Is Smoking Having Any Impact on Hair Transplant Results?

Is there anything wrong with smoking before A Hair Transplant?

Is there anything wrong with smoking before A Hair Transplant?

Smoking is a common habit worldwide and its end can’t even be predicted by researchers. Ideally, a number of individuals aged 16 and above smoke cigarettes, marijuana or consume any kind of drug in this context.

At this juncture, we would love to come up with an answer as to whether smoking can affect your hair transplant.

Smoking & Hair Transplantation

Just like several surgical procedures, a doctor provides various instructions prior to the surgery. Although there are no studies that confirm any complication in smokers after a hair transplant surgery, hair transplant surgeons largely prohibit their patients from smoking prior or post the surgery. This is because there is an array of side effects that can occur after the surgery. Obviously, expect a question pertaining smoking during your consultation.

How Must you Moderate Smoking?

It is quite difficult for a patient to quit smoking towards a hair transplantation surgery, but a patient must either moderate or abstain from smoking for a period of one week prior to the surgery. To others, it is even necessary to postpone the hair transplant surgery in case it might involve more risks. Some of the easiest ways to help you quit or moderate smoking towards your surgery aren’t dissimilar from the general ways to stop smoking and they include;

  • Throwing away cigarettes packets or containers

  • Becoming more engaged in work and responsibilities

  • Talk therapy

  • Stay focused and positive among others

On the other hand, hair transplant surgeons require their patients to avoid smoking at least 10 days after a hair transplant.

Why is it necessary to avoid smoking prior to the hair transplant surgery?

Cigarettes contain nicotine which causes the blood vessels to harden and constrict. As a result, there will be a reduced blood flow to your scalp, which is also worsened by the carbon monoxide in the smoke.

Although the patient may observe no need to stop, a reduced blood flow will slow down the healing process after the hair transplant surgery which increases your chances of infection and extent of scarring.

For starters, smoking may cause no side effects of this kind after the surgery, but to habitual smokers, they may move ahead to experience poor healing, something that can antagonize the hair transplant results.

Related side effects of a prolonged healing process include

  • Crusting

  • Scabs

  • Necrosis

  • A thicker scar tissue

Similarly, you may need to quit smoking prior to the hair transplant surgery in order to reduce chances of excessive bleeding during the procedure.

Cases of excessive bleeding during the surgery will surely affect the surgeon’s speed (prolong the surgery period) and hair transplant efficacy.

Will smoking affect my hair transplant results?

Just as explained above, smoking can trigger various unwanted conditions that can indirectly sabotage your hair transplant results. To prevent associated risks, your surgeon may have to reschedule your surgery to avoid complications like respiratory issues after the surgery.

An experienced surgeon will provide various instructions suitable for individual hair transplant needs.

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