How Long After A Hair Transplant Does Hair Start To Grow?

Quick Summary: Hair Transplant Recovery and Hair Growth

Hair Growth Cycle: The hair growth cycle includes four phases—Anagen, Catagen, Telogen, and Exogen. We will dive further into this topic to help you grasp the idea of hair loss and regrowth following a transplant.

Hair Transplant Techniques: We explore two main hair transplant methods: FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) which involves removing a strip of scalp, and FUE (Follicular Unit Excision), which involves extracting individual follicles. Each technique has specific recovery timelines and aesthetic outcomes.

Recovery Process: Post-transplant recovery includes several key stages, starting with initial care and gentle hair washing, followed by a normal shedding phase. Visible hair growth starts around 3-4 months, with full results expected by 12-18 months.

Expectations and Aftercare: Proper aftercare is crucial. Adhering to your clinic’s guidelines will help support the healing process, ensure the success of your transplant and bolster the health of your new hair.

Key Takeaway: After a hair transplant, patience and diligent aftercare are essential for a smooth recovery. Understanding the natural hair growth cycle can set realistic expectations, while consistent follow-ups with your transplant team are critical to achieving the best outcomes. The expertise of your clinic is important for guidance throughout the recovery process to ensure you’re supported every step of the way.

“How Long After A Hair Transplant Will My Hair Grow?” – This is a common question that  patients have, as they excitedly await the results of their new transplant. Let’s explore more of the post-op transplant process, and find how and when you can expect to see your new hairs. 

The Normal Hair Growth Cycle

To better understand why hair loss happens, it is  important to first touch on how hair usually grows, and what affects each follicle. The hair growth cycle includes four distinct phases^1,2:

1. Anagen (Growth Phase): This phase involves the active growth of hair, and typically lasts anywhere from 2 to 6 years. The length of this phase determines how long your hair can grow. For example, scalp hair has a longer anagen phase compared to eyebrow hair, which is why it grows longer.

2. Catagen (Regression Phase): This is the shortest and transitional stage of the hair growth cycle, lasting about two to three weeks. During this phase, hair growth stops and the hair follicle shrinks, detaching from the dermal papilla—the structure at the base that supplies nutrients and support—and becoming ‘club hair’. This phase prepares the hair to enter the resting stage.

3. Telogen (Resting, or Maintenance Phase): During this phase, hair is at a point where it has reached full growth, and stays within the scalp at rest for around three months. In this phase the hair is no longer actively growing, but preparing to shed. It is important to note that losing 25 to 100 telogen hairs daily is normal, and can happen during routine activities like washing or brushing your hair.

4. Exogen (Shedding Phase): This phase is a continuation of the telogen phase, which involves the shedding of old hair while new hair begins to grow from the same follicle. This new growth helps push the old hair out, making it common to see a few strands of hair in your brush. This shedding is a natural part of the hair cycle and not necessarily a sign of severe hair loss.

The diagram below is a quick summary to help you understand these phases better, and at which points you may notice hair loss. 

The Anagen and Telogen Balance

It can be said that hair loss is dependent on the anagen to telogen balance, where if more hair follicles are going from anagen to telogen at a faster rate than usual, it is more likely that the individual faces hair loss.
Conversely, if telogen phase to anagen phase is encouraged, an increase in hair growth can be seen.² Anagen, the active growth phase, can determine the length of the hair, as hair grows approximately 1 cm per month during this phase.
In a healthy individual, about 80-95% of total hair follicles on the scalp at one time would be in anagen phase¹, compared to 10%-15% in telogen phase³. However, these ranges can vary based on genetic factors, health, and age.

In the context of hair loss, noticeable loss can be due to an imbalance of hairs present in the anagen and telogen phases.
A natural cause of this imbalance can be simple ageing. It is normal for the balance to naturally shift towards more follicles entering the telogen phase, contributing to thinning hair.
Unnatural causes of this imbalance can be due to factors like stress, hormonal imbalances, poor nutrition and medical conditions.² 

Disruption in this anagen to telogen balance, where more follicles enter the telogen phase prematurely, can lead to noticeable hair shedding and overall thinning. Understanding the triggers that shift the balance between these phases can help you find the right remedies to promote hair retention and growth.

You can find out more about the types of hair loss and their causes in our detailed guide exploring hair loss in men and hair loss in women.  

The Hair Transplant Process

Now that we understand the hair growth cycle, let’s quickly explore the hair transplantation process, a permanent solution to getting your hair back.

Here at The Treatment Rooms, we nowfocus on providing two types of hair transplantation methods:

FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation)

• This method involves removing a strip of scalp from the back of the head (donor area) where hair density is usually high and is typically affected less by hair fall.
• The strip, which is usually several inches long, is then dissected into individual follicular units containing, on average, one to four hairs each by the surgeons and trained hair transplant technicians. 
• These units are transplanted to the areas with prominent hair loss (recipient area) such as the crown, temples or hairline.
• This method typically leaves a linear scar where the strip was removed, but allows for a large number of grafts to be transplanted in one session.

FUE (Follicular Unit Excision)

• This more modern method involves extracting individual hair follicles directly from the scalp, without the need to remove a strip of tissue.
• Our experienced surgeons use a small punch tool to remove each follicular unit, which can contain, on average, one to four hairs. This method leaves pinpoint 0.7-0.9mm diametre dot-like scars, compared to the linear scar from FUT.
  For more information on FUE scarring and how noticeable it is, please check out our blog post here.  
• The grafts are then counted and prepared by our surgeons and trained technicians, before they are transplanted into the recipient site.
• This method is less invasive, leading to a quicker recovery and more subtle scarring. It is ideal for patients who prefer short hairstyles, or wish to avoid the linear scar associated with FUT, or need to conceal a scar from a previous FUT procedure.

For better understanding of these methods, check out a few of our comprehensive blogs linked below:

• How does hair transplant work
• FUE vs FUT

The Recovery Process

Undergoing a hair transplant can be a transformative experience, but knowing what to expect during the recovery process is crucial for achieving the best results.
It is normal to not see any new hair growth for the first 2-3 months post-surgery, which might feel a bit discouraging.
However, it’s crucial not to lose heart during this time. At The Treatment Rooms, from the moment you leave the operating room, we provide a detailed recovery guide that covers everything from the first day post-transplant up to 12 months later to ensure you know exactly what to expect and when to expect it.

During this period, you will notice your new hairs grow slowly over time, as they secure themselves onto your scalp, and resume their hair growth cycle. It is a period of transformation where your participation is crucial to achieving the lush, healthy hair you are looking forward to.

Here’s a simplified timeline, as well as key milestones you should be aware of during your recovery journey:

• Immediate Post-Surgery (Day 1, day of procedure): Immediately after the surgery, a bandage is applied to the donor area. This can be removed on Day 2, after which you will begin to gently wash the area with a mild shampoo provided in your after-care package.

• Early Recovery (Day 4): By Day 4, you can start gently washing the recipient area where the grafts were implanted. It is important to handle this area very gently since the follicles are still securing themselves to the scalp. Aggressive washing or touching could dislodge the grafts and affect the outcome of the transplant.

• Initial Healing Phase (Day 14): Two weeks post-surgery marks a significant milestone where both the donor and recipient areas should have healed much more in comparison to week 1. This period may also see the shedding of the transplanted hair, which is a normal part of the healing process. This shedding makes way for new growth.

• Noticeable Hair Growth (3-4 Months): Around three to four months after the surgery, you will begin to see new hair growth. This is the stage where patients start to observe the volumising effects of the transplant, giving a fuller appearance to their hair.

• Final Results (12-18 Months): The full results of the hair transplant are usually visible between 12 to 18 months post-surgery. By this time, the transplanted hair will have matured and thickened, showing the final aesthetic outcome of the procedure.

Throughout this period, following the specific aftercare instructions is critical. These guidelines are designed to support the healing process and optimise the success of your hair transplant. If you have any concerns or notice anything unusual during your recovery, please don’t hesitate to contact your surgeon for advice. 

To better visualise your recovery journey, our comprehensive Hair Transplant Timeline page provides detailed insights into what you can expect at each month post-hair transplant.

Conclusion

In summary, you can expect your transplanted hairs growing through 3-4 months after your hair transplant. This is after the follicles have securely lodged into the scalp, and have undergone their initial shedding phase, all of  which is completely normal.
Keep in mind, though, that this timeline can vary from person to person, as everyone experiences the recovery period differently. Growth also depends on how well the aftercare guidelines are followed.
We would advise you to always stay in touch with your hair transplant clinic to ensure that any concerns or variations in healing are properly managed, and to ensure you get the benefits of your new, lustrous locks. 

References

1. Martel JL, Miao JH, Badri T, et al. Anatomy, Hair Follicle. [Updated 2024 Jun 22]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470321/ 
2. Natarelli, N., Gahoonia, N., & Sivamani, R. K. (2023). Integrative and Mechanistic Approach to the Hair Growth Cycle and Hair Loss. Journal of clinical medicine, 12(3), 893. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12030893 
3. Burg, D., Yamamoto, M., Namekata, M., Haklani, J., Koike, K., & Halasz, M. (2017). Promotion of anagen, increased hair density and reduction of hair fall in a clinical setting following identification of FGF5-inhibiting compounds via a novel 2-stage process. Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology, 10, 71–85. https://doi.org/10.2147/CCID.S123401 
4. Diagram illustrated using templates from Biorender.com.