With 95% of our hair in the 2-6 year anagen (growth) phase at any given time, it’s only natural for your hair to experience significant changes over 10 years [1]. Transplanted hair is no different, and you can be sure that your hair will change significantly from those early days post-transplant.
Certain factors can indicate how well a hair transplant was performed or how it has been cared for. Age-related changes may also be visible, which may include greying, thinning out, and hair shedding.
Curious about the results of a hair transplant after 10 years? In this article, we’ll explore:
Key takeaways
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here are some real-life examples of hair transplants after 10 years — or close enough. In these images, you’ll see how a hair transplant can dramatically change your look and offer lasting results.
This patient had a successful FUT procedure at the Wimpole Clinic using 700 grafts. She requested an increase in hair density above her ears and around the temples, where she had lost hair due to a facelift and its subsequent scars.
8 years later, her results look incredibly natural. She’s retained the increased hair density she wanted, and there’s no reason that her transplanted hair shouldn’t keep growing until the 10-year mark and far beyond.
This patient had a 1,000 graft hair transplant using FUT at the Wimpole Clinic. This was his first hair transplant, and he was in his mid-20s at the time of the procedure.
In the first image, you can see he has significant hairline recession due to male pattern baldness. Almost 7 years later, his results are indistinguishable from a thick head of natural hair.
You might be wondering if a hair transplant is permanent, and, if so, how long does a hair transplant last? The short answer is a lifetime.
Successful, well-performed hair transplants will last your whole life, and follow the natural ageing process. This means that hair transplants performed with donor hair will turn grey or white, and will be susceptible to natural signs of ageing.
A hair transplant will also follow the hair growth cycle, meaning you will see shedding and hair growth throughout your life as normal.
Of course, the overall success of your hair transplant lasting a lifetime is also dependent on your hair transplant aftercare, long-term care, and how you style or treat your hair. If your hair is constantly in tight-fitting hairstyles, you are more susceptible to conditions such as traction alopecia. Failure to look after your new grafts may lead to hair falling out after a hair transplant.
In many cases, one hair transplant is enough to get the results you want for life. However, factors such as hair transplant infection, patchy regrowth, or further hair loss may call for additional procedures.
These elements usually present themselves before the 10-year mark, and your surgeon will advise whether you’re likely to need more than one procedure to get lasting results. If you see patchiness and hair loss at any point after your transplant, speak to your clinic for further advice.
There are several phases of the hair transplant timeline, but most changes happen within the first few months. See earlier stages of the post-transplant timeline in our series:
Yes. Transplanted hair acts exactly the same as other hair, meaning it shares the same genetic characteristics as the rest of your hair.
Melanin production within the hair follicles begins to slow down as we age, resulting in grey hair becoming prominent. Because of this, hair around the head, including the donor area, will turn grey, and the transplanted area will follow suit.
Artificial hair transplants, meanwhile, won’t turn grey, as the hair isn’t from your own head, meaning results look much less natural as you get older. Find out more about Biofibre hair transplants.
In short, yes. Surgical techniques are constantly advancing, and hair transplants performed today are likely to offer more natural-looking results in 10 years than those performed in the past.
For example, many surgeons now combine hair transplants with complementary therapies like PRP hair treatment, which may improve outcomes [2]. There’s also the matter of FUE vs FUT: FUE leaves minimal scarring but only began to become widespread from 2010 onwards, so many people who had a hair transplant over 10 years ago may have visible scars from follicular unit transplantation (FUT) if they wear their hair short.
These visible scars are much less common today due to surgical advancements like trichophytic sutures and follow-up FUE procedures.
Hair transplants were less mainstream over 10 years ago. The industry is expanding rapidly, and the number of monthly hair restoration surgeries performed has increased by nearly 8% between 2021 and 2024 [3]. With growing demand comes a greater number of high-quality clinics — for example, the Wimpole Clinic now has clinics nationwide, from Newcastle to Brighton.
With any procedure comes the risk of side effects, and hair transplants are not exempt. Most hair transplant side effects are short-term, such as shock hair loss, post-transplant scabbing, and post-transplant swelling.
Fortunately, hair transplant complications are rare, with just 1 in 1,000 patients likely to experience complications after FUT or FUE surgery [4]. However, if complications do occur, they can lead to long-term side effects, which we’ll explore here in more detail.
Hair transplant scarring is a common concern, and is a large reason why many people now opt for an FUE over an FUT transplant, as the former is much less invasive than the latter. Minor scarring is to be expected from a hair transplant but FUE scars are nearly invisible, while FUT leaves a linear scar in the donor area.
FUT scars can easily be concealed by growing your hair longer around the donor area or having a minor FUE procedure to hide scarring.
Most hair transplant scars will have faded substantially 10 years down the line. However, poor closure technique can cause long-term visible scarring. This may not matter if you wear your hair long, but it can be a problem when trying certain hairstyles.
Scar closure techniques have progressed over the years, which has improved long-term results with FUT. For example, trichophytic closure is a common modern technique designed to minimise visible linear scarring by allowing hair to grow through the scar line.
The image above shows an unacceptably wide scar from FUT surgery. A scar is a normal part of healing, but a wider one can happen if the donor area or individual skin properties were not properly assessed by the surgeon [4].
Hair transplant overharvesting happens when a surgeon overestimates the number of hair grafts needed for a transplant, and therefore harvests too many from the donor area. This is a common problem with cheap clinics abroad, such as some hair transplant packages in Turkey.
This can be a significant problem for many people as it can lead to scarring, as well as leaving insufficient hair grafts for future procedures. It can also lead to patchy areas with no donor area to fill them.
Source: Kerure AS, Patwardhan N. Complications in Hair Transplantation. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2018 Oct-Dec;11(4):182-189. doi: 10.4103/JCAS.JCAS_125_18. PMID: 30886471; PMCID: PMC6371733.
Permanent skin damage (called necrosis) can happen in the donor area during FUE if too many grafts are harvested from one spot or if poor tools are used, like a large, low-quality punch moving too fast [4].
If you experience a hair transplant infection during the first few weeks after a transplant, and it is not properly treated, there is a risk of scarring, pigmentation of the skin, or even necrosis in the transplanted area.
This does not disappear, as it scars the skin and prevents the hair follicles from producing new growth. However, rates of hair transplant infection are low [4], and it is a very unlikely side effect when a transplant is performed at a reputable clinic by an experienced surgeon.
Although most single-performed transplants last a lifetime, according to the ISHRS, 31.9% of hair transplant patients receive more than one transplant to achieve the results that they desire [6].
Some common reasons that people may opt for a second hair transplant include:
Here, we’ll explore each of these potential reasons for a second hair transplant after 10 years in more detail.
Transplanted hairs are permanent, but surrounding hairs may continue to thin or fall out over time due to genetic factors. This can create new areas of thinning or balding that weren’t addressed during the first procedure.
A skilled surgeon will plan for this eventuality by making sure your hair loss is stable before transplantation and avoiding overharvesting in the donor area, in case future procedures are needed. It’s common to be prescribed Minoxidil or Finasteride after a hair transplant, as these medications can prevent further hair loss.
Some people opt for a second hair transplant to improve the appearance of donor area scars, especially if they had an FUT procedure. FUE can be used to implant hair into the scarred area, helping blend it more naturally with the surrounding hair.
You don’t need to wait 10 years for a minor FUE procedure to cover scarring. However, some people who had FUT surgery over a decade ago may now choose to conceal their scars.
For large areas of hair loss, more than one hair transplant session may be required. This is because surgeons can only transplant a certain number of grafts in one day safely.
At the Wimpole Clinic, we recommend at least a 6-12 month gap between procedures when a second hair transplant session is planned in advance. This allows time for proper healing and growth before your next transplant session.
Minoxidil and Finasteride are the most commonly prescribed medications to support a hair transplant. Often, these are used pre-transplant to stabilise hair loss for best transplant results.
However, surgeons often advise continuing with one or both of these medications to maintain results and help minimise the need for future transplants. Research and industry experts suggest these medicines work well to improve hair transplant results:
Lifestyle factors can have a big impact on the success of your hair transplant after 10 years. For example, smoking can impact hair transplant results — it’s linked to slower healing rates and can weaken your immune system [9], putting you at greater risk of a hair transplant infection. For this reason, surgeons recommend stopping smoking for at least 3-6 weeks before and after your transplant.
Your diet has an impact too. Nutritional deficiencies such as a lack of iron, vitamin D, zinc, and biotin are linked to hair loss, and serious deficiencies could affect the results of your transplant. Learn more about vitamin deficiencies and hair loss.
Chronic stress can also impact the results of a hair transplant after 10 years — one study found that women with high stress levels were 11 times more likely to lose hair than those without [10]. Stress can increase the risk of hair loss conditions like telogen effluvium [11], which can affect native and transplanted hair.
Other lifestyle factors that may negatively influence the results of your hair transplant include excessive sun exposure (too much sunlight is not good for your hair), poor scalp hygiene, and excessive use of heat tools which can cause heat-damaged hair.
If you’re looking for a hair transplant that will go the distance, look no further than the Wimpole Clinic, awarded best hair transplant clinic for four years running. The best way to ensure excellent results is by picking a reputable clinic with experienced surgeons who offer comprehensive aftercare.
If you’re experiencing hair loss, or you’ve had a hair transplant but you’re still losing hair, we recommend consulting a trichologist. Once any underlying health conditions have been ruled out, we can help.
The Wimpole Clinic offers consultations with a professional hair transplant surgeon for post-transplant patients. Our trichology team can also help provide you with hair loss treatments, including FUE, FUT, and Afro hair transplants for anyone looking to restore further hair loss after a transplant.
Book a free consultation at your nearest clinic location to find out if you’re a good candidate for a hair transplant and ask the questions you really want to ask about hair transplantation.
Yes, transplanted hair can thin or miniaturise over 10 years, especially if the donor hair is not genetically resistant to DHT. Donor hair is generally more permanent than native hair, but it can still be affected by DHT in some cases and is not immune to the effects of other hair loss conditions.
Yes, it can be harder to find a suitable donor area for a second transplant 10+ years later. Hair in the donor area may have thinned due to previous extractions or ongoing hair loss.
Experienced hair transplant surgeons plan for this eventuality by avoiding overharvesting and leaving as much donor hair untouched as possible. However, in some cases, further transplants may not be suitable and your surgeon may recommend other treatments.
In some cases, further touch-up procedures or PRP treatments can be helpful to maintain high-quality hair transplant results. Transplanted hairs are generally permanent but the surrounding native hair may thin over time. PRP can boost hair density, and minor touch-up procedures can improve coverage or address ongoing hair loss.
It’s possible for hair texture or colour to change over time post-transplant. Transplanted hair retains the characteristics of the donor area, but ageing or medical conditions may affect the texture or colour of that hair. If your donor hair changes over time, your transplanted hair is likely to change in the same way.
Wimpole Clinic Services:
Hair Transplants, Beard Transplants & Eyebrow Transplants.
Talk to a specialist
With experience in all steps of the transplant process, including graft extraction, incisions, and graft placement, as well as proficiency with all incision methods – including sapphire blades – Dr. Correia (GMC 7426938) possesses an in-depth skill set at the disposal of his clients’ wishes.
His clientele has included celebrities, professional athletes, and social media influencers, all seeking discreet, high-quality care tailored to their public-facing lives.
Having undergone extensive training under the guidance of pioneering hair transplant surgeon Mr. Michael May at the esteemed Wimpole Clinic, he has developed a wealth of expertise in the field of hair restoration. His experience and mentorship under Mr. Michael May have equipped him with cutting-edge techniques and a profound understanding of the intricate art and science of hair transplantation. This comprehensive training has positioned him as a skilled and innovative practitioner in the realm of cosmetic surgery, ready to deliver exceptional results to his clients.
Having graduated from University College London with a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, along with a bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience, he continued with a 10-year career in the NHS in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, focusing on surgical specialties, including Emergency, Colorectal, Breast, and Transplant Surgery.
Dr. Correia enjoys combining his interest in the science of hair transplantation with his upbringing in an artistic family to create natural aesthetic designs that complement his clients’ unique features. He also understands how important the decision to undertake a hair transplant can be for his clients and prioritises collaboration throughout the process for optimal outcomes.
