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]. Looking at a hair transplant after 10 years, you can recall those first few nail-biting months of properly caring for the newly implanted hair, and assess the quality of your current hair growth, as well as the changes your hair has experienced throughout.
Certain factors can tell you how well your hair transplant surgery was performed or how well you have cared for it. Other elements may indicate hair changes that are related to age. These may include greying, thinning out, and hair shedding.
This article will look at some real patient photos of hair transplants after 10 years and cover some of the most frequently asked questions.
There is no doubt that the pictures above show a significant difference over the course of 10 years. This patient previously had a noticeable receding hairline as well as thinning on the crown, all of which can be signs of male pattern baldness, which is the leading cause of hair loss in 95% of male cases [2].
His hair appears to be a different colour which could indicate that he has either dyed it, or it has become darker as the hair has grown thicker and denser.
This patient was evidently edging on the later stages of the Norwood scale prior to his hair transplant procedure. The band of hair that usually separates the crown from the hairline had thinned substantially.
Following a 2,000-graft hair transplant, this patient has filled the patches on his crown and created a fuller, natural head of hair over 10 years. Some men achieve quicker hair growth by using products such as Minoxidil or Finasteride alongside a hair transplant.
James Nesbitt’s hair transplant has aged amazingly. The star’s first transplant was actually performed around 15 years ago, and he’s said to have recently undergone a fifth.
Nesbitt was experiencing androgenetic alopecia which caused a receding hairline along with thinning on the crown.
15 years later, we can see that his natural hairline and crown are sporting a denser supply of hair. He also seems to have chosen to stick with his natural grey colour. See more celebrity hair transplants before and after.
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.
10 years is a good marker of your long-term hair transplant success. Your surgeon may suggest future hair transplant procedures if they believe you will benefit from them. However, factors such as hair transplant infection, patchy regrowth, or further hair loss may call for additional procedures. Find out if you’re likely to need more than one hair transplant.
These elements usually present themselves before the 10-year mark. If you see patchiness and hair loss at any point, speak to your clinic for further advice. See the hair transplant recovery timeline.
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 in the donor area and around the head will turn grey, and the transplanted area will follow suit, ageing naturally.
Artificial hair transplants, meanwhile, won’t turn grey, as the hair isn’t from your own head. So it looks much less natural as you get older. Find out more about Biofibre hair transplants.
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.
However, there are also some long-term side effects to watch out for, especially if you have hair transplant complications.
Hair transplant scarring is a common concern for many people who undergo hair transplant surgery and is a large reason why many individuals now opt for an FUE over a FUT transplant, as the former is much less invasive than the latter.
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 can be a problem when trying certain hairstyles.
Hair transplant overharvesting happens when a surgeon overestimates the amount of hair grafts needed for a transplant, and therefore harvests too many from the donor area.
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.
If you have experienced a hair transplant infection during the first few weeks after a transplant, and it was 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 affects the hair follicles from producing new growth.
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 [4].
Some common reasons that people may opt for a second hair transplant include:
It is common to be prescribed Minoxidil or Finasteride after your first hair transplant, as these medications can prevent further hair loss.
A period of between 3-5 years will usually pass before a second transplant is considered, as you need to allow time for new hair growth to form. This is due to the 2-4 year anagen (growth) phase of the hair [5]. If a second hair transplant is planned in advance, there should be at least a 12-month period between the procedures, to allow proper healing and growth.
If you’ve had a hair transplant, but you’re still losing hair, we recommend consulting a doctor. Once any underlying health conditions have been ruled out, we can help.
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 your free consultation at the Wimpole Clinic to find out more and ask the questions you really want to ask before a hair transplant surgery.
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