Second Hair Transplant Procedure

It is widely recognized that hair transplants are the most efficient hair restoration treatment that offers patients permanent results. Thanks to the developed graft extraction and harvesting techniques, usually only one hair transplant session will suffice to give the patient a fully covered scalp.

Why Do I Need A Second Hair Transplant?

However, patients may not be satisfied with the results of the procedure and may consider having a second hair transplant procedure to get the hair look they aspire for. There are three main reasons why patients may need a second hair transplant:

• Continuos hair loss: Some factors affect the success of a hair transplant procedure one of which is the stability of hair loss pattern. If the patient is too young ( before 30 years of age ), their hair loss pattern may not be stabilized and they may continue to rapidly lose their hairs. So if the patient has their hair shedding after the first hair transplant, they may need a second one once there are noticeable bald patches. These patients may need even a third hair transplant surgery if they continue to progressively lose their hair.
• Severe baldness: If the patient has lost most of their hair, then they may not get the desired results from the first hair transplant procedure. The surgeon needs at least 6 to 7 hours to implant 2000-3000 grafts, which will take a whole day. However, if the patient needs more grafts to cover the bald patches, then one hair transplant session will not be enough.
• Patients may also need a second hair transplant if the first one failed due to the lack of experience of the surgeon. This is also called a corrective hair transplant procedure. If it is an inexperienced surgeon who conducted the procedure, the new hair may look unnatural and messy. Plus, patients may not be satisfied with the results without any apparent faults. After all, everybody has different expectations, even if it is a hair transplant procedure. But still, patients should keep in mind that it will take a year to see the full results of the hair transplant surgery. It will also take a year for the newly growing hair follicles to get thicker and give the hair density.   

How Many Times Can I Have A Hair Transplant?

You can as many hair transplant procedures as you need; however, there should be a time interval between each session. Your doctor will probably want to wait for a year or so to do the next surgery. If you have large bald patches you may need to repeat the hair transplant a few times until you get the look you want. Also, if your hair loss continues even after a second hair transplant, you will need to get a third, even a fourth surgery for hair restoration treatment.

When Should I Have A Second Hair Transplant?

It is best to wait at least a year to have the second hair transplant. In the meantime, your hair follicles will completely settle and your hair loss pattern will be obvious. Your doctor will not be ok doing the second surgery right after the first one even if you insist so. If you have a second transplant right after the first one, the procedure will eventually fail. This is why your doctor will allow for a recovery period. Also, it is not possible to decide if you need a second surgery before seeing the full results of the surgery. Because it will take at least a year for the transplanted hair follicles to completely grow, you cannot decide if you are unsatisfied with the results of the surgery. So you should just be patient and enjoy the recovery period.

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Is A Second Hair Transplant Safe?

Generally, a second hair transplant is safe as long as both the patient and the doctor follow the rules. First off, the timing of the second procedure matters a lot. If it has been only a few months since the previous hair transplant surgery, then both the first one and the second one can fail. This is because hair follicles need time to hold on to the scalp. Plus, post-operative care will affect the success of the surgery. If the patient does not take good care of their hair, then the hair follicles may not settle. Besides, if the patient had allergic reactions in the first procedure, the doctor may not want to do the second hair transplant.

Second Hair Transplant Before After Photos

Here are second hair transplant before after photos and examples.