Being unable to grow a full, healthy beard can be distressing for men and can negatively impact their self-esteem. If you’ve decided to fix your beard bald spots surgically, you are likely eager to learn all about your beard transplant timeline: how long recovery may take, what complications to look out for and most of all, when you can expect to see your results.
You will be happy to know that since beard grows faster than hair, you can see postoperative regrowth sooner than you would for a scalp hair transplant – in just around 3-4 months [1][2]. However, you will still need to exercise patience regarding the final surgery outcome, as it can take about a year to see your full results. This article will tell you all you need to know about your beard transplant recovery timeline, such as:
If you have recently had beard restoration surgery or are considering doing so in the near future, here is what you can expect in terms of healing and recovery:
As soon as your beard transplant is completed, your donor area will be bandaged, and you will receive a specific set of aftercare instructions. Your surgeon may also prescribe painkillers and antibiotics during the following days [2].
Don’t worry if your chin looks a bit frightening at this point – you may see some swelling, redness and light bleeding in the donor and recipient areas, and the grafts may look very conspicuous.
Once the local anaesthetic wears off, you may feel some tenderness and pain. However, this is all normal, the sensitive skin on your face has just been operated on – and these symptoms will subside in the following days.
The first few days after your procedure are usually the most difficult. You will likely experience some redness, swelling, light bruising and pain in your donor and recipient area. If you had an FUT transplant, your donor area may take longer to heal, and the discomfort may be more intense due to the fact you had an entire strip of skin removed from the back of your head. However, you can use some over-the-counter painkillers to take the edge off.
After the first 2-3 days, the wounds where your grafts were harvested and reimplanted will start to scab, which may make your skin feel itchy. However, it is important that you resist the temptation to scratch, as it can pull out or damage your beard grafts. If needed, you can take some antihistamines to help relieve your discomfort.
This time frame is the most delicate, as your grafts have not yet been securely attached and are exceptionally fragile. It is also when most complications, such as infection or folliculitis, can happen. That is why it is very important that you strictly follow the aftercare instructions your surgeon provided.
One of the main things you have to remember is to keep your beard area clean and dry for at least 5 days [3]. This means you can’t wash or shave this part of your face yet, and you need to be careful while eating or drinking so food doesn’t contaminate the transplant area.
By this time, most of the scabs on your beard area should have started to fall off, and you can safely wash your facial hair and remove the remaining ones. Be sure to do so gently, with lukewarm water and a gentle shampoo recommended by your surgeon.
By the 8th day post-surgery, shaving is also safe if you are so inclined. However, keep in mind that is a common hair loss myth that your hair or beard grows faster or thicker if you shave them. It may, however, help your appearance if you are starting to experience facial hair transplant shock loss. This is a completely normal process involving the hair on your transplant area temporarily falling out and the follicles going into a dormant stage. Worry not. Your new beard will start to grow back about 3 months after your procedure.
Once you’ve reached the 2-week mark, you should no longer be experiencing significant side effects such as pain, swelling or itching. If you notice any concerning symptoms that don’t seem to subside, contact your surgeon for advice. By this time, you can already safely perform most of your pre-transplant activities (however, be sure to discuss it with your surgeon if you plan to perform exceptionally strenuous physical activities).
One month after your beard transplant, your new facial hair grafts should be securely attached, and there are likely no more restrictions on living your life the way you’ve always used to. However, shock loss might have left you with a patchy beard, and you may start to worry that your transplant results will be underwhelming. In most situations, this is not the case; your beard regrowth hasn’t started yet.
By the end of the third month, you will likely start seeing an encouraging difference as your new facial hair starts coming in. It may not do so all at once, so you can expect some patchiness, which will likely diminish over the following months.
During this period, your facial hair should get progressively thicker and fuller. It is a good idea to grow out your beard, as the added length and texture can mask any spots that may still be thinner. If you do so, a good beard grooming routine and moisturising your cheeks and chin can improve your facial hair health and density.
This is an unlikely occurrence, but if you don’t see any hair regrowth by the end of the 4th month since your beard transplant, be sure to set a follow-up appointment with your surgeon. They will assess your healing and be able to determine whether your newly-implanted beard follicles are functioning properly.
In most cases, you only need a little more time and patience. However, there are also rare situations when a second procedure might be necessary if a significant number of grafts haven’t survived.
This is the time frame you have been waiting for – when you will at last be able to see your final beard restoration results. Most men who have had this procedure achieve significantly fuller facial hair by the 12th month of recovery than they had before the surgery.
Beard transplants have a high percentage of hair regrowth, so if the procedure was successful and your expectations were set appropriately, you are likely to be satisfied with the outcome. Research shows that most patients do not require subsequent touch-up procedures [2].
If by the 12th month, your facial hair growth does not meet your expectations, do not lose heart just yet. Give it another month or two, as some men take longer to see full results than others. At the same time, don’t hesitate to get your surgeon’s opinion on your progress. They will assess your beard growth and let you know whether you can expect improvements.
It is normal to experience temporary symptoms like redness, swelling, bruising, itching or pain for a few days after your facial hair restoration surgery. However, if you start to experience more severe symptoms during your recovery, be sure to inform your surgeon immediately.
While the chances of developing postoperative complications are very low, getting them addressed immediately can prevent serious health problems. So during your healing, be sure to keep an eye out for symptoms of [4]:
Moreover, there are some potential complications which do not pose a threat to your overall health but can significantly affect the appearance of your beard transplant [1][2]:
If you want to minimise the possibility of developing complications and get the best beard transplant results, it is a good idea to do the following:
Your final beard transplant result depends on many factors, such as your biological characteristics, surgeon skill, and aftercare thoroughness. However, if they are performed by experienced surgeons in well-reputed hair transplant clinics, the vast majority of beard transplants do indeed look natural. In most cases, the results cannot be distinguished from a native beard simply by looking at them.
Opting for an FUE procedure (presently the most popular option) can make your beard transplant even less conspicuous. That is because unlike FUT, which leaves a fine scar on your donor area, FUE leaves virtually no scarring.
If you’d like to see just how natural your beard transplant may look when performed by skilled surgeons, here are some of our patients before and after their procedure:
If you are tired of constantly styling around a bad beard, facial hair restoration surgery can be just what you need. Book a consultation today with one of our world-class surgeons and find out whether you can benefit from a beard transplant and how it can improve your facial hair.
Our dedicated surgical team will diagnose the cause of your beard hair loss, and if you are eligible for surgical restoration, they will patiently walk you through the entire procedure.
The best part about getting a beard transplant is that it does not only have an almost 100% success rate, but it is also a long-term solution to your facial hair woes. Just like a hair transplant is permanent, you can enjoy your facial hair restoration for decades to come.
So, while beard transplant costs can be higher than those of non-surgical beard growth treatments, this procedure is a lifetime investment in your rugged appearance and increased self-confidence.
If there are more details that you’d like to know about your beard transplant recovery timeline, you may find them in the answers to these frequently asked questions:
If your job does not require physical labour, you can return to work as soon as you feel comfortable. It is, however, recommended you take at least a few days off to rest and recover after your beard transplant.
Should you work in a field that involves strenuous physical activity, it is best to wait at least a week to 10 days before returning to your job (it is a good idea to be cleared by your surgeon before doing so).
Using Minoxidil for beard growth (per your surgeon’s recommendation) may help improve your facial hair density and thickness. However, you will still likely need to wait about 3 months before seeing hair regrowth after shock loss, though topical Minoxidil may help reduce your beard telogen effluvium.
The itching and discomfort experienced after your hair transplant should normally subside about a week into your recovery. If more than 10 days have passed and your beard area itch has not improved or has worsened, be sure to contact your surgeon to rule out post-transplant complications.
As long as you wait at least 8 days after your surgery to shave your beard, you should be safe to do so. That is because, around this time, your grafts are secure enough not to be damaged by pressure or the motion of the beard strands. Shaving your facial hair carefully merely shortens the hair shafts but does not stop their growth or affect the beard follicles, which are below the skin.
Simply fill in your details in the form below and we'll get in touch with you shortly.
Δ
