Will Scar Be Visible After Hair Transplant?

Does an FUE hair transplant leave scars? The short answer to this is yes. All current hair transplant surgical procedures do. However, a carefully planned hair transplant should ensure no scar is visible to the naked eye. This depends on the skill and experience of the hair transplant surgeon. In the following article, we discuss what these FUE scars might look like, the extent of them and how you can mitigate any visible scarring as a result of the surgery.

In this guide, we review the following:

• Will scar be visible after hair transplant?
• How long are hair transplant scars visible?
• Which hair transplant leaves no scar?
• Do hair transplant holes go away?

In a FUT hair transplant, a small piece of hair-bearing skin is removed from the donor area, then broken down into individual hair grafts, and then transplanted into thinning or bald areas. When performed by a qualified surgeon, most patients after this technique leaves a slight pale scar on the donor area; this scar is usually wholly hidden in the patient’s hair in this area about 2-3 centimetres.

FUE scar for hair transplant

In the FUE hair transplant technique, each hair transplant is removed from the donor area. As a result, the patient has a small round scar where the hair has been removed. This method has more scarring, but because it is spread over a larger area, it is often less visible, and patients can cut short hairs in the donor area after the FUE procedure.

The type of hairstyle the client prefers can determine the most suitable procedure for them. For example, a client who prefers very short hairstyles may choose FUE because the small round scars are scattered and less visible, which means they are less likely to be noticed. FUE also enables fast recovery and hair growth after transplant.

At Hairsure clinic, when performing the FUT procedure, we ensure that the donor area is slightly damaged and has minimal scars. We also use trichophytic sutures to close the wound. This technique is designed to limit the scarring as hair grows through the scar and affects visibility. After each procedure, the patient receives an additional care package, including a special shampoo, to aid in healing and recovery.

How to treat scars and how vital is surgeon skills

The surgeon makes an incision, but the patient’s body heals and forms a scar. This is how the skin heals after an injury. The degree of scarring depends on the unique individual healing characteristics of the patient. In general, young men with highly elastic skin have much wider scars than older men who have less elastic tissue and have smoother scars.

Some patients are prone to a type of scar known as a keloid scar. In these patients, the skin heals with a visible raised scar. Therefore, it is usually not recommended for patients with a history of hair transplantation with keloid scars.

The degree of scarring will also be influenced by the surgeon and his team’s skill and expertise in performing your procedure. Often, when someone with low qualifications performs a hair transplant, the patient can leave unacceptable scars on the donor and even on the recipient’s area.

If a qualified team performs the procedure and the patient is treated, only a slight pale scar should be left for FUT surgery or a small, pale round scar for FUE surgery. The patient’s hair must entirely cover them.

FUT or FUE: Which one leaves the worst scars?

Of the two procedures, most patients choose FUE to avoid scarring. The scars that remain after FUE are easier to hide in some cases. FUT can cause long, horizontal scars on the back of the head. You should consult your doctor about these scars before agreeing to a transplant.

However, it also depends on your scar history and whether you have keloid scars. One thing to keep in mind is that FUE also requires you to shave your head for most operations completely. This provides the bulk of the grafts for transplant and restores your mature hairline.

Conclusion:

Choosing a skilled and experienced surgeon before performing any of these procedures is of the utmost importance. Scar removal is also possible. Cosmetic scars or permanent or temporary tattoos are also options.

How long are hair transplant scars visible?

A scar from a hair transplant can be permanent, but it varies from many factors. Also, the degree of scar visibility varies. Some scars fade over time with proper care, the right products, and treatment, whereas the majority of others are concealed by hair. The key to “minimal scarring” on the scalp, however, is selecting the top hair transplant clinic. If your surgeon is qualified and skilled, “visible” scarring would not be a concern.

Hair transplantation by definition is a surgical procedure in which the hairs from the donor site are extracted and transplanted into the recipient site. As it is a surgical process, scars are inevitable. Yet, the amount of scarring is mainly determined by the surgeon’s skills; the technique utilized and the instruments involved. A good surgeon will yield minimal scars that diminish as and when the hair grows.

Sapphire FUE and DHI are the most recent methods of hair transplantation technology. In this article, we will examine every aspect of hair transplant scars, including their severity and mitigation techniques.

How Does A Hair Transplant Work?

Hair transplantation is a cosmetic surgery done on the scalp to cover bald patches. During the procedure, the grafts are extracted from the donor site (mainly the back of the scalp) to the recipient site (the bald region). 

There are two advanced techniques for hair transplantation–

1. Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)
2. Direct Hair Implantation (DHI)

The studies suggest that the success rate of hair transplant through these techniques is over 90%..

FUE hair transplant scars

Due to the nature of the FUE hair transplant procedure, it yields some scarring which vanishes once the transplanted hair grows back. During the procedure–

1. The follicles are extracted from the donor region by making micro-punches. The individual follicles are extracted from those punch incisions.
2. The punches are made on the recipient area and the individual hair follicles are grafted.
3. After completion of the hair transplant, the scalp is treated with topical ointment and bandaged.

Here, due to the punches made, the procedure leads to wounding. The advantage of the Micro Fue Sapphire hair transplant technique is that the scars are easy to conceal and they diminish shortly after the procedure. This is because the punches made are 0.7 mm to 0.9 mm in diameter, which is very small compared to other hair transplant procedures like the simple FUE.

DHI hair transplant scars

DHI hair transplant is the most advanced technique and an advanced instrument namely, DHI Choi implanter pen is used to directly implant the hair follicles. During the procedure–

1. After the application of local anesthesia, the Choi pen is used to extract the follicles from the donor region.
2. The follicles are loaded on the Choi pen and are directly implanted in the recipient area at a proper angle, depth, and direction.
3. After completion of the hair transplant, the scalp is treated with topical ointment and bandaged.

Here, though the incisions made are very small, yet, there is some wounding due to the extraction and transplantation of hair follicles. The DHI hair transplant scars are less as compared to FUE hair transplant scars as DHI is a minimally invasive technique. However, it must be said that with DHI Choi pen the scars are not permanent if the procedure is carried out in the proper way. 

What is the hair transplant scar healing time?

Soon after surgery, scabs will form on the donor and recipient sites. These are removed after two weeks. And during the recovery process, it is essential that you adhere to your surgeon’s aftercare instructions. The precautions after a hair transplant are mentioned below.

1. Avoid combing or rough combing in both the grafted and donor regions.
2. For a few days, refrain from washing your hair and avoid using hair dryers.
3. Apply soothing agents to the donor regions in order to alleviate itching and discomfort.
4. Occasionally, even the eyebrows and forehead region may swell; this can be remedied by sleeping with your head elevated on additional pillows.
5. Scars can become sore, susceptible to infection, and painful. Apply topical antibiotic creams and, if necessary, take prescribed painkillers.

What are the hair transplant scar removal techniques?

Advancements in cosmetology have led to the revival of techniques for removing hair transplantation scars, which can detract from one’s overall appearance. This is especially true for patients that have already done a surgery with an invasive technique like; FUT and simple FUE Scarring after a hair transplant procedure is possible; moreover when the selection of the clinic isn’t the best;   but these scars can be concealed using a variety of methods. They consist of–

1. Scalp Micropigmentation or SMP: It is a technique involving the permanent injection of pigment matching the hair’s color into the scar to create a uniform hair appearance. This technique, also known as a medical hairline tattoo or scalp hair tattooing, helps to conceal scars with a tattooed hair effect. In this case, the pigmentation of the scar can be tailored to the desired hair color and density. Because the pigmentation resembles hair follicles, many individuals consider this hair transplant scar revision technique in lieu of hair transplantation.
2. Tricopigmentation, or TMP: It is a technique that involves injecting semi permanent ink over scars. Compared to SMP, this process is temporary. However, individuals interested in the temporary benefits of scar revision may consider this method.
3. Laser-assisted scar removal: Lasers can be used to cover scars by combining SMP and TMP techniques with them. Targeting the scar with laser pulses will assist in removing dead skin cells from the upper layers, resurfacing new skin layers, boosting collagen production, and improving the elasticity of the affected area. This promotes the scar’s disappearance or reduces its discoloration.

Which hair transplant leaves no scar?

Men and women suffer from hair loss and balding. Hair micro grafts (Follicular Unit Extraction or strips removal) transformed this hair reconstruction surgery.

Thanks to these new techniques, residual scars are reduced.

With FUE, there is no visible scar.

However, in this area one technique is not “better” than another one, since every technique needs to be adapted to every patient depending on his/her balding and expectations.

The procedure is always the same: remove hair from the back and side of the head, where they never fall, to transplant them in the balding areas of the forehead, the vertex and the tonsure.

Do hair transplant holes go away?

A hair transplant in Turkey is a commonly performed operation to treat the effects of androgenetic alopecia in men and women. This procedure involves two areas: the donor area, where the grafts are extracted, and the recipient area, which will then receive hair follicles taken from the donor area. The management of the donor area is a major element to benefit of a safe and successful hair transplant. Find out everything you need to know about the donor area, its preservation, its evaluation, and its impact on the outcome of the procedure.

What is a hair transplant donor area?

The hair transplant donor area is the area in the occipital region at the back of the head. This term refers to the area from which the grafts are taken for the hair transplant. The grafts are small fragment of the scalp that is taken from the donor area and used for the graft. Called hair follicles, they are composed of 1 to 4 hairs.

The donor area is selected because of its high hair density. The posterior region (occipital and temples) is never touched because it is not sensitive to the hormones responsible for hair loss. However, the extent of this area varies from person to person.

People who wish to have a hair transplant procedure will have a portion of their hair removed from the donor area and implanted into the bald area. The transplanted hair is genetically programmed not to fall out. However, for a hair transplant to be successful, several precautions must be taken. The samples must be taken correctly, the follicles taken are well preserved and the transplantation is carried out with great care.

Why is it necessary to preserve the donor area?

The preservation of the donor area is an essential condition for the success of the hair transplant. Contrary to popular belief, the donor area is not inexhaustible. When a hair transplant is performed, the grafts taken from the donor area will not grow back there. Therefore, to preserve the aesthetics of this area, and to prevent the donor area from being thinned out, it is essential to take the greatest care of it.

In addition, if a second hair transplant is to be performed, it is important to have the necessary grafts available. A second hair transplant can be performed in several cases. It may be required in the case of a failed hair transplant, in the case where the area to be covered requires many grafts, or in the case of the evolution of alopecia several years after the first hair transplant.

Assessing the donor area: a prerequisite before a hair transplant

The healthier hair follicles in the donor area, the easier it will be to transplant hair. The evaluation of the donor area is essential before considering any hair transplant. A poor evaluation of the donor area is a major factor in the failure of the hair transplant. This step must be performed by an experienced surgeon who has real expertise in the field of hair transplantation. It allows to take note of all the characteristics of the donor area and to highlight potential obstacles to the success of the hair transplant. The preliminary study of the donor area will allow us to know:

• If the donor area has enough grafts: to guarantee the most aesthetic result, the donor area must have the necessary number of grafts to cover the recipient area. If not, the patient may end up with a donor area that is still too sparse, or an overused and unsightly donor area.
• If the donor area has good quality grafts: quantity is not the only factor involved in the success rate or the success of the hair transplant. Indeed, to obtain an excellent result, it is also essential to have good-quality grafts. The preliminary study will allow us to determine the thickness of the grafts as well as the number of hair follicles that the grafts have.

A preliminary study of the donor area also helps determine the right method of extraction and implantation. Moreover, it is recommended to go to a hair transplant clinic that has mastered the extraction and implantation of hair follicles in order not to damage them and compromise the success of the hair transplant.

What will my donor area look like after surgery?

After a hair transplant, the donor area will be identical. The aesthetics of the donor area is one of the characteristics of a successful hair transplant procedure. The donor area must be unchanged and provided.

By choosing to have your hair transplant done by surgeons with great expertise, the donor area will not be visually impacted, even if grafts have been taken from it.