WhatsAppRecovery is an essential part of a hair transplant procedure; what happens afterwards is something you must be prepared for: the redness of your scalp. This is a common side effect of the recovery process, and redness after hair transplant procedures is completely normal.
I understand that this can seem scary, though. In the guide below, I explain redness after hair transplant surgeries, why it happens, and how you can manage it effectively.
There is redness during recovery with any hair transplant process, such as the DHI technique or FUE. Redness occurs on the skin of your scalp, the scabs that form around the hair grafts, and the donor area from which hairs were taken.
This is completely normal. It is known as erythema, which is essentially a type of inflammation. Redness occurs because of the trauma.
Hair transplant surgeries are painless and noninvasive, requiring only local anesthetic. So don’t worry—your head won’t be thumping or feeling like it’s being cut open. However, surgical tools are still used, and redness will occur due to the volume of hair grafts extracted and implanted.
Usually, most patients can expect the redness to disappear after 10-14 days. This is the typical recovery timeline, but please be aware that everyone is different. Your healing could progress much quicker or slower; in some instances, redness can persist for up to a month.
You can do many things to ease the redness and manage your recovery process. I invite you to read our inspiring DHI hair restoration stories to see how people cope. I have also listed some simple tips below to help with redness after hair transplant procedures.
I love a boiling hot shower as much as the next person, but having your shower too hot is a surefire way to cause pain and increase inflammation in your scalp. For immediate recovery, you will have to make do with warm showers!
Sun damage will worsen your redness and damage your hair transplant. Consider wearing a hat outside and avoiding direct exposure for at least two weeks after your hair transplant.
We all know how much chlorine in pools and hot tubs can sting, so imagine what it would feel like on your reddened scalp. Needless to say, stay away from any chlorinated water until your redness has completely gone.
I know this is difficult, but you must leave your scalp alone and avoid scratching it. This aggravates your scalp further and will cause more inflammation.
Hydration helps reduce inflammation and is vital for body function. Make sure that you drink plenty of water after your hair transplant!
Read more: After The Hair Transplant Operation – Here’s What to Expect
If you are concerned and the redness isn’t reducing after a few weeks it could be time to seek professional advice from your hair transplant surgeon. Most of the time, it will just be a slow recovery and your scalp will take longer to heal. However, some minor complications can occur that may need treatment to protect your scalp and hair transplant:
Cellulitis is a type of skin infection that can occur after a hair transplant. It happens as a result of bacteria invading your follicles. With this condition, redness can spread, you may experience pain in your scalp, and a fever can develop. Cellulitis must be treated ASAP, and a course of antibiotics is typically the answer.
Infections around the grafted hair follicles can be common, the most frequent being Folliculitis. This is where small red spots with a pus-filled yellow head develop around your hair. The spots can cause itching and scalp pain. In mild cases, treatment involves simply letting the infection run its course, but we still advise speaking to your surgeon, as they may want to give you a topical cream or a course of antibiotics.
The worst-case scenario is if the redness turns into skin necrosis, which means the surgeon has not done the work properly. Here, the skin on your scalp essentially dies and turns black, and you have to have it surgically removed—the resulting areas will scar, and new hair won’t grow.
Lastly, cysts can form under your skin at the site of hair grafts or the donor area. With a skilled surgeon, this should never happen, and cysts typically result when hair grafts haven’t been removed or implanted correctly.
I hope you have found this guide on redness after hair transplant surgeries useful. You shouldn’t worry about it as it’s a natural post-surgery occurrence. However, you must take your recovery seriously and do what you can to protect your scalp.
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