How Long Before Second Hair Transplant?

How Long Should I Wait Before Having a Second Hair Transplant?

About Header Image
January 18th, 2005

Q: If a second hair transplant is performed before the first had a chance to grow could the second procedure destroy the follicles from the first? — B.M., Upper East Side, NYC

A: Hair from the second hair transplant session would not damage the follicles transplanted in the first session, even if follicular unit grafts were transplanted in exactly the same spot as in the first session.

The reason to wait until the hair grows in, however, is so that you can better plan the subsequent hair restoration procedure. If two follicular units are placed on top of each other or very close together, you will essentially be creating a mini-graft and the results will not look natural.

We advise waiting at least 8 months between sessions with 10-12 months being ideal so that the grafts of the second session can be evenly distributed among the grafts of the first.

The extra few months not only allow the surgeon to identify all of the previously transplanted grafts, but enables him to get a sense of the “look” of the first session (i.e. the wave, the density, and how the patient will ultimately want to comb his newly transplanted hair). This is very useful in guiding the placement of grafts in the second session to maximize its cosmetic benefit.

Read more about a second transplant
See before after hair transplant photos of patients who had a second procedure

Related Posts:





If you have any questions or comments please contact us.

Browse Hair Restoration Answers by topic:


On selecting an option from drop-down list, the page content will refresh and update.



212-826-2400
Scroll to Top
Learn more about hair restoration

Hair loss has a variety of causes. Diagnosis and treatment is best determined by a board-certified dermatologist. We offer both in-person and online photo consults.

Provide your email to learn more.