Hair transplant procedure in 1 week. Can I still take oral minoxidil?

Question

I've been taking oral minoxidil for quite some time and I asked my dr. whether to stop taking it prior to the surgery. I was advised to continue taking it (5mgs) before the surgery, the day of the surgery and afterwards. This really seems to be against everything I've read online regarding taking minoxidil prior to a hair transplant. Everywhere I read it appears to be advised to stop it 2 weeks prior (or maybe this is for topical usage only?) Am I fine to continue taking the pill?

Douglas K. Henstrom, MD · Answer

It is generally recommended to stop oral Minoxidil at least a week before your hair transplant and it's mainly due to the fact that it can increase blood flow to the scalp that can cause increased bleeding at the time of the procedure. While it's not absolutely required to stop it, and the procedure can certainly be done with people on it, we routinely have our patients stop using it for that reason. Your surgeon may have different experience with patients on minoxidil at the time of their transplant than myself, but not uncommon to stop it. The good news is that the half life of minoxidil is very short and can get out of your system very quickly.Good luck with your hair transplant.Dr. Doug Henstrom

Matt Tahsini, MD · Answer

Hello and thank you for your question.  I suggest stopping oral Minoxidil one week before having a hair transplant.

Farhanahmed Contractor, DO · Answer

We recommend that our patients stop using topical minoxidil 72 hours (3 days) prior to their FUE procedure date and they can resume using minoxidil 7 days (1 week) after their procedure date. 
We do not require our patients to stop taking oral minoxidil or finasteride prior to their FUE procedure date.

Hair transplant procedure in 1 week. Can I still take oral minoxidil?

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Hair transplant procedure in 1 week. Can I still take oral minoxidil?

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Everything you need to know about Hair Transplant

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.