Where will the procedure be performed?
A hair transplant can be done in an outpatient surgery center or in an office surgical suite. Most hair transplants are performed under local anesthesia (like that used by dentists) combined with a sedative to make you drowsy. You'll be awake but relaxed, and although you may feel some tugging and mild discomfort, you won’t feel any pain.

How much pain is there?
The amount of pain depends on the extent of the procedure, and varies from person to person. Immediately following the procedure, there may be some mild discomfort that can be alleviated with oral pain medication. You should discuss your goals, budget, and pain tolerance with your doctor in order to help him/her determine the procedure, or combination of procedures, that will produce the best results for you.

What can I expect after the procedure?
During the first two or three days following the procedure, there may be some discomfort in both the area that hair was taken from as well as the area of the transplant. Mild headache, swelling and bruising around the eyes are common.

Bandages are usually applied after the procedure and should be left in place overnight. The sutures are removed about 10 days after the operation. It is common for medical staff to shampoo the hair the first time after the procedure, and your doctor will give you instructions regarding hair grooming during your recovery. Some scabbing usually occurs in both areas, and should disappear within about 8-10 days Some numbness may also occur, and may last for up to 2-3 months.

There is a small risk of the plugs/grafts coming out, so you should avoid vigorous or strenuous exercise until scabs have completely healed.

What is the recovery period like?
Other than avoiding vigorous exercise, most people are able to return to their normal routine the day after the procedure.
About two days after the procedure, the hair from the graft will begin to fall out, and hair re-growth may be thinner for several months. This is normal, and is caused by the brief period of diminished blood supply that occurs during the procedure.

During the first month and a half, little or no new hair will grow in. However, within three months of the operation, new hair will begin to sprout in the grafts. After another three months, the procedure may be repeated to fill in spaces between the grafts, for an even fuller, thicker head of hair.

What is the long-term outcome like for most people?
Because the plugs and grafts are taken from areas where hair is strong and healthy, transplants should continue to grow throughout an individual’s lifetime. While it normal for some of the grafts not to take, most people are pleased with the results of their hair transplant.