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Hair Transplant Donor Area Pain

If you have bald areas on your scalp, a hair transplant procedure offers you the chance to experience permanent hair restoration. This surgery is usually performed in a doctor's office, with minor risks to the patient. Your doctor can tell you about all the possible complications, including hair transplant donor area pain.

  1. The Facts

    • Hair transplant surgery is performed to restore hair to bald areas of the scalp. During the procedure, a doctor uses small needles to administer local anesthesia to the scalp in the donor area where hairs are to be harvested, as well as to the area of the scalp where they will be transplanted. The doctor removes a portion of scalp from the donor area, then the hairs from the donor area are separated and transplanted to a bald area. During and after the procedure, the patient may experience donor area pain.

    Causes

    • Hair transplant donor area pain is usually caused by the removal of scalp. Your doctor will choose a donor area at the back or on the sides of your head that will not be noticeable. After the anesthesia wears off, it is typical to feel pain while your scalp heals from the removal process. If the area becomes infected during your recovery you might experience pain and inflammation as a result of the infection.

    Treatment

    • For regular donor area pain following a hair transplant, over-the-counter pain medication will provide relief from the discomfort. Aspirin, ibuprofen and acetaminophen are all good options. If you experience pain so severe that over-the-counter medicines are useless, talk to your doctor. If the pain is accompanied by the redness and swelling of infection, your doctor will have to prescribe antibiotics to clear the infection and relieve your pain.

    Prognosis

    • It is common to experience some discomfort during the healing process, but after the donor area heals you should feel no lingering pain. If you experience an infection in the donor area it might take longer for you to heal, but with a doctor's care you will soon be infection- and pain-free.

    Considerations

    • Your doctor will discuss potential complications involved in undergoing a hair transplant with you. Donor area pain after the procedure is just one of the risks you will need to consider. Some people experience noticeable scarring in the donor area after a hair transplant. If you experience any unusual pain while recovering, contact your doctor immediately.

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