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

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.