Stages of a HT

[blkblk]

After having my HT, one thing which really has suprised me is how each of the various stages which I had read about on this site has happened to me at just about the exact same time as other people have mentioned it happening to them.

 

I must have read this information throughout 20-50 different threads and am not aware of anywhere that it is available in one place.

 

This information is based off my own experience along with what I have read here on this site - if anyone would like to refine it, correct it or add more details comment below and I'll add it in. I am still only 1 month post op, so this is a work in progress.

 

Pre-HT

 

1. No vitamins (7-10 days prior)
   
2. No minodoxil (7-10 days prior)
   
3. Nothing that will thin your blood (7-10 days prior)
   

HT Day

Times vary a lot depending on number of grafts and technicians

 

1. Final check of hair
   
2. Discuss requirements (number of grafts, new hairline etc)
   
3. Local anesthetic at donor (15-30min)
   
4. Harvest strip and close donor site (30min)
   
5. Local anesthetic at recipient (15min)
   
6. Create holes for grafts (30-60min)
   
7. Place grafts (120-180min)
   

Post HT

 

1. No Contact with hair (day 1)
   
2. Itchy scalp (day 1-14)
   
3. Gentle rinsing of hair (day 2-3)
   
4. Face swells and then subsides (days 2-5)
   
5. Gentle rinsing with shampoo (day 3-7)
   
6. Scabs form and fall off (day 5-12)
   
7. Staples/Sutures removed from donor(day 10-14)
   
8. Can sleep normally once staples/sutures are removed (it is a bit uncomfortable until a couple of days after)
   
9. Can take topical medication (e.g. minodoxil) once staples/sutures are removed.
   
10. Possible shockloss (2-4 weeks)
    
11. Transplanted hairs fall out (2-6 weeks)
    
12. Redness disappears (3 weeks - 3 months)
    
13. Regrowth begins (3.5months - 5 months)
    

Edited January 7, 2012 by blkblk

[blkblk]

Can anyone comment on when the redness is expected to disappear and also what the 'itchy' stage is which people refer to - I haven't come across that yet.

[donp]

redness is for a significant part dependent on your skin color, the more lighter skinned the longer it would take. If you are very light about 3 months, for olive skinned, I think 2-3 weeks.

 

Itchy is usually first 2 weeks ... you should celebrate having not felt it. You can minmize it by keeping scalp moist.

 

(b/w: your stages of HT list is pretty handy)

[MrJobi]

Good list

 

I'm at 18 days post FUE 603 (light fill in of crown). Grafts still in place and growing to stubble (what a great feeling). No redness, just waiting for donor area to grown in a bit more so I may get a haircut.

 

I have had good luck in the past 3 HT's in retaining grafts (i.e. not falling out) so let's hope this continues!

[Shampoo]

Just curious if anyone else has ever experienced hiccups after hair transplant surgery? I had a small hair transplant back in about 1997 and I remember on my several hour drive back home the next day I kept getting the hiccups. I have the end/all hiccup cure so it was no biggie, but when I got home I read in a hair transplant book that hiccups sometimes appear post op but soon subside.