The day of your Hair Transplant - A guide to Hair Transplant Surgery

This surgery is performed as a ‘day case’so an overnight stay isn’t required but ask a friend to drive you home after the surgery. It can take from a few hours up to as many as ten hours to complete so be prepared for a long day.

The surgery is usually carried out early in the morning and finishes late afternoon/early evening. If you live some distance away from the clinic then book yourself into a hotel or B + B. This is something patients from abroad will have to do in order to be ready and prepared for surgery.

Have a shower or bath and thoroughly wash your hair but don’t use gel, mousse or any other product on your hair. Dry your hair with a towel. If you wear a wig or a toupee then remove this before surgery.

Wear a shirt or a loose, baggy top which can be easily taken on and off without catching on your head.

You are not having a general anaesthetic so are allowed to eat before your operation. Have a light breakfast but avoid caffeine.

This is a relatively minor operation which is carried out under a local anaesthetic so you will be fully aware of what is going on. You can chat to the surgeon and staff if you want to.

You will be given a local anaesthetic which is injected into the skin underneath the donor hair. You may also be given a mild sedative which is usually in tablet form. Adrenaline may also be injected to reduce any bleeding.

The surgeon may also inject a saline solution into the donor area which helps to ‘raise’the skin slightly and makes it easier to remove the donor hairs.

Whichever method you have will involve the removal of donor hairs from the fringe around your head. The bald area on top of your head will be numbed with a local anaesthetic before the donor hairs are inserted. The duration of this procedure will depend upon the extent of your hair loss and the number of grafts required.

Is it painful?

The only pain you may feel is that of the initial injection to numb your scalp but there is unlikely to be any during the surgery.

You may experience a tugging or pulling sensation throughout the procedure.

The surgeon will apply an anaesthetic spray to your scalp to ease any pain if necessary.