Does a hair transplant leave scars, and will they show?

Why is there no such thing as a scarless hair transplant?

Yes, a hair transplant leaves scars. It is a surgical procedure, even if a minor one: we take the grafts (small pieces of tissue carrying hair follicles) from the donor area (mostly the back and sides of the head) by separating each one from the surrounding tissue with a fine tip, and in the recipient area we open small channels for them to sit in. As these small wounds heal, the skin repairs them with scar tissue. That is why there is no such thing as a scarless hair transplant, and we cannot promise you a scarless result.

The shape and location of the scars depend mainly on how the grafts are taken. We take the grafts one by one using the FUE method, which leaves small, dot-like scars in the donor area. How noticeable they will be varies from person to person, depending above all on the length of your hair.

What kind of scars does FUE leave in the donor area?

In FUE (the method in which grafts are taken one by one), each extraction point is a small, round wound made by the tip that is used; these tips are usually around 1 millimeter in diameter. The wounds are not stitched; they close on their own. In the first few days, you may see small scabs over the points and redness around them, and the area may feel tender. We describe the method step by step in our article on FUE hair transplants.

Once healing is complete, a small, dot-like scar remains at each point. Because the follicle is removed whole, hair is not expected to grow back from these points. The scar tissue matures over the months: the redness fades, and the scar often becomes a small dot slightly lighter than the surrounding skin.

When we take the grafts, we leave hair between them and spread them out across the donor area. That is why, as long as your hair has some length, the scars are usually hidden in the hair; if you have your hair cut very short or shave it, however, they may be noticeable. If too many grafts are taken from the same area, the scars end up close together and the area may look sparse and uneven. We explain why the donor area is a limited resource in our article on the donor area and donor dominance.

If you are thinking of wearing your hair very short or shaved in the future, tell us during the examination, and we will plan accordingly.

Do scars remain in the recipient area?

The channels we open in the recipient area are small incisions just big enough for a graft to fit. In the first few days, redness, mild swelling and scabbing may occur in this area; on fair skin in particular, the redness may last a while longer. Once healing is complete, these incisions are hard to make out in most people; as new hair grows, the points are hidden in the hair.

Even so, a scar may sometimes be noticeable in the recipient area as well. If a graft sits too shallow in its channel, a small bump may remain around it; if it sits too deep, a small pit may remain. To reduce this risk, we adjust the depth of each channel to the length of the graft.

Why are FUT scars different?

In FUT (the strip method), the grafts are prepared from a strip of skin removed from the back of the head, and the edges of the area where the strip was removed are stitched together. That is why a horizontal, linear scar remains at the back of the head. The hair above often covers this line; when the hair is cut short, however, it may be visible. In some people, the scar may widen over time.

We do not perform FUT; we describe it here only as general information. If you have had FUT in the past, we may consider placing grafts into the old strip scar with FUE to make it less noticeable. For this, the scar needs to be mature and there needs to be enough hair left in your donor area; hair growth in scar tissue is also less predictable than in healthy skin. This does not remove the scar; you can find the details on the hair transplant into scars page.

What affects how noticeable the scars will be?

Even with two transplants done using the same method, the scars can look different. The main factors are:

• Hair length: How short you wear your hair is one of the factors that most affects how visible the scars are.
• Your hair type: Dense, thick or wavy hair covers scars more easily; with fine, sparse hair, scars are easier to see. Hair in the donor area may also thin with age, and the scars may then become more noticeable.
• Skin and scar color: A scar is easier to see when it stays lighter or darker than the surrounding skin; on darker skin, this color difference may be more pronounced.
• How many grafts are taken, and how they are spread: When the grafts are spread over a wide area, the scars stay spaced apart. Grafts taken in later sessions also leave new scars.
• Your skin and how you heal: How the skin responds to a wound varies from person to person. Smoking can also have a negative effect on healing.
• Care while you heal: Not picking off the scabs and protecting the recipient area from direct sun in the first few weeks help the skin heal. We explain the details on the hair transplant aftercare page; the written aftercare instructions we give you always come first.

If you tend to form raised scars or keloids

In some people, the skin responds even to small wounds with raised, thick scar tissue. If this tissue stays within the edges of the wound, it is called a hypertrophic scar (a raised scar); if it grows beyond them, it is called a keloid. A tendency to form keloids is more common in people with darker skin and in people with a family history of keloids.

Keloids are uncommon after a hair transplant; in people who have this tendency, however, they can form both in the donor area and in the recipient area. That is why you should be sure to tell us during the examination if any of the following apply to you:

• A previous surgery, wound, ear piercing or acne has left a raised or thick scar
• Someone in your family has had keloids
• You have had treatment for a scar in the past

If the tendency is pronounced, we discuss the risk with you separately and shape the plan accordingly; in some cases, we do not recommend a hair transplant. We explain what we pay attention to with darker skin and Afro hair on the Afro hair transplant page.

When should you contact us?

Redness, scabbing and tenderness in the first few days are a normal part of healing. Scars mature over the months; during this time, we review them together at follow-up appointments.

If you notice any of the following, contact us without waiting for your follow-up appointment:

• Increasing pain, redness or swelling
• Discharge, pus or a bad smell in the recipient area or the donor area
• Fever
• Bleeding that does not stop or keeps coming back
• A bump on a scar that becomes firm, itches or keeps growing

In an emergency, or if you cannot reach us, go to the nearest healthcare facility without delay. Whether you are suitable for a hair transplant is determined during the examination; the results, and how the scars look, vary from person to person.