Folliculitis after hair transplant | Cause and treatment

hair transplant is one of best ways to treat hair loss or baldness, but this surgery just like every treatment method has some side effects, however few and insignificant. One of complications that we are going to discuss in this article is folliculitis after hair transplant.

 To get the necessary information about folliculitis after hair transplantation, stay with us until the end of article.

Complications after hair transplant

Hair transplantation has also undergone many changes in recent years, which has led to improvement of surgical method and reduction of complications. Nowadays, FUE-based hair transplant methods are mostly used for hair transplantation, where there is no need to remove a strip of skin tissue from donor area. Instead, by making very small holes, only one follicle unit is harvested from head at a time. In this way, there will be no more traces of sutures and scars.

Hair transplant with all benefits and advantages also has side effects. For example, redness, inflammation, pain, dryness and flaking of head are common and natural side effects of hair transplantation. Folliculitis is another side effects that clients usually experience after hair transplantation; Folliculitis is usually harmless and is even a positive sign of treatment process. In rest of this article, we will talk more about folliculitis after hair transplantation.

What is folliculitis?

Folliculitis is the inflammation and infection of hair follicle. Folliculitis is usually in the form of a boil. Symptoms of folliculitis include red, pink, or white raised, inflamed bumps around area where hair is coming out of skin, which is usually painful.

Folliculitis may occur in other parts of body, such as men's beards, or for several reasons before hair transplantation. The causes of folliculitis include the closing of exit duct of sebaceous glands near follicle or hair bulb due to the penetration of bacteria or fungi, obstruction caused by foreign bodies and obstruction caused by inflammation of duct due to chemicals, subcutaneous and misplaced hair growth, etc.

Causes of folliculitis after hair transplant

Several reasons can cause folliculitis after hair transplant, among which the following can be mentioned:

Lack of hygiene

One of the most important factors in causing folliculitis is non-observance of hygiene tips by beauticians. It is necessary to bathe every day and regularly from three days after hair transplant and of course follow principles of proper hair washing after hair transplant. One of factors that can make you prone to developing folliculitis is excessive head fat, which can be controlled by regular bathing and using right shampoos.

Skin reaction to hair transplant

In fact, creating a cut during hair harvesting and transplanting and as a result stimulating scalp is one of causes of folliculitis after hair transplant. On the other hand, harvesting follicles from donor area and moving it to hair receiving area and the stress that is applied to follicles during this move makes them prone to folliculitis. Therefore, shock to transplant area or donor area can be considered as one of the effective factors in causing folliculitis.

Non-sterility of hair transplant instruments

If you go to an invalid hair transplant and beauty center, there is a possibility of not following the hygiene tips during surgery and hair transplant tool not being sterile; which itself can be a factor in folliculitis.

One of most important reasons for our emphasis on choosing the best licensed hair transplant centers for hair transplantation is to avoid dangerous side effects of hair transplant, such as dangerous infections after hair transplant.

Intermittent sticking of implanted hair under scalp

Hair falls out in third week after hair transplant. The transplanted hairs are separated from stem and fall out. But the hair roots remain in follicles and start growing again. At this time, some of these hairs may get stuck under skin and cause pimples on scalp.

Folliculitis caused by infection

 If other things like redness, swelling, pain and heat are seen in part affected by folliculitis, in addition to pimple, you should see a doctor immediately so that necessary measures can be taken to treat them.

Planting new follicles in dense areas of head

If hair loss is less than 40 to 50% and the hair has relatively good density, hair transplantation in that area can cause folliculitis. In this case, it is difficult to create a gap in skin for implanting hair grafts. Also, the roots of implanted hair do not have enough space to grow and create a bond with skin tissue.

Is it normal to have folliculitis after hair transplantation?

Generally, and naturally, folliculitis after hair transplantation is often seen only as a soft and red bump at transplant site. Therefore, folliculitis after hair transplantation is often a sign of the beginning of follicles growth under skin.

In fact, just like other mild and natural side effects of hair transplant, such as inflammation or scaling, they will disappear after a while with necessary care; Folliculitis often resolves after a short period of time and is not considered a serious complication.

Of course, with condition that the health instructions have been followed correctly by person and the prescription drugs and antibiotics have been taken correctly in order to prevent infection. Folliculitis usually resolves after a week to ten days.

Only if folliculitis persists for a long time after hair transplantation and gets worse day by day, they need medical treatment. Because sometimes these pimples are purulent and need to be treated with antibiotics. As we said before, folliculitis does not appear only in people who have had hair transplants. Rather, even people who have not done hair transplantation, will experience these pimples on head if the sebaceous glands accumulate under skin.

Factors predisposing to folliculitis

There are factors that make a person susceptible to folliculitis. These factors can be summarized as follows:

• Obesity: Obesity provides suitable conditions for growth of folliculitis-producing organisms after hair transplantation.
• Diabetes: Diabetes reduces body's ability to fight against bacteria and other organisms, and therefore facilitates the conditions for creating folliculitis after hair transplantation.
• Drugs that suppress immune system: These drugs make body's fight against these factors ineffective by suppressing the body's defense system.
• Diseases that weaken immune system: Due to weakening of the factors related to body's defense system, i.e., white blood cells, conditions for folliculitis are more likely to occur.
• History of skin inflammations: These inflammations facilitate the conditions for development of folliculitis after hair transplantation by creating a suitable environment for growth of organisms.

Strategies to prevent folliculitis

By doing a series of simple things, the possibility of folliculitis after hair transplantation can be minimized, which include:

• Observance of personal hygiene and regular washing of hair with detergents prescribed by doctor.
• Regular washing and disinfection of items that are in direct contact with scalp, such as hats.
• Avoid touching pimples or folliculitis; Because by manipulating them, you will increase the possibility of infection.
• People with very oily skin should use shampoos and scalp oil control drugs after consulting a doctor.
• Do not use tight hats.
• Do not contact head with direct sunlight.
• Using topical creams to strengthen scalp.
• Do not stay in wet places for a long time because it provides the conditions for growth of bacteria.
• Avoid shaving head hair.
• avoiding contaminated environments that provide the possibility of transferring bacteria to follicles; Like public pools.

Treatment of folliculitis after hair transplantation

There are different ways to treat folliculitis after hair transplantation, which include:

• Keeping head clean and bathing every day.
• Avoid hot baths, steam saunas and hot tub until recovery.
• If there are whiteheads pimple on scalp, it is okay for the patients to drain them with a sterilized needle. For this purpose, make a small hole in lesion and remove discharge or pus slowly. If the pimple is too big or painful, it is better to drain it by a doctor.
• If the pimples are not whiteheads and do not have tips, it is recommended to put a warm compress on the area several times a day until the lesion shrinks and disappears. The towel or any device used to keep the area warm should be well cleaned and disinfected.
• Avoid manipulating the pimples as this will worsen the condition and risk scarring. Also, by manipulating them, you are also setting stage for damage to the newly implanted follicles.
• Use the medicines, antibiotics and ointments prescribed by doctor carefully.
• Avoid dyeing your hair and other chemicals that cause damage to skin.
• It is forbidden to use devices such as hair dryers or hair irons to dry hair after bathing. Let hair dry by itself and gradually lose its moisture.
• Products that contain salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide may reduce inflammation and kill bacteria.
• Do not use health products containing oil.
• The use of clindamycin solution can be effective in removing pimples and skin inflammation if doctor deems it appropriate.
• If the pimples are caused by an infection or other serious problem, you may need topical or oral medications such as antibiotics, antifungals, or steroids (corticosteroids).
• In case of increased folliculitis, lack of improvement and even worse, consult your doctor.
• Taking different vitamins and substances needed by body to repair and regenerate skin is necessary along with proper nutrition. Zinc, vitamin C, vitamin E, etc. help your wounds to heal quickly, strengthen your immune system, and reduce side effects of hair transplant.
• Taking drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen, which have anti-inflammatory and non-steroidal properties, cause blood thinning, increase inflammation, and increase head folliculitis.

How long after hair transplantation, folliculitis appears on head?

Folliculitis usually appears in first two weeks after a hair transplant, when the newly transplanted hair is growing. Also, there is a possibility of scalp folliculitis up to 6 months later.