Hair transplantation without shaving the head

A hair transplant without shaving the head sounds like a dream; but is it possible? How is it performed? A hair transplant without shaving the head may seem like a dream to many patients who fear returning to everyday life after a hair transplant procedure.  

Shaving the head for a hair transplant procedure

In fact, hair transplantation without shaving using the famous FUE technique is not something common, and using alternative methods such as the FUT technique – which may not require shaving – is actually not advisable due to the many complications compared to FUE and given that the so-called “strip method” will leave you with a “beautiful” scar for life.

So you have to shave your head with hair transplantation … always? Is a hair transplantation possible without shaving of the head? And how should it be done? What are the advantages and disadvantages of not shaving the scalp before surgery? In the following lines we will give the right answer to all these questions and many more.

Hair transplant without shaving the head – How can it be done?

Many men don’t like the idea of shaving their head before a hair transplant. Can you do a hair transplant without shaving your head? The answer depends on each patient. Generally, it is not necessary to shave all the hair before the procedure if only a small area is to be treated; for example, it is not the same intervention to have 4,000 follicles implanted than another with only 1,000 follicles just to cover some bald spots or the forehead.

Many surgeons prefer to shave the entire head because it gets a better view of the hair follicles and it is more convenient to select the grafts; but the truth is that transplantation without shaving is technically possible and eliminates many of the aesthetic disadvantages of the operation. However, at the same time, FUE hair transplantation with the no-shave technique makes the intervention longer and more complicated, and of course more expensive.

Hair transplantation and shaving the head

In order to perform a hair transplant without shaving, the surgeon must choose an ideal donor area in which a small area will be shaved; if the patient has long hair, the intervention becomes much easier because then the shaving will be carried out alternately with and without hair, so that the former can naturally cover the latter below. This type of intervention is possible when the patient has a hair length of about 6-7 centimetres.

The operation then continues with the extraction of follicles one by one from the donor area and implanting them in the recipient area, as in a normal FUE intervention; besides, in some cases a hair transplant without shaving area is also possible, but this makes the operation much more difficult. In fact, although a hair transplant without shaving the whole head sounds good, it has several limitations and disadvantages … Let’s talk about them.

What are the disadvantages of FUE hair transplantation without shaving the head?

As mentioned earlier, most surgeons prefer to shave the head completely during hair transplantation. An intervention without shaving the scalp is generally more complicated, less hygienic and can have more side effects. Therefore, although technically possible, if you ask them: “Can I get a hair transplant without shaving my head”, they will simply answer “No”.

Disadvantages of not shaving the head are:

• This can only be carried out in patients with long hair or where the baldness is not in an advanced stage.
• The medical team will be able to extract fewer follicular units in one session. Therefore, it will be necessary to undergo several operations to obtain similar results.
• By limiting the donor area to a smaller one, there is a greater risk of complications due to over-extraction.
• Both washing and care of the hair and scalp are more complicated.
• The cost of FUE hair transplantation without shaving is usually higher than normal.

Shaving the head completely before hair transplantation has many advantages, mainly:

• Both follicle removal and implantation are simpler, faster and more precise. The medical team obtains a better and much clearer perspective of the donor and recipient area, thus facilitating intervention.
• Cleaning the scalp during operation becomes much easier. The risk of entanglement or loss of hair follicles in the hair during implantation in the recipient area is completely eliminated.

Do you have to shave your head before a hair transplant? In conclusion, we can say that hair transplantation without shaving is possible, provided that the area operated on is small and the surgeon considers it feasible. At Clinicana we are highly experienced in all types of hair transplants and our highly qualified medical team will give you the best advice. Read hair transplant reviews in Turkey and see why we are the best clinic!