THE EFFECT OF SMOKING ON HAIR TRANSPLANTATION
It is well known that the effects of smoking and tobacco are harmful to the body. In almost every area, tobacco smoke has been proven to have an adverse health effect, including:
- Lungs
- Cervix, cervix
- Vision
- Mood and emotional health
- Cholesterol
- Immune system
- Blood clotting
This guide aims to help smokers understand the impact of tobacco and nicotine on the chances of successful hair transplantation and overall health conditions, including after FUE hair transplantation .
SMOKING AND SURGERY
The chemicals in tobacco are harmful to your blood cells. Nicotine causes the blood vessels in the body to harden and narrow, due to a plaque in your arteries or veins caused by smoking. This restricts the oxygen that can go to all your internal organs. This procedure can also be applied for anesthesia. Essentially, the smoker’s body is less likely to move the anesthetic around the body and can cause complications in the surgery.
Medical authorities in the UK recommend quitting smoking at least one week before any surgical procedure. Even this short period of time can reduce the potential risk of complications, even with the safest procedures. In addition, the chemicals found in cigarettes cause the blood to change consistency and thicken. This increases the likelihood of blood clots in general, but is particularly risky for surgeries as appropriate clotting is required to stop bleeding without damaging the incision site. Also, for serious surgery, abnormal blood clots can cause serious health problems.
BEFORE HAIR TRANSPLANT
Although hair transplantation is a safe and non-invasive surgery, it is still mandatory to take all precautions to evaluate the health of the patient and to minimize the risk. At Almira Hair Transplant, we ask our patients to quit smoking at least one week before their planned treatment. Hair transplant recovery can be greatly improved and the overall success of the surgery can vary significantly. If no smoking, after FUE hair transplant, the patient’s donor and transplant area can heal much faster and regrowth can be better and healthier.
One of the most important reasons for quitting smoking before surgery is to prevent excessive bleeding. It is natural to have bleeding during and after FUE hair transplantation and other transplantation techniques. This will be monitored by the surgeon and reassessed at a consultation the morning after your hair transplant. However, smoking can cause the patient to bleed excessively or clot too quickly.
SMOKING AFTER HAIR TRANSPLANTATION
Almira Hair Transplant requires that smoking be kept to a minimum after hair transplantation and instructs all patients not to smoke for two weeks after FUE hair transplantation and other procedures.
The two weeks following your procedure are the most delicate in the healing process of hair transplantation . Therefore, smoking after a hair transplant may continue to affect the success of the procedure. As above, smoking affects the body’s immune system, and a person who smokes typically takes longer to recover from a hair transplant than a non-smoker. Additionally, smokers are at a higher risk of developing postoperative infections.
Recent studies also show that smoking increases the chance of necrosis or skin death. In severe cases, these hair follicles are permanently damaged and may cause hair transplantation to fail. Smoking is also linked to hypertrophic scarring. This is just a type of hyperactive scar, but it can make scars appear more noticeable after FUE hair transplantation and FUT.
SMOKING AND NON-SMOKING HAIR TRANSPLANT RECOVERY PROCESS
Experienced surgeons in Longevita take every care to achieve a successful hair transplant. Hair transplant recovery guidelines will be given to patients and explained in consultations to maximize the chances of success and the desired appearance. However, surgeons point out that there is a difference in the hair transplant healing processes of smokers and non-smokers. Even if all pre and post-operative processes go smoothly, smoking patients experience numbness, bleeding and recovery problems.
