Does smoking effect HT

[mixedguy]

Does smoking before/after getting a hair transplant effect the results? I've seen some places say to stop smoking prior/after getting a HT. Any light you can shed would be great.

[Blake Bloxham]

Yes.

 

According to many hair restoration experts, smoking both decreases scalp blood flow (which is necessary to nourish the new follicles) and allegedly irritates the new follicular unit grafts.

[Icecreamman]

It also thins the blood so you must refrain from smoking prior to ht, otherwise it could get messy...

[aaron1234]

Not all coalition surgeons believe that smoking will have a negative impact on the graft yield. It's not unanimous.

[s2thoudriver]

Yes - This was the number 1 'no-no' instructed by the surgeons who did my HT as it restricts blood flow to the scalp and increases healing time.

 

1 week before and 1 week after minimum.

 

Use it as an opportunity to stop smoking. New hair, new start :-)

[azazelgs]

i smoke 1 pack a day so i am really curious about it.

 

anyone here who is a smoker had a ht? s2thoudriver, were you smoking regularly? Anything about nicotine patches?

[s2thoudriver]

I stopped smoking before the HT, used it as a motivator to quit. Once the transplant is done, it's worth doing everything you can to preserve your precious cargo! so stopping smoking is an easy one to do.

 

Saves a fortune in cash too and improves your skin and hair health massively.

 

Rob

[Spanker]

Many doctors I have talked to, including mine, say it does not effect yield. I am smoking and two months and one week out.

 

The scalp is extremely vascular for smokers and non. It's a good idea to quit anyway, I was just not at a point in my life that I was personally strong enough to stop. I wish I would have stopped, but I didn't. We will see what happens when all is said and done.

 

I have actually seen very few top docs say it affects yield but have seen some say that it affect healing time.

 

I expressed it as a big concern, but as far as yield, my doc did not have any concerns. That said, no doctor, no matter the field they are in, is going to say it is a good idea to smoke.