Once all the grafts have been planted and the procedure is finished, your surgeon will carefully clean your scalp so the grafts are hardly noticeable. Most patients do not need to wear bandages when they leave the doctor’s office. In fact, most patients who undergo this type of surgery go back to work only a day or two after the procedure.

After the surgery is completed, you will be transferred to a recovery room where you can rest and have a light meal. After you have finished eating, your doctor will give you medication that will help lessen the pain as well as the swelling once the anesthesia wears off. More photos of your scalp will also be taken at this time.

This is also the time for you to call someone to pick you up. Most, if not all doctors, will not let their patients drive themselves home after the surgery. Therefore, it is important to plan ahead for a designated driver to pick you up.

You will be asked several questions and the doctor will give you a final check-up before leaving the hospital. Your doctor will also give you certain instructions to follow and how to take care of your grafts to ensure a quick recovery. Among them are listed below:

1. Your doctor may advice you to take prescription medication as soon as you arrive home to reduce any aches or pain in the donor area and to help you relax. Most patients only feel a slight discomfort and decide not to take any medication, while some patients may take a light dose of ibuprofen.

2. Your doctor will also advise you to avoid too much sun exposure and strenuous activity, which could do damage to your new implanted grafts.

3. During the healing process, which takes about 7 to 10 days, you will be given specific instructions on how to clean your scalp. This includes gently washing your scalp the day after surgery with a mild shampoo to keep it clean and get rid of bits of blood crusts.

You will also be instructed to apply an antibiotic ointment on your grafts everyday to prevent infections and to keep them moist. In addition to antibiotic ointment, you may also be prescribed antibiotic capsules to avoid any complications. Call your doctor’s office immediately if any problem occurs, such as redness, bleeding, bumps, or swelling.

Your doctor will schedule you to come back after several days to remove the sutures from the donor site. This is a painless process and takes about 3 minutes. Your doctor will take more pictures and check your scalp to make sure that everything is going smoothly.

The grafts will start to establish connections to the blood supply right after the surgery. When the new blood supply is completely developed, new hairs will grow permanently, a process that takes about 4 months. Similar to the other hairs on your head, your new hairs will grow approximately ½ inch per month. You will notice dramatic results in the density of your hair after about 4 months.

On the day of your micrograft transplant surgery, make a plan to have someone drive you to the doctor’s office. Also make a plan to have someone pick you up. To ensure your safety, doctors will not let you drive yourself home because you may still feel drowsy, a bit disoriented, and your coordination may still be off.

Arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your appointment in case you need to take care of paperwork. Before the surgery, you will be given a surgical dress to put on over your clothes. You will also be given certain medication prior to your surgery. This may include a tranquilizer and other types of medication to minimize swelling and pain. Use the bathroom even if you don’t need to go. This will eliminate the inconvenience of having to stop in the middle of the surgery because you have to use the bathroom.

Your doctor will again explain the procedure to you. He will mark your scalp in the specific area to be treated and take photos. You will then be taken to the operating room where you will be lying face down on a special surgical bed that is specifically made for your comfort and to keep you in place during the surgery.

Your doctor will begin by trimming a narrow section of your hair that is covering the back of your scalp. Next, using an antiseptic solution, the doctor will clean the scalp on the back of your head. He or she will then numb the donor area by injecting it with anesthesia. The first injection will be slightly uncomfortable and you will feel a sting, which will last very briefly. The medication that you took a few minutes ago will begin to kick in, making you feel more relaxed and calm. Your scalp will also start to feel numb and will continue to feel that way until after the surgery.

The surgeon will also inject the donor area with saline solution. The saline solution will help swell up the donor area, which makes it easier to remove the section of tissue. Your doctor will then take out that section of tissue using a single blade scalpel and pass it over to a group of medical assistants. The medical assistants will then cut the tissue into follicular unit micrografts. During this time, the doctor closes the open section of your scalp with sutures and puts a bandage over the closed wound while applying a soft pressure to lessen the bleeding. At the same time, the medical assistants will cool and trim the transplant tissue and form hundreds of follicular unit micrografts, a process that will take a few hours to finish.

The section of your head where the grafts will be placed will be numbed and the doctor will make very small slits to place the follicular unit micrografts. The surgeon will plant the grafts in places that enables them to grow in a natural pattern. Once that area is filled, the doctor will begin to work on the next site. During this time, many more follicular unit micrografts are being cut by the medical assistants. The surgery will be finished when all the graphs are planted into all the designated sites.

After careful and thorough research, you have decided that micrograft transplant surgery is right for you. You have located a reputable surgeon in your area who will perform the procedure and you have consulted with that surgeon so that he or she has given you the schedule date of your surgery. The next step is to learn everything you need to know in order to be fully prepared for the procedure.

There are certain requirements that you need to follow days prior to the procedure in order to reduce or completely eliminate any possible complications that may arise during and after the surgery. Below is a list of important prerequisites that you must follow immediately after you have scheduled for your micrografting surgery:

1. Do not take aspirin at least two weeks before the surgery.
2. Do not take vitamin E supplements within two weeks before the surgery.
3. If you are a smoker, stop smoking.
4. Do not take nonprescription medications that cause blood thinning.
5. Avoid food supplements that may lead to excessive bleeding during surgery.

The reason for the prerequisites listed above is to eliminate excessive bleeding during the surgery. During the transplant, more than a thousand tiny incisions are made on the scalp. Immediate blood clotting is crucial while the surgery is in progress to prevent the scalp from bleeding profusely. This also reduces the loss of blood from the patient and also helps the surgeon perform the procedure more effectively.

Aspirin and other over-the-counter medications, as well as certain vitamin supplements like vitamin E, lessen the ability of blood to clot, which can lead to excessive bleeding while the surgery is being performed. Extra bleeding during micrografting prolongs the surgery, although it is not a relative medical danger.

Some surgeons administer certain medications during surgery to reduce the amount of bleeding. It is better, however, for the patient to take the additional course of action to ensure a successful surgery as well as a speedy recovery.

Following your appointment for surgery, you’ll be given a prescription for pain control and antibiotics to be used after the operation. The best time to go to the pharmacy and get your prescription is before the surgery. On the day before the procedure, remember to make a courtesy call to the doctor’s office to confirm your appointment and time of arrival.

On the morning of your surgery, wash your hair with a mild shampoo. Avoid using conditioner or anything else on your hair. Make sure you eat light before your surgery, unless your surgeon instructs you otherwise. A light snack includes an apple or a banana. Do not take nicotine or caffeine and do not drink too much liquid. Wear warm, comfortable clothes such as jogging suits with a zippered top because most operating rooms can be very cold, especially if you are lying down still for a few hours. Layers of clothing is preferred so you can easily adjust to the temperature if needed.