A few weeks after a hair transplant, many people are alarmed to see the newly placed hairs falling out. It feels like the opposite of what you paid for, but it is completely normal and expected. It is called shock loss, or the shedding phase, and understanding it takes the worry out of it.
Why it happens
When a follicle is moved, it goes into a temporary resting phase and sheds the visible hair shaft. The important part, the root, stays safely in place. So the hair you see fall is not the graft failing, it is the follicle resetting before it starts to grow again.
The timeline
Shedding usually happens in the first few weeks and can leave the area looking much as it did before. New growth then begins at around three to four months, thickens through six to nine months, and reaches its final result at around twelve to eighteen months. Patience through this stage is part of the process.
Are the results permanent?
Yes. The transplanted follicles are taken from areas genetically resistant to thinning, so once they regrow they behave like the donor hair and keep growing for life. If you would like an honest assessment of what a transplant can achieve for you, book a free consultation at our Harley Street clinic.