What Causes Swelling After Hair Transplantation?

Hair transplantation is a cosmetic surgery done to improve your aesthetics. However, you receive the best outcomes by undergoing surgery under an experienced hand. Therefore, choosing an experienced surgeon for your aesthetic improvements is vital. In addition to making you aesthetically pleasing, hair surgeries also help tackle hair loss caused by trauma. However, it is crucial to understand that, like every surgical procedure, a hair transplant also carries a few risks.

After undergoing hair transplantation, you may notice pain and swelling in your eyes, forehead, and scalp. Many reasons may cause it, but you will see an improvement in your condition in a few days. However, it is exceptionally usual to experience swelling after a hair transplant.

Swelling may occur immediately after the transplant. Moreover, it may occur at different places on your scalp. However, you may control this common side effect by adopting the precautions suggested by the experts.

Reasons for swelling after hair transplant procedure

Various reasons may cause swelling after hair implants. It may be caused by allergic reactions to drugs. Some of the most common reasons for swelling after a hair transplant include:

1. Serum

Your scalp needs space to transplant the hair shafts. To create the space in your scalp, a hair transplant specialist injects the serum into your scalp during the procedure. The gap is made to provide more room for the hair shafts for proper growth. Moreover, it enhances the chances of healthy implants. The serum is given after an anesthesia injection, and you cannot remove it after the transplant. A forceful removal may lead to oedema and swelling in the scalp region. However, the swelling reduces once you get out of bed. When you start to walk, you may see a reduction in swelling.

The serum flows down the scalp and gets collected in the eye area when you walk. That is why you must not bend your head after hair restoration surgery. If you keep tilting your head, you may develop swelling in the temple area. In addition, the serum injection depends on the area covered by the hair transplant. Therefore, the level of swelling differs for every person.

2. Hair transplantation

Hair transplant may cause swelling on the scalp and forehead. As the hair is plucked from the roots, you may develop swelling in the donor area. Moreover, swelling is expected in the FUE hair restoration method. The surgery creates micro-channels in the scalp, causing a minor trauma. Your body works cautiously to recover from such traumas, leading to swelling in the transplant area. However, it is a natural process, and you will get relief in a few days.

3. Anesthesia

Anesthesia and sedative drugs can also cause swelling post hair transplant surgery. However, the swelling level depends on anesthesia and the medications used. Moreover, it may cause oedema and allergic reactions to your scalp. These reactions may result in pain and inflammation.

The serum injected into the scalp is the prime reason for swelling. Moreover, slight swelling may result from anesthesia allergy and hair transplantation.

How long does swelling last after hair transplantation?

Swelling after a hair replacement procedure is natural and unavoidable. However, you may wonder how to control this unpleasant reaction. The time to control swelling depends on your general health and the precautions you take after the procedure. Generally, you may see a decline in the swelling within 3-5 days of the transplant. However, when your eyes, forehead, and scalp are swollen, you may feel uncomfortable.

If the swelling does not reduce in 3-5 days and you experience pain, rashes, and high fever, it is time to visit your hair specialist. It is vital to note the symptoms and ask for help from your surgeon. If your condition worsens, you must see your hair surgeon immediately. Sometimes, swelling may be followed by pain and inflammation.

If you want to consult one of the best hair surgeons for your treatment, you may contact ALCS Clinic. Our expert hair surgeon Dr. Sunil Arora has performed several hair transplant surgeries in his career. He has successfully performed hair replacement procedures like the FUE hair transplant, the FUT transplant, and strip hair transplantation. You may contact us to get the best results from a hair transplant surgery.


ALCS Hair Transplant and Cosmetic Clinic, under the leadership of the internationally recognized Cosmetic Surgeon, Dr. Sunil Arora, specializes in hair restoration and cosmetic procedures. With a focus on quality, ALCS Clinic offers a range of Hair Transplantation and Cosmetic Surgery Services under one roof.


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