What should you keep in mind before a hair transplant?

The two most important steps in preparing

Before a hair transplant, the two most important things are to tell us about every medicine, herbal product and supplement you take, leaving nothing out, and to follow the written preparation instructions we give you. Some medicines and herbal products, as well as smoking and alcohol, can affect bleeding during the procedure or healing afterward. Your instructions set out what to take a break from and when; do not change anything about your prescription medicines on your own.

In a hair transplant, the grafts (small pieces of tissue carrying one or more hair roots) are usually taken from the back and sides of the head, that is, from the donor area, and a small channel is opened for each graft in the recipient area. This creates many small wounds in the skin. When there is more bleeding, the channels are harder to see and the procedure can become more difficult. How the wounds close and how the grafts are nourished in their new place also depend largely on the blood and oxygen reaching the area.

Which medicines and supplements should you tell us about?

The short answer: all of them. Along with your prescription medicines, tell us about any pain relievers, vitamins, herbal products and sports supplements you take without a prescription, any medicines you have stopped recently and any drug allergies. A product being herbal or “natural” does not mean it cannot affect bleeding. You can write the list down and bring it, or take photos of the packaging.

Do not leave this until the day of the procedure: for some medicines, getting the opinion of the doctor who prescribed them can take time.

The evidence on how herbal products and supplements affect bleeding varies from product to product, and some of it is limited; even so, we want to know about all of them. We explain what is known about biotin in our article on hair vitamins and biotin.

What should you do if you take a blood thinner?

Do not stop the medicine on your own. Blood thinners (medicines that reduce clot formation) are often prescribed to protect you from serious problems such as a stroke, a heart attack or a clot inside a blood vessel. If you stop taking them on your own, this protection is reduced, and that can be a more serious problem than the risk of bleeding linked to the procedure. Aspirin that your doctor has recommended for your heart or blood vessels also belongs to this group.

Whether to pause the medicine is decided by the doctor who prescribed it, and we plan the procedure around that decision. Depending on why the medicine was prescribed and on your health, the medicine may be continued or paused for a period the doctor considers appropriate, or the procedure may be postponed to a more suitable time. We explain how we decide in cases of heart disease or high blood pressure in our article on chronic conditions and hair transplants.

If you have paused a medicine on your doctor’s advice and during that time you develop symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, difficulty speaking or sudden weakness, go to the nearest healthcare facility without delay.

If you take aspirin or an anti-inflammatory pain reliever only occasionally, for example for a headache, we state in your instructions when you should stop taking it. If you need a pain reliever during those days, ask us which one you can use.

Should you take a break from smoking and alcohol?

Usually, yes. We state in your written instructions how long before the procedure you should start the break and how long after the procedure you should keep it up. There is no single period that applies to everyone; follow your own instructions, not timings you have read elsewhere.

Smoking and nicotine products

Nicotine narrows the small blood vessels in the skin, and the carbon monoxide in smoke reduces the amount of oxygen the blood can carry. Together, these two effects can mean that less oxygen reaches the healing tissue and the newly placed grafts. E-cigarettes, hookah and heated tobacco products also often contain nicotine; if you use any of these, or nicotine patches or gum, tell us. We explain the details in our article on smoking and hair transplants.

Alcohol

Alcohol widens blood vessels and can affect blood clotting, which can increase bleeding during and after the procedure. It can also interact with some of the medicines you will take on the day of the procedure and afterward. That is why we ask you to take a break from alcohol in the days before and after the procedure.

If you find it hard to take a break, tell us; we will talk through together what you need to watch out for in your situation. If you have been drinking heavily every day for a long time, stopping alcohol suddenly can also cause health problems; be sure to mention this during the examination.

What else should you keep in mind in the days before the procedure?

• Changes in your health: Let us know if you develop a fever, have a flu-like illness, notice a sore, pimple or rash on your scalp, or start a new medicine. In such cases, the procedure may need to be postponed; we make this decision together.
• Haircuts and hair color: Ask us before you get a haircut, have your hair colored or have any other treatment that could irritate your scalp. For a long-hair and unshaven hair transplant, your hair may need to stay at a certain length. We explain how the plans differ on the hair transplant methods page.
• Tests and documents: Bring the results of the tests we asked for, any recent test results you have, your list of medicines and reports from the doctor who treats you.
• The morning of the procedure: We state in your instructions what you can eat and drink. Wear a comfortable top that buttons or zips up the front, and arrange in advance how you will get back from the clinic.
• The days after: Arrange your work and schedule for the first few days in advance. You can read what to keep in mind during this period on the hair transplant aftercare page.

How do we plan your preparation during the examination?

During the examination, we ask about your medical history, the medicines and supplements you take, and your smoking and drinking habits. If necessary, we ask for tests or get the opinion of the doctor who treats you.

Before the procedure, we then give you written preparation instructions. They set out what to take a break from and when, which of your medicines you should not change, and what to keep in mind on the morning of the procedure. Your instructions take priority over the general information here; ask us about anything you are not sure of.

Whether you are suitable for a hair transplant is determined during the examination; the healing process and results also vary from person to person.