How to Reduce Hair Shedding after a Hair Transplant?
Though hair shedding or shock loss is unavoidable, there are a few things you can consider in order to minimize the amount of hairs lost after a hair transplant.
1. Medication
Minoxidil (sold under the brand names Rogaine® and Regaine®) increases hair growth and darkens fine hairs—yielding results within about 4-6 months. Rogaine, in particular, has been known to be more effective on people younger than 30 years old and who have only been experiencing hair loss for less than 5 years. While the body normally tolerates Rogaine well, side effects have been reported and may include eye irritation, itching, redness and/or irritation of the area, and unwanted hair growth in other parts of the body.
Finasteride (sold under the brand name Propecia®) works by binding to the enzyme 5-Alpha Reductase responsible for helping produce DHT in the body. It does not completely stop DHT production, but rather, suppresses it well enough to interrupt the development of male pattern hair loss and hair miniaturization in men. When used regularly, results may be seen in as early as 3 months. Some men may experience decreased libido when taking the drug. Some men may also experience erectile dysfunction and a decrease in the amount of semen released during sex. Finasteride does not work on all men, and hair thinning and hair loss are not based on DHT alone as they can continue when on the medication.
Dr. Amiya Prasad’s Hair Regeneration Treatment is also an effective way to minimize postoperative shedding. The Hair Regeneration Treatment is made up of an extracellular matrix designed for wound healing and platelet-rich plasma, which is taken from the patient’s own blood. The mixture is then injected into areas of the scalp where hair loss is evident. There is a 99% treatment success rate in cases of male pattern and female pattern hair loss. The wound healing properties of the Hair Regeneration Treatment also improves the survival rate of hair grafts.
2. Timing and Size of Hair Transplant
Many patients choose to have a hair transplant at the onset of hair loss or when they have significant miniaturization. When patients take this kind of approach, their hair often ends up looking thinner than it did before the procedure was performed because the progression of the hair shedding was not taken into account.
Another approach would be to wait until a later date after the hair loss has been stabilized with a procedure like Hair Regeneration. It is also essential for the surgeon to carefully determine a suitable number of grafts required for the desired area of coverage and the estimated number of hair grafts available in the donor area.
3. Camouflaging Products
Patients may opt for cosmetic camouflaging products which can disguise the physical evidence of hair shedding and hair thinning. These products cover up balding areas by adding volume and lift to the base of the hair shafts, incorporating hair building fibers for fuller coverage and thickness, and employing topical shading to disguise bare spots on the scalp.
