Most clients undergoing a hair transplant can expect permanent results without any anticipation that they’ll need an additional procedure. However, there are a number of scenarios in which you may want to consider a second hair transplant.
For example, a second hair transplant may be needed to increase density and coverage. Also, we consult with clients who are looking to schedule a hair transplant to correct alopecia linked to scarring, where the process normally requires multiple stages or is carried out as a gradual hair transplantation over time to avoid excessive strain and pressure on the scalp tissue. [1]
In some cases, clients with male pattern hair loss, or androgenetic alopecia, [2] can require second hair transplants, usually because the initial procedure has been performed too early, without considering the likelihood for further hair loss to occur.
However, our specialist hair transplant experts can advise during your zero-cost consultation whether now is the optimal time or whether we’d recommend an alternative hair restoration therapy to avoid unnecessary multiple transplants. [3]
Reasons Second Hair Transplants May Be Necessary
- For the vast majority of clients, a hair transplant is a one-time procedure without any need to consider further surgeries, but much may depend on the timings, the skill of your surgeon, and the way your hair changes over time.
- There are genuine reasons a second transplant could be appropriate, such as when you are embarking on an initial hair transplant and are advised that a further procedure will be needed due to the ongoing nature of pattern hair loss.
- Sometimes, a second hair transplants are needed after a failed or partially failed transplant—something we most often see when clients opt for a low-cost, low-quality procedure, typically completed overseas.
Understanding the Likelihood of Needing a Second Hair Transplant
Professional hair transplant procedures completed by accredited, skilled surgeons have a high success rate, although studies show that, in some cases, transplanted follicles may fail, with slight reductions in density impacting 55.35% of people. [4]
Here at KSL Clinic, we are delighted to have an incredible success track record with thousands of happy clients. However, we recognise that, sometimes, a hair transplant may be better performed in the future to avoid an intervention too early when pattern hair loss is still progressing.
We also deal with second hair transplants for clients who are unhappy with the results achieved after their first procedure elsewhere.
This is a delicate and bespoke process where we need to be incredibly careful to deliver on client expectations while repairing poor quality work, concealing uneven transplantation patterns and protecting donor sites from overharvesting.
Our Director of Surgical Services notes, ‘We would only suggest a hair transplant with an expected second procedure in very specific circumstances, and in almost all cases, the treatment is a one-time solution that offers permanent results.
Second hair transplants are complex and require exceptional precision, and I’d suggest any client needing an additional procedure book a consultation with our GMC-registered, CQC-regulated teams to ensure they make informed decisions.’
Common Reasons for Needing a Second Hair Transplant
The typical reason a client requests a second hair transplant is that the first wasn’t successful or was completed using substandard techniques or skills. This means the regrowth is patchy and unnatural, or the follicles simply fail.
However, other factors can include:
- Failure to adhere to aftercare guidance, causing disruption and damage to the freshly implanted follicles, such as swimming within two-weeks post procedure, or using harsh chemicals or soaps.
- Subsequent hair loss due to ageing or genetic hair loss patterns, where too early a transplant can inevitably mean further changes to the client’s hairline or thickness will mean they see new areas of hair loss developing.
- High-stress levels, where a traumatic experience, life event or illness could mean existing or transplanted follicles are affected.
- Accidental issues, such as an injury or burn that leaves a scar, and means follicles stop growing either around the original transplant or donor areas, or elsewhere on the client’s scalp.
We also come across concerns where clients have had a cheap or low-quality transplant and discover that overharvesting in the donor site means that, even if the transplant looks reasonably good, they have new patches of hair loss appearing.
In this instance, a post-procedure supplementary hair transplant may be the only viable way to correct the overharvesting.
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How to Avoid the Necessity of a Second Hair Transplant
The best advice is to consult an experienced, respected, and regulated hair transplant provider who will only perform a procedure following a thorough clinical evaluation of your scalp and hair and with quality aftercare support to minimise any potential need for a second procedure.
It is wise to steer clear of red flags, such as worryingly low procedure prices, a lack of qualifications or regulation, guarantees of unrealistic results, or providing little or no advice about aftercare, hair restoration therapies, or recovery treatments to prevent ongoing hair loss.
We might, for instance, recommend a medication like minoxidil or a series of non-surgical platelet-rich plasma therapies, which prevent further hair loss, restore hair health and thickness, activate dormant cells, and expedite recovery times after a transplant.
This ensures our clients can proceed with confidence, referring to a huge library of testimonials and celebrity stories to go into the hair transplant process with the assurance that a skilled, accomplished team will complete their procedure to the best clinical standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it Possible to Have a Second Hair Transplant?
Theoretically, yes, but this may not be necessary and will depend on whether there are enough viable, healthy donor follicles to repeat the process.
There could be options to activate new growth using medication or hair restoration therapy if we don’t think a second hair transplant is the right option, or we cannot recommend this due to the absence of sufficient donor hairs.
Second hair transplants are delicate procedures, and if you decide this is the best way forward for you, we’d usually suggest waiting at least one year, and ideally longer, before scheduling a subsequent transplant.
Why Are Second Hair Transplants More Complex Than Initial Procedures?
One of the key issues with second hair transplants is that, for the exacting FUE process to work, we need access to enough donor follicles to replenish the areas affected by hair loss or thinning.
Clients who have already had one transplant, especially where the provider has overharvested hairs from one site, may not have enough donor follicles for us to complete the procedure without impacting the appearance and growth density in other areas of the scalp.
