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Do I Need to Shave My Head or Cut My Hair Before a Hair Transplant

Dec 24, 2021

hair transplant procedure

Do I Need to Shave My Head or Cut My Hair Before a Hair Transplant

It is not necessary to cut your hair or shave your head before a hair transplant. There might be times where the doctor might say that only parts of the head might be shaved depending on the procedure. This article will help you understand whether you need to cut your hair or shave your head before going for a hair transplant.

How does FUE Hair Transplantation Work?

FUE or Follicular Unit Excision procedure uses the back and sides of your scalp, from which the grafts containing one, two, or three follicles are individually extracted. These grafts are removed with the help of a small punch tool. These grafts are then placed into small recipient sites made in areas where you desire the hair.

How does FUT Hair Transplantation Work?

During FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) process, your surgeon cuts a strip of skin from your scalp. This is generally done from the back of your head. The width of this strip is typically between 1 to 1.5 cm (0.4 to 0.6 inches) wide, depending on the number of follicles required to cover the bald spots. The individual hair follicles that are removed from the strip are then inserted into your scalp.

What is a Robot Hair Transplant?

This is a minimally invasive and completely automated hair transplantation process. The technique uses specialized technology along with a robotic arm. This arm accurately extracts and transplants hair follicles into the target areas with thinning hair on the scalp. The process doesn’t use any surgery. This system is used during the FUE hair transplant process.

Can FUE and FUT be Done Without Shaving?

Usually, people hesitate to shave the back and sides of their heads. However, using the robotic hair transplant technique, you don’t need to shave your entire head, and it is possible to leave most hairs at their normal length. In other words, FUE can be done without shaving. During the FUT procedure, each follicle is individually removed from the patient’s scalp.

Therefore, most surgeons prefer to shorten the hair in the donor area for better visibility and accurately identify and extract healthy follicles.

Related Read: COMPARING FUE VS. FUT HAIR TRANSPLANT PROCEDURE – WHICH IS BETTER?

How to Prepare for Hair Transplant

If you plan to go for a FUE transplant to restore your hair, eyebrows, or beards, find an experienced and skilled surgeon to do so. Consult with them before the procedure whether you need to stop taking certain medications, and follow all other recommendations to assure that you have the best healing.

Also, be prepared in case of male pattern hair loss and consider medical therapy to help slow down balding. Your doctor might recommend certain blood tests like CBC, HCV, Random blood sugar, PT, APTT, bleeding time, clotting time, etc., to be conducted before the surgery. Additionally, you may need to take the following precautions:

  • Do not smoke for at least two weeks before the procedure
  • Avoid eating any spicy food the night before your surgery.
  • Wash your hair well with any shampoo 2 days prior to the surgery.
  • If you suffer from any allergies, inform your doctor about them

If you are looking for effective and affordable hair restoration solutions in Chevy Chase, contact Mane Center for Advanced Hair Restoration. Our experienced, board-certified surgeon, Dr. Burka, is specialized in performing the latest hair transplant and restoration procedures with effective results. We can create a personalized and efficient hair restoration solution for you.

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