Thinking about a hair transplant? You’re probably wondering, “Will I have a scar?” Short answer—yeah, you will. But don’t get freaked out. Scars are just your body’s way of patching things up. The more you know about what’s coming, the better you’ll feel about it.
What actually causes these scars?
Hair transplants work by moving hair follicles from one spot (usually the back of your head, but sometimes even your chest) to a spot where you want more hair. This process isn’t exactly gentle on your skin. Every surgery, even a small one, leaves a mark—and hair transplants are no different. The scar’s visibility depends on a few things: the method your surgeon uses, how quickly your skin heals, and how well you take care of yourself after the surgery.
FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) and FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) are the two main ways to do a hair transplant. Each leaves a different kind of scar.
Surgeons use FUT to take a strip of skin, usually from the back of your head, to get the hair follicles. With FUT, surgeons take a strip of skin—usually from the back of your head—to get the hair follicles. This leaves a long, thin scar where they removed the strip. If you wear your hair short, you’ll probably see it. It’s usually about a centimeter wide, but the final look depends on your hair type and your body’s healing power.
FUE works differently. Instead of taking a strip, the surgeon pulls out individual hair follicles, one at a time. No big scar here—just lots of tiny dots scattered where the follicles came from. These dots are tiny (think less than a millimeter wide) and usually blend in well, especially if you keep your hair a little longer. But if your hair is very short, or if the surgeon took out a lot of follicles close together, you might notice them.
So, will hair actually grow over the scar?
This is something almost everyone wants to know. Here’s the deal: with FUT, that long scar is permanent, and hair doesn’t typically grow right on top of it. Hair will grow around it, though, and sometimes that’s enough to hide it if your hair is long or thick enough. With FUE, the scars are so small and spaced out that your hair usually covers them up pretty well—though not always perfectly.
No one wants a scar on their scalp to stand out. What can you do to keep it hidden? Here’s what really helps:
- First, pick a great surgeon. Experience matters—a lot. A skilled surgeon knows how to remove follicles and close up the skin in a way that keeps scarring minimal. Don’t cut corners here
- Next, do exactly what your doctor tells you after surgery. Don’t skip the post-op instructions. Stay out of the sun, don’t pick at your scalp, use the ointments—seriously, just follow the rules. It really cuts down on scarring and reduces your risk of infection.
- If you’re going for FUT, ask about something called trichophytic closure. It’s a special way of stitching up the wound so hair actually grows through the scar, making it blend in better.
- Give your scalp time to heal. This process isn’t quick. It takes months for the area to fully recover and for scars to fade as much as they’re going to. Don’t rush it or mess with the grafts.
- And finally—avoid tight hairstyles for a while. Ponytails, braids, anything that puts tension on your scalp can make scarring worse. Let your hair and scalp relax until everything’s healed up.
Let’s talk about the different kinds of scars you can get after a hair transplant.
1. Linear Scars (FUT)
With FUT, you get a straight-line scar where the surgeon took the strip of skin—usually running from one ear to the other along the back of your head. If you keep your hair long, you can probably cover it up. But if you like your hair really short, like a buzz cut, that scar’s going to show.
2. Dot Scars (FUE)
FUE is different. Instead of a long scar, you end up with lots of tiny dot scars in the donor area. These are usually pretty subtle, even if you wear your hair short. Still, if the extraction wasn’t done carefully, the dots can stand out more than you’d like.
3. Keloid Scarring
Sometimes, the body goes a little overboard with healing and makes keloid scars. These are thick, raised, and can be itchy or uncomfortable. They’re more common if you have darker skin, though anyone can get them. If you know you tend to form keloids, definitely mention it to your surgeon before you go ahead with anything.
4. Hypertrophic Scars
These scars are a bit like keloids, but they stick to the area of the original wound and don’t spread. They can look red and raised at first, but the good news is they usually flatten out and fade with time.
5. Scar Tissue and Hair Growth
People always ask if hair will grow right through a scar. Usually, it won’t—scar tissue doesn’t work like normal skin. But sometimes, especially with FUE, you might see some hair growing around or even through the scar, depending on how the procedure went.
How to Deal With Hair Transplant Scars
If you don’t like how your scars look, you’ve got a few options for repair or hiding them.
1. Scar Removal Treatments
Some folks go for treatments like laser therapy or steroid shots to shrink or lighten scars. These tend to work better on newer scars, but even older ones can improve.
2. Hair Transplant on Scars
It’s possible to do another transplant right over the scar. FUE is usually the method of choice here because those tiny dot scars are much easier to hide.
3. Scalp Micropigmentation
If you want to skip surgery, there’s scalp micropigmentation. It’s basically tattooing tiny dots on your scalp to mimic hair follicles and blend in the scar. It’s especially popular for covering up FUT scars.
Will Hair Transplant Scars Fade?
Most scars fade over time. Right after surgery, they’ll look red and pretty obvious, but give it six months to a year and they usually get lighter and less noticeable as your body heals. FUE scars are often barely visible after you heal, especially if your hair’s a bit longer. FUT scars can take longer to fade, and if you keep your hair short, you might always see a bit of that line.
Conclusion
Worried about hair transplant scar ? You’re not the only one. Lots of people stress about this. The key is to know what to expect, talk honestly with your surgeon, and learn about your options. Whether you go with FUE or FUT, there are ways to hide or fix scars if you want. With a good doctor and a little patience, you can end up with great results and barely-there scars.
