When Do Scabs Fall Off After Having a Hair Transplant?

Key takeaways:

• Is it normal to have scabs after a hair transplant? Yes. Scabbing is a natural part of the healing process after a hair transplant. Scabs are essentially small red or brown crusts that form when the blood and tissue fluid from the incisions made into the scalp dry out. 
  
• How long do hair transplant scabs take to fall out? You will notice that your scabs start to loosen and fall out within 7-10 days. By the 14 day mark, you should largely be scab-free.
  
• Should I pick or remove the scabs myself? Never intentionally pick at or remove the scabs yourself. During the early post operative period, the hair follicles are not yet fully embedded in your skin. If you pick at your scabs or forcibly remove them, you risk removing your hair follicle grafts with them. Instead, they should be allowed to fall off naturally, while you follow the aftercare guide.
  
• When can I wash my hair after a hair transplant? Follow any instructions given to you by your surgeon. For the first three days at least, you will not be able to wash your hair. Instead, you are usually advised to keep the area well sprayed with saline spray at regular intervals. From the fourth day, you can gently pour a foamy mixture of lukewarm water and baby shampoo over the head in order to wash it. This does not involve touching your scalp at this point.
  
• When should I contact my surgeon about persistent scabs? If you still have significant scabs 14 days after your surgery, then that is a good time to check in with your surgeon and make sure everything is as it should be. 

Scabs will form immediately after having a hair transplant and should wash away after 7-10 days. They are a normal consequence of the procedure, and you should not be alarmed if you notice your implanted hair follicles have scabbed over. These scabs might appear like small, dried-up spots of blood. After the scalp heals over 7-10 days, they will eventually fall off, leading to normal hair growth.

You will see the formation of scabs immediately after surgery (left and middle) and the scabs washing away by day 7 (right) above

There is no way to prevent red scabs forming after a hair transplant. However, it’s crucial to the recovery process that patients do not forcibly remove the scabs. Read on to learn more about how to manage these scabs.

Scabs After Hair Transplant: Why Do They Occur?

A scab is a natural defence your body has to help it crust over a wound after an injury and prevent it from getting infected. Scabs are made from dried blood cells (platelets) that usually clot in a wound to form the crust. The scab remains for as long as the wound takes to heal.¹

Scabs form after a hair transplant due to the cutting of the scalp. Hair transplants involve extracting hair follicles from a donor site, which are then inserted into micro-incisions at the recipient site. Each incision causes a break in the skin. Patients will notice individual red scabs after a hair transplant at each incision site. It’s a sign that the recovery process is going well.

How Long Do Scabs Last After a Hair Transplant?

Usually, scabs begin to develop 1-2 days after the hair transplant. The scabs peak around 3-4 days and disappear within 7-14 days.

Each patient’s recovery timeline is different. Some patients become scab-free relatively quickly; meanwhile, it might be 14 days for others before their scabs fall off. It is also common that you will have some mild itchiness or redness during this time. Watch out for signs of infection, like your scalp appearing extremely red or swollen.

The timeline of recovery remains similar for hair transplants regardless of the technique being used. Follicular unit excision (FUE) involves a hole punch to remove each follicle, which is then inserted into the recipient site via microincisions. Follicular unit transplantation (FUT), on the other hand, involves strip harvesting; a technique where a section of skin is removed from the back of the scalp.² The skin is cut into strips, which are then inserted into the recipient’s site. 

There are no differences in the scab formation between FUE and FUT hair transplant surgery and at The Treatment Rooms London we see the same level of scabbing in both procedures.

Can You Remove Scabs After a Hair Transplant?

You can remove scabs by washing your transplant. At The Treatment Rooms London, patients are able to wash away their scabs almost entirely by day 7 following surgery. However, be careful to remove them gradually and not by picking them off with your nails.

Scabs protect the implanted hair follicles from infection and inflammation, forming a protective crust. If you remove this crust with your nails, you risk introducing bacteria and other pathogens into the recipient site. This can cause an infection that may jeopardise the success of the hair transplant.

Picking at the scabs can also disrupt the underlying hair follicles. In the first few days following the transplant, the hair follicles are relatively unsecured. If the scab is removed, the follicles can fall out of the recipient site⁴. This will affect the final appearance of the transplant.

“Scabs are a component of the body’s natural healing process, it forms over the wound, which allows for processes that facilitate healing to occur underneath while the grafts become more established in the scalp. As the healing process progresses, the scab itself dries out and falls out as the skin underneath recovers.

Forcibly removing the scab with the healing skin underneath may risk disrupting that process and reopen the wound, and possibly taking the grafts along with it. Once a graft has been completely removed, it cannot simply be put back in. This is why we advise patients to let the scabs come away naturally and follow their washing and aftercare instructions closely.”

Dr Roshan Vara, Co-Founder and Hair Transplant Surgeon at The Treatment Rooms London

Washing Scabs Away After Hair Transplant

At The Treatment Rooms London, we will provide detailed aftercare instructions and follow up relevant to your procedure. Always follow this advice over general recommendations you may read about online.

Here are some tips:

• Avoid immediately washing your hair. The riskiest period is the first 72 hours post-transplant. The grafts remain insecure. Do not wash your hair with your fingers during this period. Your grafts will need to settle into place.
  
• Use a gentle shampoo. Harsh shampoos or conditioners filled with fragrances and other chemicals can irritate your scalp. Any form of irritation risks the viability of a hair transplant. Use a mild, non-medicated shampoo⁵. If you’re unsure what to use, speak to your surgeon.
  
• Wash gently. Avoid rubbing or massaging the area for the first 7 days. Let the shampoo sit for 5 minutes before rinsing it off with lukewarm water. Avoid high-pressure showers for the first 2 weeks, as this can disrupt the hair follicles.
  
• Moisturise the scalp. If the scabs continue to persist for longer than 7-10 days, you can apply a light moisturising oil to the scabs to soften them. This makes it easier to wash them away.
  
• Let your scalp air dry. Minimise any rubbing of the recipient site. It’s best to let your scalp air dry. Remember, all the grafts are not anchored firmly into the scalp until 2 weeks following surgery. Intensive rubbing will disrupt the grafts.
  
• Do Not Pick. Picking is extremely harmful to your grafts. Any itching, picking, or disruption will affect the success of your grafts and can risk introducing an infection.

What Should I Do If the Scabs Don’t Fall Off?

Most patients are scab free by 7-10 days following surgery. If you are having issues with your scabs, it is a good idea to get in contact with your Surgeon to see if there are any other things you can do. All patients should be scab free by 14 days following surgery, and if you are still seeing some scabs, you must speak to your Surgeon.

“Some patients may still have a small amount of scabbing even after two weeks, this can happen if they are very cautious in washing, or the scalp has not fully healed yet. At a review appointment, we would check the progress of healing. Persistent scabbing itself is not necessarily a problem, but signs of increasing redness, swelling, pain or pus would need to be assessed as they could indicate an infection or another complication.”

Dr Roshan Vara, Co-Founder and Hair Transplant Surgeon at The Treatment Rooms London

Quick Tips For Getting Rid Of Scabs After A Hair Transplant

• Normal Timeline: Scabs usually develop 1–2 days post-transplant and fall off naturally within 7–10 days.
  
• Do Not Pick: Avoid removing scabs manually to prevent infections or damage to the grafts.
  
• Gentle Washing: Use a gentle shampoo and wash the scalp carefully when instructed, ensuring no rubbing or irritation.
  
• Persistent Scabs: If scabs remain beyond 14 days, consult your surgeon for advice—this may indicate slower healing or too much caution when washing.

Get In Touch With The Treatment Rooms London

A successful hair transplant depends on the skill of your surgeon. Here at The Treatment Rooms London, we work closely with patients to design a personalised plan that works for them. We’ll discuss the pros and cons of each approach, helping you make an informed decision.

Even after the procedure, we continue to support you every step of the way. If you’ve got any concerns about red scabs after a hair transplant, we’re here to help. We can answer your questions, prevent any complications, or refer you to another specialist. We’re committed to your transplant’s success.

Book a consultation today to learn more about our options. From FUE to FUT hair transplants, we’re leading industry experts. As the winner of Hair Restoration Clinic of the Year 2023, we know you won’t see better results anywhere else.

Want to understand how a hair transplant can help you? Secure your no-obligation consultation with our London hair transplant clinic. Our award-winning team, including leading London hair transplant surgeons Dr Fernando and Dr Vara, are here to support you every step of the way.

References

1. Phillips SJ. Physiology of wound healing and surgical wound care. ASAIO Journal. 2000 Nov 1;46(6):S2-5. Available at: https://journals.lww.com/asaiojournal/fulltext/2000/11000/Physiology_of_Wound_Healing_and_Surgical_Wound.29.aspx/1000
   
2. UnitedCare. Scabs After a Hair Transplant – Should You Worry? (A Dermatologist’s Answer). Available at: https://www.unitedcareclinic.com/blog/hair-transplant-scabs/
   
3. Sharma R, Ranjan A. Follicular unit extraction (FUE) hair transplant: curves ahead. Journal of maxillofacial and oral surgery. 2019 Dec;18(4):509-17. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12663-019-01245-6
   
4. Bernstein RM, Rassman WR. Graft anchoring in hair transplantation. Dermatologic Surgery. 2006 Feb;32(2):198-204. Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1524-4725.2006.32033.x
   
5. Schweiger D, Schoelermann AM, Filbry A, Hamann T, Moser C, Rippke F. Highly efficient and compatible shampoo for use after hair transplant. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology. 2015 Jul 22:355-60. Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2147/CCID.S86015