Did I mess up 4 weeks post HT?

[Snowman420]

Last night marked 4 weeks post hair transplant. I've been stressed over stuff going on in my life, so a few friends took me out last night and I got drunk and had 5 cigarettes. Living in regret today. How hard should I be on myself? I'm not a daily smoker but have nights like last night a few times a year.

 

[Bigmac]

I doubt having 5 cigarettes will have any bearing on your hair transplant. At 4 weeks post-op all the grafts are well and truly secure.

You can double check with your clinic to give you peace of mind.

What surgery did you have?

 

[Snowman420]

I had a 4,000 graft FUE done. I'm going to see my doctor next Saturday for a PRP injection and will discuss. Another thing I'm curious about is that on the day of the procedure I bled quite a bit, which prolonged the procedure. I'm hoping that won't affect the grafts in terms of how long they were out. The procedure probably lasted around 8-9 hours.

 

[Bigmac]

4000 is a big surgery. Some people do bleed more than others during surgery which can cause the grafts to pop out during placement. The doctor will usually apply pressure with gauze, use things like epinephrine to stem the flow of blood.
It does make surgery more challenging but with the right care, staff experience and skill it should not be a problem.
Smoking in general is bad for your health as we all know. If possible, try not to smoke.
Your doctor will be able to confirm everything for you when you visit.

 

[NZK Medical]

Hi @Snowman420, as @Bigmac has said, smoking is not the best for your general health obviously. So long after your FUE there is no reason for you to be concerned any harm was caused. Often a doctor will say refrain for the first days after due to healing. At one month now you should have healed superficially at least. With your scalp clean and probably many of the transplanted hairs shed. If you still have any lingering redness this will dissipate over the next few weeks. Good growth

 

[Snowman420]

Hi @Snowman420, as @Bigmac has said, smoking is not the best for your general health obviously. So long after your FUE there is no reason for you to be concerned any harm was caused. Often a doctor will say refrain for the first days after due to healing. At one month now you should have healed superficially at least. With your scalp clean and probably many of the transplanted hairs shed. If you still have any lingering redness this will dissipate over the next few weeks. Good growth

Thanks for your reply. I was more concerned about smoking affecting the growth of the new hairs as opposed to it affecting the healing process, which I've read both can be issues. There are a lot of articles on smoking and hair transplants, but I obviously read articles with a grain of salt. I just wasnt sure if I should be concerned that I may have affected the new hair growth, or if that was more reserved for heavy daily smokers.

 

[Bigmac]

I don`t think I`ve ever heard anyone say they had a failed HT or stunted growth from smoking. Clinics usually say to refrain from smoking until 10 days after surgery. Heavy smoking could possibly have negative effects but I believe no studies have been carried out.
Maybe you could document your journey in the patient section.