Thankfully, the answer to this question is no, Hair transplantation is not a painful surgical procedure. However, this does not mean there is no discomfort whatsoever. Luckily the pain is temporary.
Postoperative pain in most patients occurs after a hair transplant. This pain occurs only in hair transplantation performed with FUT (Follicular unit transplant). It happens because of the transection of peripheral nerves during strip harvesting.
Scalp pain normally happens for about a couple of days. Then, the patient may still feel the discomfort that will cease within two more days. While the patient will still observe some post-surgical marks over the transplantation area. However, you are most likely to feel no more pain after four days only in total.
Pain killers are prescribed by the surgeon to help curtail such pains to be taken 4-5 days after the surgery. However most people do not need them 1 day after the surgery though, to show how minimal the discomforts are.
What Is A Hair Transplant?
Hair transplantation is a revolutionary hair recovery procedure that helps people with thinning and bald hair return to fully grown natural-looking hair.
Hair transplantation is a surgical hair restoration that involves the extraction of hair roots that are resistant to DHT-Dihydrotestosterone hormone. They are extracted from the safe part of the scalp called donor scalp. These extracted hair follicles are implanted on the bald area called recipient scalp.
Types Of Hair transplantation
It is first essential to know the type of procedure involved. There are two main types of hair transplants. The main difference between the two methods is the process of extraction of hair follicles from the donor area.
- Follicular unit transplantation (FUT)
- Follicular Unit extraction(FUE)
In follicular unit transplantation (FUT), healthy hair follicles are removed in the form of small strips from the donor area and then divided into separate hair grafts that are implanted in the affected area. This procedure is somewhat more invasive, so the recovery and healing time can be longer, and there are scars.
However, with the help of Follicular Unit Extraction(FUE), the surgeon extracts individual hair follicles, which are then inserted into the affected area. This procedure leaves a small scar and has a faster healing time of 3-7 days.
In general, the surgical method for hair transplantation involves four main steps:
Examination: Before the transplant, the doctor examines bald areas, along with possible donor areas. Then he determines the number of grafts required, depending on factors such as :
Hair type
Area and size of the transplant site
Hair quality, i.e., thickness and hair color.
Extraction of follicles at the donor site: The process of extracting the donor hair follicles is done by a minor operation or by a follicular extractor.
Recipient site preparation: Site preparation where donor hair follicles will be grafted.
Transplantation of donor follicle implantation: This is the actual process of transplanting hair follicles into bald or thin areas.
Hair Transplant Pain
As with any operation, Hair Transplant Surgery requires a surgeon to make small cuts into the skin. There are pain nerves throughout the body and face, so when a Surgeon makes a cut into the skin they can cause pain if these nerves are not stopped.
In the scalp there are many nerves so these must be anaesthetised (blocked from working) so that when our Surgeons perform hair transplant surgery, the patient does not feel any pain whatsoever. Our Surgeons perform this using different techniques:
- Using Local Anaesthetic Injections
- Giving Pain Relieving Medications
Ensuring every patient comfortable and relaxed (so they are not stressed which can increase pain)
Pain Relief After Surgery
There may be some suffering after surgery, but one of the benefits of selecting the right clinic, such as our business, is that you can get the right advice on how to get relief from the pain. You may be given any pills that will reduce the discomfort and stiffness of your scalp by your doctor. You may also be given medications and ointments to hold the infection safe. There may be some redness on the scalp as well, but you don’t need to think about it as it’s going to go away on its own within a couple of days. Our doctor can even give you an ointment or gel to avoid crusting. Overall, hair transplantation may require a bit of pain, but finding the right clinic will help you cope with it. Our surgeon can guarantee a smooth procedure by introducing necessary interventions.
Local Anaesthesia Injections
The main technique your Surgeon will use is local anaesthesia injections. These are very small injections into the areas your surgeon will take hair out and implant hairs into. The injections are performed using a very fine needle, almost the width of a human hair!
Even though the needle is very small, our Surgeons go the extra mile. They use a device on your skin to distract your brain from receiving pain signals. This means that any soreness from the initial numbing injections is significantly reduced. After this stage is finished, your entire scalp will be numb and you shouldn’t feel pain during the procedure.
Giving Pain Relieving Medications
In addition to local anaesthetic, our Surgeons will also provide you with some pain- relieving medications. These help to reduce any discomfort throughout the procedure and help to relax you even further!
