Hair transplantation is one of today’s most common and most effective hair loss treatments. If you’re a patient awaiting the hair transplant results that come along with growing hair back, then you’re probably pretty excited: Even anticipating your hair’s future growth can bring joy and comfort as you see your life – literally – starting to come together. Although growth cycle times vary, here’s a brief overview of the months after hair restoration surgery, as well as what you can first and foremost expect as far as growing hair back.

Firstly, here’s the information you’ll need to figure out the hair transplant growth timeline itself. Hair transplantation is where small pieces of skin containing one or more hair follicles are removed from a healthy area (donor area) of your head (usually the back or sides of the scalp) and then transplanted to a balding or thinning area of your scalp. There are two main ways to transfer the donor area hair into the thinning or balding hair zone. Both are kind of cool, actually. One is called Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) and it’s where all the donor hair follicles are removed together as a small strip of scalp. The other is Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) and it’s where tiny punches are used to axe off the hairs one by one.

Unlike its predecessors – such as punch grafts, where hair is plucked from the donor area and placed on the scalp – FUT involves the excision of a thin strip of scalp from the donor area, followed by the dissection of the strip’s follicular units, and the transplantation of those units into the recipient area.

In contrast, FUE involves the extraction of single follicles directly from the scalp and then placed into the recipient area without the need for a large incision.

Regardless of the extraction technique, the ensuing growth after a hair transplant largely follows the same trajectory, so let’s examine what happens during the days, weeks and months following the procedure.

Day 1 to 7: Immediate Post-Surgery Phase

Week one after the hair transplants is a key period as you recover and ensure the success of your transplants.

Day 1 (Surgery Day): The scalp will be tender and swollen. Small scabs will form over each graft, redness and some mild pain are normal.

Days 2 to 4: You’ll probably go back to the office (provided there is one) for a post-procedural visit and get specific instructions about caring for the grafts and, if medications or solutions are prescribed, when to apply them to the scalp. Swelling will probably be worse now than it was the day of surgery, but it should have diminished considerably by the end of the week.

Days 5 to 7: By now, the edges of the crusts around the grafts may begin to peel and flake. Don’t scratch! You’ll still have the same texture as the crusts over the grafts, but it’s ok to continue flaking off the peeling areas. Light activities can resume (think moderate walking, lifting groceries, or running light errands), but vigorous exercise (including your lawn) should wait for days 8 and beyond.

Week 2 to 4: Shedding Phase

The most dreaded part of hair transplantation for the patient is the ‘shedding phase’, which commences during the second week and may last until the fourth week.

Weeks 2 to 3: Many of the newly transplanted hairs will start falling out from week two to three. This shock loss is part of the normal process as the follicles enter the resting phase (telogen phase) before they start producing new hair. Although the hair shedding is unsettling, it is a critical preliminary step towards new growth.

WEEK 4: Near the start of month one, nearly all the transplanted hairs will fall out. It will appear as if nothing has changed at the surface of the scalp, but the follicles implanted in the skin are busy getting ready for new, permanent hair growth. It is often a discouraging time for the patient, but the key is to wait it out.

Month 2 to 3: Dormant Phase

The follicles are still quiet in months two and three – visible hair growth might not have started yet.

Month 2: The scalp should almost be completely healed at this point with no redness or scabbing. Many of the grafts will appear totally bare but they are now in the phase of telogen-anagen transition (transition from the telogen phase to the phase of active growth). Growth is not visible yet, but the phase sets the stage for the next four to five months of hair development.

Month 3: At three months, some patients might begin to notice the first signs of new hair growth with the appearance of very fine hairs, which might also be lighter in color than the surrounding hair. If you haven’t noticed any growth by now, don’t panic; everyone’s timetable is different.

Month 4 to 6: Early Hair Growth

In the vast majority of patients, once you get past the four- to six-month period, that’s when you see the most punch in your hair transplant.

Month 4: By the fourth month, new hair growth will begin to emerge from the hair follicles. At this point, the growth may still be very thin, wispy, or patchy, but it’s positive news that the hair transplantation was successful. Beginning in the fourth month, the transplanted hair strands will thicken and strengthen.

Month 5: At this point, the new hair will be much thicker, denser, and coloured, and patients should see about 30-40 per cent of their final hair density. While some of the hair is still extremely fine, curly, straight, or different from your normal hair, this will improve over time.

Month 6: At six months, the results are about 50 per cent in, the hair has visibly thickened and the outline of your new hairline should be reasonably clear. Although your overall density is still not fully developed, the process of hair growth should be good enough for many patients to feel more confident at this stage.

Month 7 to 9: Continued Growth and Thickening

You will receive obvious hair improvement especially at the seventh, eighth and ninth month of the transplant.

Month 7: By now, the transplanted hair should be firmly established. You’ll likely notice that your hair is stronger and has more of a natural look. That’s when many of our patients start styling their hair with more confidence.

Month 8: eight months in you should see close to 70- to 80-per-cent of the final outcome. The hair thickness will now be significantly increased and the fine light hair you started out with has now blended in nicely with the region hairs. A few patients may even need to go in for a follow-up visit with the surgeon to review progress and see if anything else can be done to enhance the final result.

Month 9: Most of the patients will have seen the majority of their results by now. The hair that has been transplanted should be growing at an average rate and, while any thinning areas remaining will continue to grow in over the next couple of months, they will be small. Compared with the appearance of the hair at the earlier points, this will be a huge improvement.

Month 10 to 12: Full Results

In most patients, at the end of the first year of treatment, you will see the final result of the hair-transplant process.

Month 10: By month 10, 90 per cent of the final results should be in effect. The finished hair will have reached its maximum length and density and will merge seamlessly with its surrounding natural hair. Any areas that were still thin or sparse at the outset of the process should look dramatically better at this juncture.

Month 11: At this point, the miniaturization rate will have slowed down and your hair transplant will be looking more natural and mature. Any early stigma in terms of texture, color and/or patchiness should have long faded.

Month 12: Hair transplant results are typically fully realized by the one-year mark. The transplanted hair will continue growing just like the rest of your natural hair, and you can trim, color or wear it as you please. Although most patients see their full results within a year, there is individual variation and some patients may continue to see improvement for up to 18 months after surgical treatment.

Factors Affecting Hair Transplant Growth

Several factors can influence how quickly and effectively the hair grows after a transplant:

TYPE OF PROCEDURE: The type of procedure, FUT or FUE, used in a hair transplant can affect your recovery time. FUE should, in general, have a quicker recovery period, given its minimally invasive nature.

Age and Health: In general, younger, healthier people have faster hair growth. The transplanted hair will be genetically programmed to grow as long as your native hair growth pattern would allow, but the survivability of the graft will be affected by factors such as your general health and nutrition in the days following the procedure.

Hair Characteristics: The texture, color, and thickness of your existing hair can influence when you start to see results. For instance, dense or curly hair can give the appearance of greater density more quickly, and fine or straight hair can take a little longer to show significant improvement.

Post-Surgery Care: Observe your surgeon’s post-operative instructions and keep the scalp clean, don’t expose it to harsh treatments, avoid scratching, or picking at the grafts post-surgery.

Tips for Supporting Hair Transplant Growth

To support healthy hair growth after your transplant, follow these tips:

Follow Your Surgeon’s Post-Surgery Instructions: Your surgeon will also tell you how to take care of your scalp and exactly when you will be able to return to your normal activities. When you get home, you might be required to take certain medications to reduce swelling, or use solutions for keeping the area clean.

Also, avoid stress because stress is known to be a factor in hair loss and likely impedes the growth process. Relax. Take it easy. As your hair goes through its natural cycle, let it do its thing.

Have a Healthy Diet: Strive for thicker and faster-growing hair by adding vitamins and essential minerals such as biotin, zinc and vitamin E to your diet.

Supplements: complement your diet with supplements that are designed to support your hair health. Check in with your doctor to see if these are a good idea for you.

Protect Your Scalp: Protect the transplanted area from sun and extreme environmental conditions until it completely heals, which typically takes a few weeks or months. Wear a hat or use sunscreen to prevent discoloration.

Hair transplant surgery needs to be properly understood and managed by patients who expect immediate results. The timeline works as follows: Month 1: Completion of hair transplant surgery. Month 2: Note the initial shock loss of transplanted hairs. Month 3: Observe new hair growth that will resemble the appearance of pubic hair. Month 4: Start to differentiate between good and bad hair growth. Month 5: Begin forming expectations of the final result. Month 6: Start using oil, blunt-tip scissors and comb your existing hair. Month 7: Clean your scalp. Month 8: Learn how to take care of your new hair and use a dulled, round-tipped head shaver. Month 9: Observe significant changes in your hair. After one year, you will see drastic changes.

The hair transplant growth timeline will also enable you to maintain patience and optimism while your new hair takes root and starts to grow – providing your care and expectations are realistic and not too high.