When a hair transplant is performed by a hair transplant surgeon, not only the area where the transplanted hair grows – the recipient area – is affected. The hair transplant donor area, from where the hair follicles or grafts are taken, also needs to be taken care of before and after the procedure.
How are the hair grafts extracted from the donor area during a hair transplant?
During the hair transplant procedure, the shaved scalp is anaesthetised with a local anesthetic. The donor site – the area of the scalp from which the grafts are taken – is located at the back of the head. The hair growing there does not react to Dihydrotestosterone and is therefore not sensitive to genetic hair loss.
Hair follicles are taken from the donor area and processed under a microscope. Depending on the technique used, a strip of skin with hair roots is cut (FUT hair transplant), or the hair roots are removed from their natural environment with microneedles (FUE hair transplant).
Then, incisions are made in the recipient area. The hair follicles can now be inserted into the bald areas according to the natural hair growth direction and density. The hair follicles are only outside the scalp for a short time. The growth rate with this method is over 90 %.
What happens to the hair transplant donor area after the procedure?
After hair transplant surgery, most patients keep a close eye on the recipient area. However, it is equally important to take care of the donor area as well so that the healing process there is not impaired.
With the FUT method, the wound must be closed with staples for the donor area to heal. These are removed after two weeks. A clear scar is visible at the back of the head. In the first few days after the hair transplant, the donor area will be red and swollen. Until the stitches are removed, the scalp should only be washed carefully with lukewarm water.
During Follicular Unit Extraction, the grafts are removed from the donor area with hollow needles. The resulting small wounds do not need to be stitched. Healing takes place more quickly. In order to speed up the healing process even more, the hair follicles can also be removed with special tweezers during hair transplantation in the donor area (percutaneous method).
Crusts of blood and tissue water form over the micro-wounds. Due to the so-called shock loss, the surrounding hairs adjacent to the donor area can fall out. Sometimes it can take up to six months for the hair around the donor area to grow back completely.
How do I best care for the donor area after the hair transplant?
To speed up healing in the donor area, you will need to wash it daily from 48 hours after the procedure. In addition, a moisturising spray is applied to soften the crusts. The donor area must not come into direct contact with a pillow or tight-fitting headgear for the first few days. For that reason, It is necessary to use a neck support pillow for six days after the procedure.
In order for the crusts to heal more quickly, a care lotion is applied to the donor and recipient areas. Leave it on for 45 minutes and then gently rinse the scalp with water. Washing the hair must be done especially carefully so that the crusts are not torn off.
In most cases, a normal, mild shampoo can be used again after 14 days. The scalp should be allowed to air dry, as the heat of the hairdryer can cause inflammation.
To ensure that the healing of the donor area is not affected, you should avoid salty and highly spiced foods and not consume alcohol or nicotine for a few weeks before and after the hair transplant.
Your hair transplant donor area is in good hands at Cosmedica Clinic
During hair transplantation, Dr. Levent Acar removes hair from the donor area with the implantation pen (Choi pen). The grafts are inserted between the remaining hairs in the recipient area. It is not necessary to shave the scalp beforehand.
Dr. Acar is a hair surgeon with an international reputation who has also treated many prominent personalities from politics and culture. Numerous hair transplant before and after pictures testify to the high quality of the procedures. Twelve months after the procedure at Cosmedica Clinic, the healthy hair grows in thick and strong and final results are achieved.
By offering all-inclusive packages, the costs for a hair transplant in Turkey can be calculated precisely. Due to the lower personnel costs, they are around 50 % lower than the costs at clinics in the UK. Book a free consultation now.
