Bernstein Medical Blog

This page contains all posts in our News, Answers, Video, and Research sections.

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After Hair Transplant, Can Donor Hair Become Frizzy and Dry?

November 18th, 2005

Q: Why can donor hair become frizzy and dry once transplanted? — G.F., Stamford, C.T.

A: Frizzing and kinkiness is a temporary phenomenon that is part of the normal healing process after a follicular unit hair transplant.

During the healing process, the new collagen that forms around the grafts can alter their growth. Over time, usually within a year, this collagen matures and the hair quality usually returns to normal.

If grafts have been excessively traumatized or grafts larger than follicular units have been used, these changes are more likely to be permanent.

Can Hair Transplant be Harmed by Smoking Before or After Procedure?

November 10th, 2005

Q: Is it true that smoking is bad for a hair transplant and why? P.P. – N.Y., N.Y.

A: Smoking causes constriction of blood vessels and decreased blood flow to the scalp, predominantly due to its nicotine content. Also, carbon monoxide in smoke decreases the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood.

These factors both contribute to poor wound healing after a hair transplant and can increase the chance of a wound infection and scarring. Smoking may also contribute to poor hair growth.

Can Repair of Old Hair Plugs be Completed in One Session?

November 2nd, 2005

Q: When performing a repair on an old, pluggy hair transplant, why can’t all the grafts be removed at once? A: We always try to do this, but it is not always possible. If the large grafts (plugs) are spaced too close together, suturing one will put tension on an adjacent graft and make it […]

Can Shock from a Hair Transplant Cause Loss of Healthy Hair?

November 1st, 2005

Q: Will the shock of a hair transplant make me lose my existing healthy hair and is it permanent? – Westport, C.T.

A: In general, only miniaturized hair (the hair that is affected by androgens and that has begun to decrease in diameter) is shed after a transplant. This hair would be lost in the near term anyway.

Can a Hair Transplant be Harmed by Cosmetic Camouflage Products?

October 26th, 2005

Q: Are camouflage agents harmful to newly transplanted follicles after a hair transplant? A: Cosmetic camouflage products are not harmful to grafts per se, but they may make it difficult to keep the transplanted area clean right after the hair restoration procedure. They may be used safely as early as one week following a hair […]

After Hair Transplant, What is a Normal Amount of Shedding?

October 21st, 2005

Q: I had a hair transplant two weeks ago and I just started noticing that some grafts were in my baseball cap at the end of the day. Am I losing the transplant and what can I do to keep this from happening? – Weston, C.T.

A: The follicles are firmly fixed in the scalp 10 days following the hair transplant. Hair is shed from the follicle beginning the second week after the procedure. This is perfectly normal and does not represent any loss of grafts.

What you are seeing is the root sheath that is shed along with the hair shaft. This looks like a little bulb, but is not the growth part of the follicle and should not be a cause for concern.

Two weeks following the hair transplant you may shower and shampoo your scalp as you normally did before the procedure without any risk of losing grafts.

The Secrets to Hiding Celebrities’ Hair Loss

October 15th, 2005

In a recent article “The Secrets to Hiding Celebrities’ Hair Loss,” published in the New Jersey newspaper, The Bergen Record, author Abigail Leichman pondered the variety of techniques used by celebrities to battle hair loss.

Articles such as these put a spotlight on the fairly recent phenomenon of celebrity hairline watching that has sprouted up in the media and on the web.

Can Hair be Transplanted into Scar Tissue from a Prior Transplant?

October 13th, 2005

Q: I have had some surgical procedures on my head that left a fair amount of scar tissue. Can hair grow there? Is it a more difficult procedure? Are there any complications? – Darien, C.T.

A: Transplanted hair will grow in scar tissue as long as the tissue is not thickened. Thickened scar tissue can be flattened with local injections of cortisone.

Once the scar is smooth, the hair transplant procedure is relatively straightforward, however a few things must still be kept in mind.

Since the blood supply of the scar tissue is less than in normal tissue, the grafts should not be placed as close.
As the grafts from the hair transplant grow, new blood vessels are formed in the area.
Additional density can then be achieved in a subsequent session by adding more grafts.
After the hair restoration procedure, care must be taken with grafts transplanted into scar tissue, as the scarred scalp doesn’t hold onto grafts as well as normal tissue and they are more easily dislodged.

If grafts are packed too closely into scar tissue, poor growth can result. If sites are placed properly and the post-op care is diligent, good growth should be expected.

What is the Effect of Multiple Hair Transplant Procedures on the Scalp?

October 12th, 2005

Q: I have had 4 hair transplants with strips taken out for a total of 2600 grafts over 15 years. The last one was 1,650 grafts. My doc says my donor site is good for a few more but I think it has been probably stretched to its max. Is it believable that the skin can be stretched to such extremes safely? – Murray Hill, N.Y.

A: The scalp is very resilient to stretching, particularly in those with a loose scalp to begin with. After removing a strip, the laxity often returns to normal or very close to it within 6 months to a year.

The problem with multiple hair transplant procedures is not only that scalp laxity may decrease, but that the donor density decreases as well. If too much hair is harvested, the donor area may eventually appear too thin. This may happen with either Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) or Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE).

Therefore, it is important the doctor not only assess the scalp laxity, but the residual donor density.

Is There a Second Scar with a Second FUT Hair Transplant?

October 7th, 2005

Q: When a second hair transplant is performed, should there be a second incision or should it be incorporated into the first? – D.V., Inwood, N.Y.

A: It is a very common practice to make a second separate scar in the second hair restoration procedure. This is done to maximize the hair in the second session, and it is technically the easiest to perform. If you incorporate the old scar in the new incision, there will obviously be less hair. As long as the upper incision is still in the permanent zone, the hair quality will be good.

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