Royce Hair Lab

Shock loss after a hair transplant: when it starts and ends

Why shock loss happens after a hair transplant, how long it lasts and whether the hair grows back. When to contact your doctor.

  • 4 min read
  • Last updated:
  • Written by: Royce Hair Lab editorial team

4 sectionsStart reading

With any surgical or interventional procedure, results vary from person to person. You are advised to get a detailed opinion from your doctor before the procedure. Images are representative; they do not show our clinic or real patients.

On this page 4
  1. What is shock loss?
  2. When does it start and end?
  3. Why does it happen?
  4. When to contact your doctor

What is shock loss?

In the weeks after a hair transplant, some transplanted hairs, and sometimes existing hairs around the area, fall out. The root stays; only the hair shaft falls and the follicle enters a resting phase.

When does it start and end?

It usually starts between weeks 2 and 8 and is most visible in month 2. New hairs start to grow from month 3.

Why does it happen?

The follicle is briefly cut off from blood flow during transfer and enters a resting phase while healing. Nearby existing hairs can also react to the stress of the procedure.

When to contact your doctor

  • No growth at all by month 6,
  • Increasing redness, discharge or pain in the recipient area,
  • Clear, patchy loss in the donor area.

You can send photos on WhatsApp during this period to keep your progress followed.

Sources

This guide draws on the general sources and regulations below.

  1. Hair loss · MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
  2. A hair transplant can give you permanent, natural-looking results · American Academy of Dermatology

The information on this site is general and does not replace an examination or diagnosis.

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