Does a Hair Transplant Last Forever?

Hair transplants are considered permanent but there are many factors that can affect their lifespan. Learn more about how long a hair transplant lasts and what you need to know.

Does a Hair Transplant Last Forever?
Hair transplants are a popular treatment option for those with thinning hair. The results of a hair transplant are considered permanent, as they cannot be undone. However, this does not mean that the way your hair transplant is taken care of after it heals is the way it will look for the rest of your life. In most cases, a hair transplant will last a lifetime due to healthy hair follicles being transplanted to bald or thinning areas.

That being said, the lifespan of a hair transplant can be affected by factors such as the patient's hair type, lifestyle, age, and degree of hair loss. In these cases, multiple procedures may be necessary to achieve the desired results. Hair transplant surgery typically takes between four and eight hours to complete. The procedure begins with the removal of healthy hair from the scalp by a dermatologist.

For natural-looking results, a dermatologist can remove healthy hair by cutting a strip of skin with healthy hair from the scalp or by removing individual hairs. An FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) hair transplant is a permanent solution for hair loss if done correctly. The extracted hair follicles from the donor area are not genetically programmed to fall out, so they remain in place even after being transplanted. In short, yes, an FUE hair transplant can last a lifetime.

The good news is that a hair transplant procedure can last forever when done by an experienced and trained hair restoration specialist. It is important to remember that when it comes to hair transplants, whether FUE or FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation), donor hair follicles retain their characteristics, allowing for healthy growth. Within two to three weeks after surgery, the transplanted hairs will fall out, but new growth should be visible within a few months. This means that with the right surgeon and proper aftercare, an FUT or FUE hair transplant can last forever.

For optimal results from a hair transplant, your dermatologist may recommend medication to treat hair loss. This is because removing follicles from the back and sides of the scalp prevents androgen hormones from acting and causing further hair loss due to their resistance to DHT (dihydrotestosterone). As hair loss is progressive and there is a physical limit to what can be done in one procedure, some patients opt for multiple procedures in order to increase density. The strip is then divided into between 500 and 2000 tiny follicular grafts, each graft containing one strand of hair or several hairs.

This is because there are many factors that can prevent a hair transplant from lasting forever, so no clinic can responsibly guarantee permanent results. The donor area must be shaved before surgery. During the procedure, hairs are removed from the donor area with local anaesthesia before being transplanted to thinner areas of the scalp. As such, it may be necessary for patients to undergo more than one hair transplant over their lifetime. However, many patients may notice that newly transplanted hairs fall out within two to six weeks.

Although body hair transplants are lesser-known procedures, they may still be viable for the right candidate.

Ernie Summitt
Ernie Summitt

Incurable coffee maven. Devoted communicator. Typical tv scholar. Wannabe social media junkie. Avid hair loss researcher.