Sometimes, after a hair transplant surgery, a condition known as shock loss occurs. Shock loss is when your natural pre-existing (aka native) hairs fall out. This can occur in the recipient as well as the donor zones. This hair loss causes new areas of baldness that were not there previous to the hair transplant.
Shock loss occurs due to the stress of surgery and the body’s response to that stress. Anytime we have a surgical procedure, we are putting the body through a type of stress. Stress responses differ from person to person.
In hair transplant surgeries, we sometimes see shock loss as a stress response. This happens because the surrounding follicles near the extracted or implanted grafts because traumatized or “shocked” by the procedure.
The good news is that shock loss is often a temporary condition. The hairs usually return during the next hair growth cycle (2-6 months). In cases where the hair loss is permanent, the hairs that were effected by shock loss were likely weak follicles. This means that they were on their way to dying off and becoming bald areas soon.
There are ways to avoid shock loss prior to and during hair transplant surgery. Avoiding mega-sessions, being informed about the hair loss and growth process, and choosing a surgeon that utilizes a precise hand technique as opposed to robotic all play a role in shock loss.
Post-surgery shock loss and graft-shedding are sometimes mistaken for each other. To clarify, shock loss refers to your native hairs falling out near where grafts were extracted or placed. Shedding refers to the newly transplanted grafts cycling through the natural hair growth cycle. Graft-shedding is natural part of the hair transplant process.
If you would like to learn more about hair transplant surgery and what it entails, give us a call for consultation.
Tag Archives: fue mega-session hair transplant
Do FUE hair transplant mega-sessions work?
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ntly there has been a trend in hair transplant centers offering FUE mega-sessions. FUE mega-sessions consist of offering 4,000+ grafts extracted and placed in one sitting.
This is much more than the typical 1,000-3,500 grafts that are usually extracted and placed in a typical FUE procedure.
Many individuals assume the more grafts extracted and placed, the better. But more does not always equal better, as is the case with FUE hair transplants.
With a higher number of grafts extracted in one sitting, the risks of shock loss, scarring, and low-graft survival rate increase. In another article, I break down how each of these risks is increased by an FUE mega-session.
Obviously, increased hair loss, scarring, and minimal graft survival are not desirable hair transplant results. The likelihood of good results with a mega-session just doesn’t outweigh the likelihood of bad results.
So how do we achieve high graft hair transplants for those patients who need it without doing a mega-session?
When a high number of grafts are needed to achieve the desired density and fullness the patient wants in their hair, it is often better to utilize multiple surgeries over time. This allows the scalp to heal and newly transplanted follicles to grow naturally and fully.
This in turn yields better results over time, as shock loss is reduced, scarring is minimal to non-existent, and graft survival rate is high. You are much more likely to see the full results of a high graft FUE hair transplant if the surgery is split up.
Something else to keep in mind when evaluating FUE mega-sessions is the honesty and transparency that may be lacking in surgeons offering these procedures. I recently met with a patient who had a quote from a hair transplant surgeon for a 10,000 graft FUE mega-session. This graft count is clearly inflated. It is frankly not possible to extract 10,000 grafts in one sitting, let alone produce a successful hair transplant. This surgeon is banking on the lack of education in his potential patients.
Your best defense in avoiding scams and botched surgeries like these is to do your research. Make sure your surgeon is a U.S. medical doctor, you’ve read reviews and evaluated before and after pictures, and they are certified by the ISHRS with many years of experience.
If you’d like to learn more about the FUE method of hair transplantation and get a graft and price quote for your specific hair needs, give us a call for a free consultation today.
