Hair transplants in Turkey have become an increasingly popular choice for patients experiencing hair loss. Thanks to Turkey’s high number of world-class doctors, low overhead costs, and award-winning medical facilities, Istanbul has made a name for itself as a leading destination for hair restoration procedures. Hair transplants offer truly permanent results for those suffering from hair loss or thinning hair. However, these results are not instant and commonly require 12-18 months to reach the final stage.
Perhaps the most common question we hear from hair transplant patients after their procedure is “Why is my new hair falling out?” After a hair transplant, it’s understandable that seeing newly transplanted hairs falling out could cause great stress. However, this is totally normal and expected. This is known as Shock Hair Loss and it is a natural part of the healing process.
What Is Shock Hair Loss?
Shock hair loss is the rapid shedding of hair in the wake of any extreme shock or trauma. Shock loss can be caused by both physical and mental stressors, however, in either case, the results are the same. Shock loss is a fairly common form of telogen effluvium—a temporary condition where more than the average number of hairs enter the telogen (resting) stage of the hair growth cycle. This can lead to a significant amount of hair loss over as little as a few days. Understandably, this is certainly upsetting following a hair transplant.
What Causes Shock Hair Loss?
As a side effect of hair transplant surgeries, shock loss is a natural reaction to physical stress at the transplant site. While a hair transplant is a minimally invasive operation, it is nonetheless a surgical procedure. Over the course of a Sapphire FUE hair transplant, it’s necessary to create as many as 6,000 channels in the recipient site into which the healthy hair follicles will be implanted. Every one of these channels is a small incision no more than 1mm in diameter and this stress, followed by the scabbing which is common after the treatment, is traumatic for the scalp.
When Does Shock Loss Occur?
The single most important thing to remember is to not touch, wash, or comb the transplant area as the implanted hairs have not yet properly taken root. Once the blood supply has returned to the recipient site the area will scab over. This stage typically lasts for 7-10 days, after which the area will start to heal. Once the hair follicles have fully rooted, and the scabs have healed, patients may notice hairs falling out after 2-6 weeks. Shock loss and shedding occur in up to 15% of patients, so the odds are that you won’t experience any further hair loss. However, it cannot be over-stressed that this is normal and temporary.
When Will My Hair Grow Back?
Shock hair loss generally stops after 6 weeks and the newly-implanted hair grafts will begin to grow back after 3-6 months. This regrowth will be patchy at first as the implanted hair follicles will not all enter the growth phase at the same time. By 12-18 months, the newly transplanted hair will have fully grown out.
Can I Prevent Shock Loss?
While there is no sure-fire way to prevent shedding after a hair transplant, there are some things that every patient should keep in mind. Most importantly, as mentioned above, is to not touch, rub, or scratch the transplant area. It is also advised to keep your head elevated at all times for the first few weeks to prevent blood from pooling in the scalp as this can cause further complications.
Following every hair transplant procedure at our clinic, all patients are provided with a full range of post-operative care including all necessary lotions, medications, and special shampoos as well as detailed instructions on their use. We have a full guide for caring for your hair following a hair transplant in Istanbul.
The Dr Serkan Aygin Clinic
Located in the heart of Istanbul, the Serkan Aygin Clinic in Turkey was named the “Best Medical Tourism Facility” by La Razon in 2019. We specialise in both DHI and Sapphire FUE hair transplants as well as a full suite of post-operative treatments.
With over 25 years of experience, Dr Aygin has helped more than 15,000 clients and has achieved a hair regrowth rate of 98%. Reach out today to book your full, free consultation and learn what we can do for you.
