For men and women around the world, hair restoration treatment offers the potential for a truly life-changing transformation. Modern FUE hair transplants offer permanent, lifelong results; as such, patients will want to make sure that they get the best outcome possible. For this reason, it is strongly advised that all patients avoid drinking alcohol both before and after any hair transplant surgery.
What Are the Effects Of Alcohol On A Hair Transplant?
Why should you avoid alcoholic beverages? Alcohol has several effects on the body, most notably the blood, and any amount of alcohol surrounding a hair transplant procedure runs the risk of negatively impacting your final outcome. What impacts does alcohol have on the human body during a hair transplant?
Alcohol Thins Your Blood
Alcohol is known to thin the blood, this can lead to significantly more bleeding both during and after surgery. Bleeding during a hair transplant surgery will make the surgeon’s job much more difficult and will impact the placement and alignment of hair grafts. Additionally, increased bleeding post-op will lead to more scabs and lengthen the healing process.
Alcohol Causes Swelling
Alcohol increases blood flow by dilating the veins. This causes the very thin skin on the scalp to swell and is likely to cause difficulty for the surgeon and increased discomfort for the patient.
Alcohol Dehydrates The Body
Alcohol acts as a diuretic, meaning that it causes the body to flush out water. This dehydration leads to drier, more brittle skin which can impact the survival of hair grafts.
Can I Drink Alcohol Before A Hair Transplant?
To ensure a quick recovery free of complications, it is strongly advised that patients avoid drinking alcohol for at least 1-2 weeks before any hair transplant surgery as this will give your body enough time to fully flush any alcohol from your system and for your blood pressure to return to a normal level. Further, it is advised to avoid spicy food, garlic, caffeine, and multivitamins during this time, as these have been shown to have a similar effect on the body as alcohol.
When Can I Resume Drinking After A Hair Transplant?
It is not advised to consume any alcoholic beverages for at least 10 days following a DHI or Sapphire FUE transplant. Drinking any alcohol during this crucial part of the healing process is likely to cause complications and hinder the survival of hair grafts. If you do choose to consume alcohol, make sure that it is in very limited quantities. Following any hair transplant procedure, it is important to stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water, juice, or tea.
Pre- And Post-Op Care
At the Dr Serkan Aygin Clinic, we work with all of our patients in the weeks leading up to, and the months/years following, any hair transplant surgery. All of our clients begin with a full, free consultation during which you will be informed of the best practices for your specific case. Our highly trained hair-restoration experts will guide you through the entire hair transplant procedure.
Our commitment to our clients doesn’t end when the operation is completed. Following any procedure, all of our patients are provided with a comprehensive follow-up appointment the next day to assess the initial results and advise you on how to best care for your newly transplanted hair. Further, we offer ongoing patient support for a lifetime of professional care.
