Lost Grafts After My Hair Transplantation!

Q:

Hello Dr. Mohebi,

I am on Day 4 after my hair transplant surgery and I am a little bit worried about my hair grafts. I am a little concerned that I may have pulled out a few grafts accidentally. While I am not certain that they are actual hair grafts, they sure look like grafts to me.

The hairs that I am talking about can best be described as dry and brittle. They have no moisture at their ends and the gel-like substance is also dry. Could they have simply broken off? Are they grafts that did not take? Or am I worrying for no reason at all?

Thank you again for all of your help and support. I really appreciate the level of caring and concern shown by you, and your staff, throughout this entire process.

Best wishes,

A:

I understand your concerns and thank you for asking this question so we can address the issue.

It is important for us to determine whether you lost a hair graft, or hair with scabbing, before or after Day 4 from your hair transplant surgery. After taking a closer look at the photo you submitted, it appears that you may have lost the entire hair graft. It also looks like it may have happened before then and you have simply found the hair graft now.

It is important to remember that follicular units (a unit of one hair or a few hairs and their appendages) are very fragile in the first four days after hair transplantation.  If you accidentally scratched or rubbed the transplanted area on your scalp during the first few days after the procedure, you may have dislodged some of the grafts and lost them completely.  However, any loss of hair after the fourth day might be nothing more than a telogen (resting) hair with its attached scabbing. You will still be able to grow normal hair from the remaining follicle.