Scabbing After a Hair Transplant

In contrast to what one might think, a hair transplant does not provide a perfect head of hair immediately after the surgery, instead, initial hair growth might be slow and clients will most likely also deal with several side affects. Having many small scabs on the scalp as a result of the hair transplant is one of these side effects, but is very common, as pretty much all clients will have them. There is no way to avoid these scabs as they are a natural part of the post operative healing process.

The scabs that form after a hair transplant are the result of the hundreds or thousands of tiny slits that the doctor has to make during the procedure. These slits are required in order to extract or accommodate hairs. Depending on method chosen, slits might be made during the extraction process, but most definitely during the insertion process. Immediately after the hair transplant these tiny slits will be wounds, but only after a day or so start forming into scabs. The scabs can look unappealing or itch but it is important not to pick on them, because the hair grafts can be attached to them, so if the scab is picked on, the graft can get dislodged. Picking on the scabs too early on can also lead to scarring, so it must be avoided.

Hair transplant doctors will show their clients how to wash their hair, and these instructions are there to protect the transplant and should always be followed. If most of the scabs have started to fall off it can be ok to help the rest along by wetting the scalp, applying a shampoo or conditioner, wait a few minutes which will soften the scabs, and then try to gently massage the scalp in order to make the last scabs fall off. But again, being gentle is very important because if the scabs are not ready to be removed the hairs might come off with them which would defeat the whole purpose of the hair transplant. Perhaps it would be best to not try to make the scabs come off at all, but let them come off in their own time.

When the scabs have fallen off, the hair grafts should be securely attached to the scalp, just like any other hair, and can in fact be treated the same way, including brushed, blow dried and styled. Once all of the scabs are gone there might be some redness, but this redness will also go away in the coming days or weeks after the hair transplant.  As hair starts to grow in it can cause pimples which later bursts as hair wants to come through. This process can lead to new scabs. But overall, all types of scabs will be gone a couple of weeks or no longer than a couple of months after the surgery. It is important to remember that everyone is unique and most cases are completely normal.