Small scabs, or crusts, form around each transplanted graft in the first days. They are a normal part of healing and they clear on their own, but how you handle them in the first fortnight genuinely matters.
Why do scabs form?
Each graft sits in a tiny recipient site. As those sites heal, a small amount of blood and tissue fluid dries around the base of the hair, forming a crust. The donor area does the same on a smaller scale. It is the body sealing hundreds of very small wounds.
How long do they last?
Most clear between days seven and fourteen, helped along by gentle washing from around day three. By the two-week mark the scalp usually looks fairly normal, with some residual pinkness that fades over the following weeks.
Why you must not pick them
This is the single most important instruction of the recovery. In the first 72 hours the grafts are not yet secure, and picking a scab can lift the follicle out with it. That graft is then lost permanently, and you cannot get it back.
Even later, picking risks damaging the healing site and can leave marks. However tempting it becomes, and it does become tempting, leave them to soften and release on their own.
How to wash safely
Follow the schedule we give you, which usually begins around day three. Do not put your head under a strong shower jet. Instead, pour lukewarm water gently over the scalp with a cup, apply the recommended lotion or foam with your fingertips rather than nails, and let it sit as instructed.
Rinse gently, again by pouring rather than blasting, and pat dry with a clean towel rather than rubbing. Over the following days the softened crusts lift away by themselves. If a few persist past two weeks, tell us rather than attacking them.
What about the donor area?
It scabs too, more finely, and it usually clears sooner. The same rules apply: gentle washing, no picking, no scratching, and keep it out of the sun.
Frequently asked questions
What if a scab comes off with a hair attached?
After the first week or so this is usually the hair shaft shedding, not the follicle, which is normal. In the first 72 hours, tell us. Either way, do not pull at others.
Can I speed it up?
Only by washing as instructed. Do not use exfoliants, oils, or vigorous rubbing to hurry it, as the risk outweighs the few days you might save.
Is itching normal?
Yes, particularly as scabs dry. Do not scratch. If it is troublesome, contact us rather than treating it yourself.
When can I use normal shampoo?
Usually after the first couple of weeks, once crusting has cleared. We will confirm the timing for your case in writing.
Book a free consultation at our Harley Street clinic. Existing patients should call us with any concern during recovery.