Is Pain Normal 3 Weeks Postop?

[wprevil]

Something weird is happening. Its been about 3 weeks since surgery. Both sides of my temple area have been feeling sharp pain since the surgery. I feel it now about 6 hours a day.

1) Is pain 3 weeks after surgery considered normal?

2) Is it also normal feeling pain mostly in the temple area? This is very weird.

3) Should I be shampooing every day? Because when I dont shampoo I dont feel as much pain.

Edited December 17, 2023 by wprevil

[wprevil]

bump

[gillenator]

Yes, it’s very normal to feel pain 3 weeks post-op wherever there have been incisions made…many patients feel pain for several months however the level of pain decreases with time.

[Rahal Hair Transplant]

@wprevil,

Personally, I don’t like to use the word pain. I prefer the word discomfort. But the truth is, everybody has a different tolerance to pain/discomfort so without knowing exactly how you’re feeling, it’s difficult to suggest whether what you’re feeling is normal.

I will say this though. It is perfectly normal to experience some level of discomfort several weeks after hair transplant surgery.  After all, many incisions have been made all over your scalp and while the procedure is considered minimally invasive, incisions made were still deep enough to insert hair follicles so that they will grow.

The pain/discomfort people typically feel several weeks postop is the actual healing process taking place so that sense, it is perfectly normal.

on the other hand, if The pain you are feeling is substantial, hard to bear and:or doesn’t seem normal compared to what I am described above… I would suggest contacting your surgeon/clinic immediately to discuss your concerns. At the very least, your doctor may prescribe something to help you deal with the pain while healing.

I hope this helps.

Best wishes,

Patient Advocate - Rahal Hair Transplant

[wprevil]

19 hours ago, gillenator said:

Yes, it’s very normal to feel pain 3 weeks post-op wherever there have been incisions made…many patients feel pain for several months however the level of pain decreases with time.

Appreciate that needed info!

[wprevil]

10 hours ago, Rahal Hair Transplant said:

@wprevil,

Personally, I don’t like to use the word pain. I prefer the word discomfort. But the truth is, everybody has a different tolerance to pain/discomfort so without knowing exactly how you’re feeling, it’s difficult to suggest whether what you’re feeling is normal.

I will say this though. It is perfectly normal to experience some level of discomfort several weeks after hair transplant surgery.  After all, many incisions have been made all over your scalp and while the procedure is considered minimally invasive, incisions made were still deep enough to insert hair follicles so that they will grow.

The pain/discomfort people typically feel several weeks postop is the actual healing process taking place so that sense, it is perfectly normal.

on the other hand, if The pain you are feeling is substantial, hard to bear and:or doesn’t seem normal compared to what I am described above… I would suggest contacting your surgeon/clinic immediately to discuss your concerns. At the very least, your doctor may prescribe something to help you deal with the pain while healing.

I hope this helps.

Best wishes,

Patient Advocate - Rahal Hair Transplant

I do agree, discomfort is a more accurate term than pain.

So, the discomfort I feel is mostly in my temples. It feels like a pinch on both temples varying in discomfort, occurring less frequently than before and lasts about 20 - 30 minutes a day, 3 - 4 days/week. Its not a pain considered unbearable at all, just bothersome.

Let me know if patients must typically shampoo their scalps every day.

Btw, my hair growth is stagnant. My hair grows an inch a month. So far, the length (quarter of an inch) has stayed the same since surgery. Is this also normal?

Looking forward to your response!

[Gatsby]

Shampoo is really dictated by your scalp post op. After my first surgery my scalp was too dry to use shampoo for the first two months. 

[gillenator]

A lot of the post-op discomfort is related to nerve damage…it’s the random stings and sharp pings in the scalp that can be bothersome…on average, hair grows at approximately 1-2 inch per month.