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Hair Transplant: Before, During and After the Procedure

Saturday, March 12th, 2011

Here are a few frequently asked questions we have for your general inquiry:

How do you relocate hair grafts once broken down into follicular units?

The hair grafts (or follicular units) are transplanted based on the individual needs of the patient. The doctor will draw the hairline at your initial consult and right before the procedure and discuss it in detail with the patient. Designing the hairline has to do with the degree of baldness in each area of the scalp and the patients’ preference.

How are the hair grafts placed?

The follicular units must be immersed in a special solution in cold temperature once they are taken from body. When the sites are completed by the surgeon, the hair technician will gently insert the grafts one at a time. This is a very meticulous process and typically takes a few hours.

Does Dr. Mohebi perform the hair transplant surgery himself?

All surgeries are performed by Dr. Mohebi. He will get assistance from a surgical team of hair technicians during dissection and implantation of the follicular unit grafts.

Am I put under sedation while I get the procedure?

You will be put under sedation during the procedure but you will still be conscious. You will become more alert and aware as the surgery goes on, in which you will be sitting in an upright position in a surgical chair most of the time. You can watch a movie, read a book, listen to music or you can sleep (if you choose to) during your hair transplant surgery.

How long before the transplanted area doesn’t look like a procedure has been done?

Redness and swelling after hair restoration surgery is not uncommon and may last a few days following the procedure. Most patients generally recover from surgical swelling and redness after day 4 or 5. A loose fitting hat can be worn to prevent direct sunlight, which will protect the grafts and also keep your swelling or redness from being seen by others, if that is your concern.

Where can I find before and after photos of Dr. Mohebis’ work?

Before and after photos as well as video testimonials of previous hair transplant patients can be found at our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/US-Hair-Restoration/148987321796051, which we will keep updated as much as possible on a regular basis.

Ways to Reduce Swelling after Hair Transplant

Friday, February 25th, 2011

Swelling in the forehead and transplanted area is a very common side effect for a majority of people who receive hair transplant in the front and top areas of their scalp. The swelling (or skin edema) is due in most part to the inflammatory reaction of healing incisions. Application of anesthetic solutions by intra-operative injection is unrelated to this common side effect. Some patients may not experience swelling for the first day or two after hair transplant, but may start to notice swelling 3 to 4 days after the procedure. In most cases the swelling disappears 4 to5 days following the hair transplant.

Swelling can be minimized by:

  • Diluted steroid solutions infiltrated into recipient area during surgery (this method may be used on a select few).*
  • Keeping your head above chest level can significantly minimize the amount of swelling so sleeping in a semi-upright position for the first few nights is recommended.
  • Wrapping your forehead with an elastic bandage (do so, only under the instruction of the surgeon).
    Systematic anti-inflammatory medications such as steroids can be prescribed for a short period to most hair transplants to minimize swelling post op.

*Dr. G. Abbasi has conducted a recent study on the effect of diluted solution of steroids to minimize the rate of swelling after hair restoration surgery. Results of the steroid injections on swelling after hair transplant can be found in the Journal of Aesthetic Surgery (Hair Transplantation: Preventing Post-operative Oedema). US Hair Restoration offers this option to patients who are prone to swelling.

Will Pool or Jacuzzi Use Have a Negative Effect After Having Hair Restoration Surgery?

Friday, January 14th, 2011

Hello all,

I had a patient ask me a few good questions about limitations after having the hair restoration procedure done and I thought you might be interested in knowing the answers to them as well. I hope this information is useful to you!

When is it ok to start using the sauna (Jacuzzi) or pool?

One week after hair restoration surgery, is the suggested amount of time that you wait until you fully immerse the newly transplanted hair into water. What you want to be careful of though, is sun exposure. You should be wearing a hat or using sun block, to protect your scalp if you must go into direct sunlight until about six months after the procedure.

How soon after having the hair transplant surgery may I start taking vitamins?

Vitamins and most medications can be started immediately in the first few days following hair transplant surgery, if for any reason they were discontinued prior to the hair restoration procedure. There will be instances that we will request for a patient to prolong or stop any intake of medications before the surgery, that contain blood thinners; i.e.-aspirin, or aspirin like medications, to ensure there will be no complications during the hair restoration procedure. Here at US Hair Restoration, we want all of our patients to have the best experience possible and educating our patients is top priority.

What Happens First Couple Days After Hair Transplant

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
first-few-days-after-hair-transplant

Before and After Pictures; First Day After Hair Transplant

Well, on the first day we’re usually forced to kick out our patients from our office because they grow so fond of us and don’t want to leave! Well, not all the time. But our patients do like us, which is something we’re very proud of.

On a more serious note, I’ll say this: Transplanting hair is a very delicate and painstaking procedure. After a hair transplant is over, it is of utmost importance to constantly monitor and properly care for the transplanted area. US Hair Transplant’s policy is to book a patient for a hair washing the day after his or her transplant. The hair washing takes about half an hour. At our office, we use thick shampoo to clean the transplanted hair grafts. We make sure to be gentle and only spread foam and dab the transplanted area. After two minutes, we rinse off the shampoo with water.

During the first visit, another area we wash is the donor area. As a parting gift, we provide our patients with a sponge, which has a soft brush on one side. The brush is used to clean the donor area and the sponge for the transplanted area. When it comes to washing the donor area, a patient may use a bit of aggression as the wounds are stapled or sutured. The soft brush can be rubbed, ever so gently, on the back of the patient’s head to remove scabs and extra debris from the surgery.

Remember: hair washing ought to be done twice daily for first four days, after which it can be done once a day.

Because of dedication to patients, we teach them how to properly care for the transplanted area. The first four days are important, as the grafts in the transplanted area may dislodge if they aren’t washed with care. After the first four days, the patient can go back to washing his hair the way he did before surgery as the grafts, at this point, are most likely sealed and part of the person’s scalp even if the hair is moved. The remaining follicles are able to generate new hairs.

To prevent scabs, we urge our patients to wash hair using our particular technique. It’s important to note several studies have shown that scabbing may prevent transplanted hair growth. After seven days from day of surgery, there ought not to be any scabs. If scabs still appear after the seven days, it means washing wasn’t done the right way and the patient must start being a bit more aggressive in his washing technique.

After four days have passed, patients can wash their hair twice a day. In addition, patients ought to let the foam alone for ten minutes to let scabs soften. Afterward, patients can use the soft brush we provide to comb their hair in the direction of their other hairs.

Also we make sure to let our patients know to not dunk their head in water the first week after the transplant, and to try not to bend their head too frequently during the first month. Also, the first six months after surgery, we tell our patients to keep the transplanted area away from sunlight.

As time passes, the transplanted hair will grow and be able to protect the skin grafts from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

Hair Transplant Maintenance after Surgery

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

For patients whom have had hair transplant surgery or for those considering surgery, many questions while arise in regards to the procedure itself. One typical question that comes up has to do with maintenance right after their hair transplant procedure. One patient whose father was caring for him after his surgery asked in a recent email, “When can my son start handling his hair after his hair transplant without any caution?”

It’s always good to be cautious when it comes down to surgical procedures but luckily hair transplant surgery is a relatively minimally invasive procedure which requires very little maintenance. We tell our patients to be most cautious within the first few days (day 1 through 4) of their hair restoration surgery and after that period to continue with their regular washing and handling routine. If you feel the need to conceal the treated areas, it can be easily done by changing your hair style or covering it with a hat or head wrap (bandana).

At this point (day 5), there is really no limitation as to what can be done with your hair except in regards to sun exposure. It is highly recommended to avoided excessive sun exposure to the scalp and treated area for the next 6 months and, if possible or necessary, to try to wear some sort of sun protection (sunscreen or hat).

We schedule to see patients in our offices of US Hair Restoartion in Southern California days 1, 10 and 10 months after hair transplant.

Hair Transplant Maintenance after Surgery

Monday, June 22nd, 2009

For patients whom have had hair transplant surgery or for those considering surgery, many questions while arise in regards to the procedure itself. One typical question that comes up has to do with maintenance right after their hair transplant procedure. One patient whose father was caring for him after his surgery asked in a recent email, “When can my son start handling his hair after his hair transplant without any caution?”

It’s always good to be cautious when it comes down to surgical procedures but luckily hair transplant surgery is a relatively minimally invasive procedure which requires very little maintenance. We tell our patients to be most cautious within the first few days (day 1 through 4) of their hair restoration surgery and after that period to continue with their regular washing and handling routine. If you feel the need to conceal the treated areas, it can be easily done by changing your hair style or covering it with a hat or head wrap (bandana)

At this point (day 5), there is really no limitation as to what can be done with your hair except in regards to sun exposure. It is highly recommended to avoid excessive sun exposure to the scalp and treated area for the next 6 months and, if possible or necessary, to try to wear some sort of sun protection (sunscreen or hat).

You can read more on what happens after hair transplant surgery in our website.