HAIR TRANSPLANT AND SMOKING

21 September, 2020 | Hair Transplant | Author : Shveta Virmani

India has vast expertise for getting the hair transplant procedure done. Hair Transplant in India can be looked at as an affordable way to get the transplant done without having to worry about the kind of service you will be getting.

Before going for hair transplant there are few things that you must keep in mind. Hair Transplant and Smoking does not go hand in hand. Smoking affects the quality of the hair to a great extent and can cause negative effects on the hair transplantation. Smoking is a number one cause of hair loss and should be avoided when a person plans to go for a hair transplant.

What is the risk of smoking?

Smoking is one of the major causes of some of the most serious health conditions. It affects the respiratory system of a person which makes it hard for a person to breath if you have been smoking for a long time.

Smoking increases the risk of all kinds of cancer including different cardiovascular disease. While smoking may affect the health of a person in general, the greater question is, how does it affect the loss of hair?

We all know that blood circulation plays a vital role in the health of a person and can affect the hair of a person by keeping it from getting oxygen. Lack of oxygen causes the hair follicles to die due to the presence of nicotine in the blood vessels. Nicotine can constrict the blood vessels and deprives it of oxygen.

Hair transplant and smoking are very alarming once paired together. Smoking cigarettes keeps your hair from getting oxygen which elongates the healing time of the hair transplant. This can also cause infection post-surgery.

A patient needs to stop smoking before hair transplant as a precautionary measure.

The question of whether a patient should stop smoking before the procedure is a common question asked. Here are a few questions that make the entire topic of Hair Transplant and Smoking more clear.

Can I smoke After or Before the Hair Transplant?

Smoking can negatively affect the blood circulation in a person. Even mild smoking after hair transplant should be avoided. A person should not smoke after or before the hair transplant.

This should be done about a week from the procedure and should be continued two weeks after the procedure. The experience of hair transplant is much better if a person stops smoking altogether months before the hair transplant.

What Happens if You Smoke?

Smoking or vaping before hair transplant results in not getting the expected result from the procedure. Vaping after hair transplant affects the oxygen supply that reaches the hair affecting the growth of hair. The same can be said about smoking before and after the hair transplant procedure. The implanted grafts need high oxygen supply and should be high on nutrients.

If hair transplant and smoking is done together then the hair ends up not getting enough nutrients because of the presence of nicotine and other toxic substances from the cigarette. Therefore smoking must be avoided to let the hair breathe while allowing the hair to get proper nutrients at the same time.

Post recovery can also be affected due to smoking due to the lack of oxygen supply. It ends up extending the recovery process post-surgery. In some cases, the delay in healing can also develop the infection. This is the reason why hair transplant and smoking should be avoided together and is a bad combination to even look at. Highly refraining from smoking cigarettes should be considered while getting the hair transplant done.

When can I smoke again after the hair transplant?

No one in the world can stop a person from smoking unless a person wants to. If you look at the damage done by smoking, you should avoid smoking altogether. However, keeping in view the hair transplant and the fact that it should not alter the healing process of hair transplant, a person is supposed to wait for at least two weeks before getting a hair transplant.

This allows the hair grafts as well as the surgical incisions enough time to heal. This is very important to consider as it will decrease the chances of a person to catch an infection. It is highly advised by a person to not smoke for quite some weeks after the treatment is done to ensure 100% results from the hair transplant.

What do I have to pay attention to?

Hair Transplant in India is a procedure that every man goes for. However, there are certain things that a person should be paying extra attention to while going through the procedure. The diet of a person should be closely watched. Coffee and Alcohol are two things that a person should refrain from while getting the procedure done. Apart from that, a person should also stay away from any kind of strenuous activities for about a week and should not touch their hair grafts. It is okay to get the hair wash done and sleep while laying on the stomach. This will prevent the head from laying on the pillow, preventing contact to the hair altogether. It is very important to avoid the sun and sunbathing for at least three months as it tends to damage the hair.

Any query regarding hair transplant should be asked right away especially if the concern is related to smoking. Questions such as “can I smoke hookah after hair transplant?” are the common ones.

Smoking,

Hookah, Vaping all have some effect on the procedure and are considered very harmful for the body. Tobacco is anyway considered to be harmful to health and has many negative side effects, such as:

Lungs
Vision
Immune System
Cervix
Blood
Clotting
Cholesterol
Emotional well being of a person

All of this can be taken care of if a person stops smoking. The effects of tobacco and nicotine are immense and can take a toll on hair transplant treatment as well. Tobacco and Nicotine can even affect the FUE hair transplant while being negative for their overall health as well.

FAQs

You should not smoke after a hair transplant procedure. Smoking can impair blood circulation. Following a hair transplant, quitting smoking is recommended for the best results. It may be helpful to try to stop smoking in the weeks before a hair transplant to ensure the best outcomes possible.

You should not smoke for at least 4–6 weeks after your hair transplant procedure. The longer you wait to quit smoking, the greater the possibility that your body will preserve the effects of the transplant procedure and allow the new hair to develop to its maximum potential.

Smoking can cause fatty deposits to develop in blood vessels. This condition is called arteriosclerosis. Cigarette nicotine causes the blood vessels to constrict. Blood vessels constrict, preventing blood from reaching the skin's surface.

Second-hand smoke can have the same effects on the blood vessels and heart as smoking, but the likelihood is reduced if you quit smoking.

You must be careful of your diet, which must strictly limit alcohol and coffee. Avoid strenuous activity for nearly a week, wait to wash your hair unless your doctor gives the all-clear, and avoid lying face down. Also, avoid sunbathing and sun exposure for approximately three months.

Your doctor will inform you about the risks of smoking and the consequences it has on your health. It is generally advised that you quit smoking a few weeks before the procedure because smoking harms grafts and increases the chance of hair loss with time, particularly if you have a family history of the condition.

However, a healthy scalp is necessary for a healthy hair head. It is essential to stop smoking if you want to keep your scalp healthy. It is therefore advised that you stop smoking at least two to four weeks before the surgery. Smoking can harm your hair cells after a hair transplant.