Is hair transplant painful?

If you are one of the many Americans who have been affected by baldness, you are not alone. According to the American Hair Loss Association, by the age of 35, two-thirds of American men will experience some degree of hair loss, and by the age of 50, approximately 85% of men have significantly thinning hair. While many people believe baldness only affects men, it’s quite the contrary. In fact, women make up 40% of hair loss sufferers. No matter who you are, hair loss-whether total loss or thinning- can have devastating results on a person’s confidence and self-image.

Does this sound like you? If so, hair transplant surgery may be the best option for you. One of the most common questions for any procedure is “is it painful?” We all know how sensitive our scalps can be- even pulling out a strand of hair can hurt! However, in the case of hair transplant surgery, there is less to fear than you think. Actually, many patients equate this procedure to going to the dentist- possibly in inconvenient, slightly uncomfortable event with the same degree of manageable discomfort.

When the numbing wears off after the surgery, many patients experience a tender, sore scalp while other patients report have no pain at all. With the advancements in technology, there is minimal cutting, resulting in marginal pain, depending on the techniques that are used. That is why it’s imperative to do your research and ask your doctor what method he or she uses. Doctors who use the latest technique use only the follicular unit instead of large amounts of surrounding donor graft tissue.

Remember to do your research, go to your doctor prepared with a list of educated questions, and speak to the doctor’s past patients to hear first-hand accounts of their experiences.