelling because it is a normal part of the healing process. It will almost always occur with procedures where the hairline, temples or frontal areas are transplanted. But if your procedure is only on the crown, you are not likely to get any visible swelling in the face. In any case, swelling will start in the forehead, and slowly move down the face with gravity. The eyebrow area will swell and then the lower eyelids can also follow. The use of prescription steroid tablets can really help the swelling to be as little as possible and to disappear within 4-5 days. Certain other medical conditions can lead to longer swelling and/or bruising, so always discuss with your surgeon. Hope this helps!

Every surgeon will say they have minimal swelling to make their patients feel better. Steroid injections and/or orally can minimise this in conjunction with regular icing and massage. The reality is is that every patient is different and you can get swelling which can look shocking. Not to worry though as I have never seen it last beyond a week. Swelling is not a complication it is a normal part of healing. If you don't have some form of swelling after having surgery on your head you may not be human :)

Post-op swelling is usually minimal after a hair transplant procedure, regardless of whether it is performed using FUE or strip harvest. Some patients will develop swelling of the forehead or around the eyes beginning 2-3 days post-op and lasting for a day or two. This is usually minor.
All the best,

Most patient do not have swelling.  If there is swelling it is minimal.  Some (maybe 1 in 30 or 1 in 50) may get really bad swelling where your eyes close shut and you look like a Klingon from Star Trek.  This will last about a week (if it happens).

It is fairly common to experience some swelling of the forehead 2-3 days after hair transplant, especially if the frontal hairline is reinforced.  It can be very helpful to massage the forehead from the center to the sides to disperse any swelling that begins to occur (lymphatic drainage massage). Also, I encourage my patients to apply cool compresses intermittently for the first three days.