Why Does Itching Occur After Hair Transplantation?

Hair transplantation is a popular cosmetic procedure and India is one among the most prominent countries to conduct the procedure. The demand for hair transplantation has grown exponentially over the years, with 85.7% of those who seek treatment being men. It is said that in Asia, the number of hair transplantation conducted each year is above 1,80,000. The main reason for this is the affordability, expertise in treatment and patient care available in the region. With increasing number of hair transplantation procedures, there is also a greater need to address patient queries and concerns. Like in all cosmetic procedures, hair transplant does pose a risk of side-effects and appropriate post-procedural care. Some of the most common questions around hair transplant are ‘when and whether the transplanted hair would grow back’, ‘why does the scalp itch after the procedure’, ‘will the transplanted hair fall out’, ‘is the procedure permanent and more’. Our previous blogs address most of these questions. Today, we would specifically look at why itching occurs after a hair transplant procedure and what needs to be done to control it.

 

Before we begin, let’s take a brief look at hair transplantation as a procedure.

What is hair transplantation?

Hair transplantation is the cosmetic procedure of removing hair follicles from a region of the scalp and grafting them into the balding region. Hair can be transplanted mainly using 3 hair transplantation techniques:

• FUT or Follicular Unit Transplantation – where a strip of hair is removed from the scalp and each hair follicle is transplanted to the recipient site.
• FUE or Follicular Unit Extraction – where instead of a strip, each hair follicle is removed and transplanted to the recipient site.
• DHI – Direct Hair Implantation – where the hair follicles are individually extracted and implanted into the recipient site using a choi pen or a device that lets both extraction and implantation happen subsequently.

After a hair transplant, the patient will notice that the transplanted hair will fall out with 1 to 2 weeks. During this period, there is a very common concern of itching of the scalp. Let’s look at what causes this side-effect.

Itching after a hair transplant procedure is quite harmless. It often subsides on its own in 2 to 7 days’ time or in rare cases can take upto 20 days. Itching is in fact a sign that the scalp is healing after the procedure. But, should you itch the scalp? It is advisable to not scratch the scalp and follow measures to reduce the sensation. Some of the common reasons for itching are

• Crusting caused by healing of the scalp

There are several tiny holes created during a hair transplant procedure. These are tiny open wounds that must go through their normal healing cycle. As the tiny wounds begin to heal, there will be crusting of the scalp. This is caused by blood that gets dried on the surface of the scalp and other body fluids that aid healing. This type of itching is very common and one must wait for it to stop on its own in a matter of days. Patients must not scratch the scalp to prevent any chances of infections and to get the maximum results of the treatment.

• Growth of new hair  

Between 1 to 3 months after the treatment, the transplanted hair begins to grow leading to itching in the region. This type of itching is usually not persistent but occurs in intervals depending on the growth of the new hair. The severity of itching caused by new hair growth is usually mild.

• Infection of hair follicle/scalp

Any itching caused by infection needs immediate attention. At times, the patient could develop a reaction to the medications used during the procedure and develop severe itching. This requires immediate treatment. Improper care after the procedure and not maintaining the required hygiene levels could lead to infections. It is important to follow post procedural care to avoid any infections.

• Any allergic reaction

If itching is caused as an allergic reaction to medications, cosmetic hair products such as shampoos or conditioners, it needs medical attention.

If you experience itching, it is important to consult with the doctor to understand the reason. Most often, the itching sensation subsides on its own and helps healing. Some of the most common doubts related to itching are addressed below.

1. How do you stop your scalp from itching?

To stop the itching sensation, one can try the below tips and remedies.

• Salt water spray – the magnesium in the salt will act as an anti-inflammatory mineral and reduce the itch
• Steroid scalp medications/topical solutions – corticosteriod based medications such as prednisone aids the immune system to reduce itching
• Anti-histamine
• Medicated hair care products such as shampoo

2. When can I scratch my head after hair transplant?

For the first 3 days after the hair transplantation, it is important not to scratch the scalp. For the first 15 days, patients must take appropriate care and prevent any chance to rigorously scratch the scalp. This would reduce the chances of healing. After 15 to 20 days, patients may scratch the scalp lightly as needed.

3. When can I touch my transplanted hair?

Patients can touch the scalp after 3-4 days of the treatment. It is important not to rub or scratch for at least a week following the procedure.

4. How can I speed up healing after hair transplant?

It is important to sleep in an elevated position for the first 3 days after the treatment. This will speed up the healing process. Applying ice as required, staying hydrated, ensuring enough rest and healthy meals are the best way to speed up healing and reduce any side-effects of the treatment.

5. Is Itching after Hair Transplant Normal?

Itching after the treatment is very normal and most often it is needed for the healing process.

6. Which oil is best for itchy scalp?

Tea tree oil, peppermint oil and others are best known for reducing the itchy sensation.

7. Is coconut oil good for an itchy scalp?

Coconut oil can soothe the scalp and reduce itching. It is important to consult with the cosmetologist before using oils. If used excessively or not as advised, it could clog the wound and lead to infections.

8. What home remedy is good for itching?

Salt water spray and ice pack is the safest home remedy to reduce itching caused by hair transplantation.

Apart from itching of the scalp, there can be other side effects from hair transplantation such as:

• Swelling of the scalp, pain and numbness
• Bleeding from the wounds
• Scars
• Thinning of hair
• Infections
• In rare cases, there can be chest pain, headaches and hand or foot swelling

In order to minimize the side-effects and ensure good results, patients must disclose all pre-existing medical conditions. The doctor will assess the patient based on their health, existing illness, allergic reactions and their probability of successful hair transplantation to finalize on the procedure.

Do’s and Don’ts after a hair transplantation

• Ensure you are very gentle when washing the hair or scrubbing for close to 10 days after the procedure
• Keep yourself well hydrated to ensure healing
• Ensure you do not itch even if you get the sensation. As suggested in this blog, one must take medications or home remedies to control the side effect
• Wash the head mildly only after 2 days of the procedure
• It is important not to sleep on the tummy or rigorously rub or touch the scalp
• One must avoid wearing hats or caps for 2 weeks. This could lead to sweat and dirt accumulation leading to infections
• Do not use harmful chemicals or dyes for over a month after the procedure

Hair transplantation in India

In India, hair transplantation procedures are done very commonly and our country offers a very high success rate of the procedure. India is one among the leading countries around the world for the treatment and offers the best facilities, skilled doctors, safety and advanced technology. The average cost of a hair transplantation procedure in India is between INR 75k to 1.5 lakhs. The exact cost of the treatment will depend on the number of hair grafts to be transplanted. In India, Chennai is among the top 5 cities to offer the treatment. Hair transplantation in Chennai is widely sort after and is best known for medical tourism in the country for the procedure. Some of the best hair transplantation clinics in India is in Chennai and can be considered as the safest option to get the treatment.

Hair transplantation review

It is important to choose a cosmetologist or the clinic based on the patient reviews and results offered. Today it is easy to analyze the best option for the patient based on what each clinic offers. The cost associated with the treatment, the facilities and the history of such procedures done can all be easily available. A board-certified doctor who specializes in hair transplant in Chennai can be the best option. This will ensure that the doctor has significant experience and the skills needed to perform the treatment. The success of the procedure requires a high level of precision, skills and expertise of the cosmetologist and hence one must go by past reviews and success rate of the doctor.

Hair transplantation results

At Tamira, we have had a steady record of successful hair transplantation. It is evident that our patients are highly satisfied with the results offered by the procedure. Here is a review from Khader who opted many other treatments before finally coming in for the hair transplantation at Tamira. Listen to him on how the procedure has been successful

Take a look at what the before and after of the treatment looked like for one of our patients

Here is a complete picture of how the procedure is done