You’ve successfully completed your hair restoration procedure … now what?!

We understand that 12 month wait to see the true end result is a very long time. Yes, the first 3 months can be frustrating and many patients may not see any impactful growth at all.

But we promise you that the end result is worth the wait; if you know what to expect, you won’t be disappointed.

First 3 Months

These first three months are the most frustrating phase of your hair transplant recovery.

Approximately 4-5 days after the procedure, your newly transplanted hair in the recipient area(s) will begin to shed as the scabs fall off. We understand that this can be a cause for alarm, but it’s completely normal for these hairs to fall out after a transplant.

Our hair grows in alternating cycles. The act of transplantation causes the hair shafts to fall out and enter a dormant phase. This does not mean that the implanted follicles are lost. They are still safely embedded in the scalp and will start producing again after the dormant cycle is over.

Once the hair has been shed, the follicles enter a resting phase. This lasts about 2 to 2.5 months. Please note that not all hair falls out and rests at the same time. This is a process over time, meaning your recipient area may look patchy for fairly long stretches.

Growth in the Donor Area

Now for some good news: The hair in the donor area begins to grow immediately after the transplant, since it doesn’t experience any shock loss. This means that the donor area (back of the head) will be covered with new growth in about a week.

By the way, some patients are concerned about the thickness in the donor area. Yes, it does get thinned out by taking hair from it, and that is the reason our NeoGraft consultant needs to make sure you have enough donor hair for the number of grafts you are planning to transplant. We make sure that your donor area retains a full enough look for best overall results.

3-6 Months After

Right around the beginning of the 4th month after your hair transplant, new hair will begin to grow . This is the time you can finally get excited about your procedure.

If this sounds like a really long time, it is. We have to rely on the natural growth to take place, and of course hair doesn’t grow all that fast.

About 3-4 months post-op marks the beginning of real growth. At first, the new hair coming in may be thin and curly, but don’t worry – it will thicken and straighten out as it grows longer. Again, do not get discouraged by the fact that the transplant area may look patchy at this stage. This is caused by the different stages of growth cycle within this area.

6-9 Months After

Many patients see really good results around 6 months after their procedure.

However, there is still a lot of growth ahead of you. In fact, at 6 months the most noticeable growth and thickening of the transplanted hair begins. This period is also called the hair busting stage. Finally, your new hair grows normally at the same rate as your other hair, about 1-2 cm per month. This means your transplant area will continue to thicken at a nice rate.

9-12 Months After

Your hair will continue to thicken through this phase.

This is also an exciting time to think about styling your hair. We advise our patients to refrain from having their transplanted hair buzzed during the first year following their transplant. But scissor haircuts are totally okay, starting at about 1 month after the transplant.

After 12 months, we consider your hair transplant recovery to be complete, and typically schedule an in-office follow-up visit to measure results.

In reality, your hair may not stick to that exact schedule. Growth rates differ from person to person. And many patients experience growth and thickening to continue until 14-15 months after their procedure.

It’s also good to know that younger patients typically see faster results than older patients. And the frontal areas like hairlines typically also grow faster than the crown.

We hope this has helped you understand what to expect from a NeoGraft hair transplant!