Over the last two decades, highly effective treatments for hair loss have become widespread, and people all over the world now travel to Turkey to get a full head of hair for a reasonable price. However, while the results are truly incredible, the recovery process takes time, and a common side effect of hair transplants is swelling.
It’s usually nothing to worry about. As long as you’ve chosen a trustworthy clinic like Asli Tarcan, complications are a rare occurrence, but it’s important to know how to limit them and help speed up the recovery process.
We will cover all the crucial details to help you do this, and mention a few things you should look out for that may be a sign that something went wrong and that you need to look for medical assistance.
When Does Swelling Occur and How Long Does It Last?
Swelling is a natural part of the healing process that your scalp goes through post-surgery. Most people usually start feeling small amounts of pain several hours or up to a day after surgery, comparable to a light bump on the head on a sharp corner.
This is followed by light to moderate post hair transplant swelling in the forehead area that lasts another 3–5 days on average, depending on the method used. It tends to go away quicker after a DHI operation than FUE, although the latter can also heal quicker if a sapphire blade is used to make the incisions.
What Causes Swelling After a Hair Transplant?
During the two most common modern surgical procedures, the patient is given a local anaesthetic, and the doctor proceeds to remove singular hair follicles from the donor area using a metal micro-punch tool. With FUE, thousands of tiny incisions are then made in the recipient area where the grafts are placed.
DHI uses a Choi Implanter Pen, which has a hollow needle at one end, which makes a smaller puncture in the scalp where the graft is simultaneously implanted. A common side effect of this type of tissue trauma, no matter how minor or controlled, is swelling.
The incisions will bleed a little bit in the first couple of days after the operation, as well, and the scalp can feel itchy and will look reddish and swollen.
Types of Swelling
There are a few common types of swelling that you may experience, but the area and the extent will vary for different hair transplant patients:
Forehead
In a lot of cases, it is present in a milder form and stays within the upper part. However, it can often encompass both the upper and lower forehead, which may take a bit longer to subside.
Eyelids
In some cases, the swelling extends to the eyelids and, in the mild form, the eyes look puffy, and it is difficult to fully open them. It looks somewhat like an allergic reaction to a bee sting. In the more severe version, it is more pronounced, with the patient struggling to even open the eye, and there may be some accompanying bruising.
Scalp
The entire donor and recipient areas tend to swell up right after the procedure, but it tends to go down relatively quickly, while the other types tend to linger for a few days longer.
Cheeks
It is fairly rare to see, but every now and then the swelling may reach all the way down to the cheeks, making them puff up slightly. Everything should go down in about as much time as it takes the moderate forehead and eyelid swelling to subside.
Now that you know what to expect after a hair restoration procedure, we need to look at some of the measures you can take to limit this side effect.
How to Reduce Swelling After Hair Transplantation Surgery
Our hair transplant clinic in Istanbul will provide some advice on how to minimise swelling post-op, and there is usually a couple of effective things you can do:
- Elevate the head: during the first 4–5 days, you should keep your head elevated while you sleep, using a neck pillow, and avoid pressing the scalp into the bed or headboard.
- Hydrate: drinking plenty of water throughout the day can also reduce swelling, as the body will try to retain as much fluid as it can when you are dehydrated, and you want to flush it out.
- Take medication: some anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen and diclofenac can also help during the first week after surgery.
- Avoid rigorous exercise: it’s generally advised to avoid any type of physical activity involving fast movements and bending at the waist and pointing the head towards the ground.
These are just a few good general rules to follow, and your doctor will be able to give you more detailed instructions on proper aftercare.
When to Worry: Signs of Complications
Although quite rare, more serious complications can sometimes arise. Keep an eye on these warning signs and seek immediate medical attention if you spot any of them:
- Excessive bleeding: the implantation incisions have not healed up and are bleeding a lot.
- Strong pain: the pain is sharp and doesn’t get any better after the first couple of days.
- Swelling is not subsiding: the areas we’ve discussed remain fully swollen after the first 5–6 days.
- Blood-filled eyes: grade IV black eyes or total hyphema, where the irises have turned completely black from the blood pulling in.
As long as you choose a well-known clinic with years of experience, like Asli Tarcan, your chances of developing any serious side-effects are minimal, and the knowledgeable staff will be able to guide you after the operation to ensure a swift recovery.