Can smoking kill a hair transplant?

Once you have decided to undergo hair transplant surgery, you will, of course, want to maximize the chances of its success. To help you achieve the best possible results you may need to avoid certain activities, such as smoking, before and after surgery. So how soon after a hair transplant can you smoke? It is a fact that smoking isn’t good for circulation or the body overall. However, if you have the strength and willpower to quit smoking, we certainly encourage it. Though, we haven’t seen a single complaint that smoking has killed transplanted hair or stunted hair growth. During the initial hair transplant healing phase, it’s probably better to at least cut down smoking. It’s also better not to smoke at least 15-25 days prior to surgery if you can.

In an ideal world, we would like to see patients quit smoking completely. However, if this is not possible then we advise patients to stop smoking as soon as possible before their surgery and to continue to avoid cigarettes for as long as possible after their treatment, in order to maximize the chances of a successful hair transplant.

Here are a few ways where smoking can negatively affect the hair transplant process.

Constriction of blood vessels – We know that tobacco smoke causes the body’s blood vessels to constrict and harden. Which is why, less blood is able to reach the scalp, threatening the survival of any newly-implanted hair grafts. To give these fragile grafts the best possible chance of good growth, it is necessary that the maximum amount of blood and nutrients getting to the hair transplant site.

A long time to heal – Smoking can also lead to a more prolonged recovery time following surgery. This is because the chemicals in cigarettes impede the blood’s ability to carry oxygen around the body. With less oxygen getting to the hair transplant area, it may take a longer time for surgical incisions to heal. A lengthy recovery period puts patients at greater risk of infection and poor scarring.

Poor hair growth – The reduced blood flow to a smoker’s scalp can hamper the growth of newly-implanted hair grafts. This is because the scalp is receiving less oxygen and very less essential nutrients necessary for healing and graft survival.

For more on hair & scalp concerns, do follow our blogs on hair loss, hair care, treatments, and solutions and visit the Best Hair Transplant Clinic in Mumbai, by Dr. Vinod Sonawane for any hair concerns. Do leave your questions & comments and we will address them all!