If you suffer from male pattern baldness or female pattern hair loss, a hair transplant is often the most effective way to help you restore your hair. That’s why there’s been a 157% increase in global hair transplant procedures since 2008 [1].
However, this is just the start of their hair restoration journey for some people. Many people turn to hair fibers after a hair transplant to achieve thicker and fuller hair.
But what are hair fibers and are they suitable for use after hair transplant surgery?
Hair fibres are artificial strands of hair that are usually made from keratin. Keratin is the same protein that makes up your natural hair. Other types of hair fibers are also made from nylon, cellulose and rayon. These fibres use an electrostatic charge to merge with your existing hair, producing a thicker, fuller appearance.
Hair fibres can camouflage bald patches, so they’re popular with people experiencing hair loss. Hair fibres can also be used after a hair transplant operation to give the appearance of thicker, fuller hair while your transplanted hair follicles take root and begin to grow.
Hair fibres usually have a powdery consistency. Choose the colour that best matches your natural hair tone.
Then shake the fibres out onto your freshly washed and dried hair, particularly in thinning areas. You should do this before you use any styling products. Afterwards, pat or massage your hair gently to blend the fibres into your hair.
Some brands such as Toppik and Nanogen include a spray to help your fibres last longer.
Hair fibres will work until you next wash your hair, so the effects are short-lived. However, they are safe to use on a daily basis, and can help hide your hair transplant while your new growth comes in.
Bear in mind that there are many products on the market of varying quality. Purchasing hair fibres and hair thickening spray from specialist hair loss clinics makes it more likely that you will receive a more effective product.
Certain brands also claim that their hair fibres are resistant to wind, rain, and sweat. This can be important if you spend a lot of time outdoors or in the gym.
You can use hair fibres after a hair transplant regardless of whether you’ve had an FUE or FUT procedure. Both hair transplantation techniques have an excellent success rate. However, there is an extended recovery period for both types which involves some hair transplant downtime, and impacts how soon you can use hair fibres after a hair transplant.
We recommend that you allow your hair transplant to heal completely and your transplanted hair follicles to settle in before using any products, including hair fibers. This usually takes up to 1 month. If you’re not sure when you can start using them, speak to your hair transplant consultant.
Although it can be tempting to use products like hair fibres to conceal your hair thinning hair post-transplant, it’s wise to resist. These products interfere in the healing process which can negatively impact the success of your hair transplant if used too soon. To save money and disappointment further down the line, it’s important to give your hair transplant the best opportunity to take root.
However, when the initial healing period is over, you’re free to use hair fibers as much as you like while your new hair grows. Because new hair growth after a hair transplant is a slow process, this is a great way to boost your confidence while you wait.
It can take up to 18 months for you to see the impact of a hair transplant. While your new hair grows, hair fibres are an excellent temporary measure for covering up bald or patchy hair.
However, if more than 18 months have passed and you haven’t seen the hair growth results you were hoping for, you may want a more permanent solution than hair fibres.
Some people require 2 or more hair transplants before they achieve the results they’re looking for, so talk to your hair transplant clinic about your results. They may be able to recommend alternative therapies such as medication, vitamin infusion or laser hair loss treatments to boost and thicken your hair growth.
Celebrities including Wayne Rooney and David Beckham are said to use hair fibres to top up their thinning hair. Learn more about Wayne Rooney’s hair journey and David Beckham’s hair transplant.
If you’re considering using hair fibres or any other kind of hair product after a hair transplant, talk to your consultant to find out if this is the best solution for you.
Our experienced hair loss consultants are on hand to talk you through all the treatment options available to restore your hair and your confidence.
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