How to Prepare for Hair Surgery
If you are ready to begin preparing for hair transplant surgery, you have already scheduled a consultation with our team and chosen a physician-recommended procedure to restore your hair. If you have not scheduled a consultation, please contact the Hair Transplant Institute of Miami to learn more about surgical hair restoration for male and female pattern baldness.
This guide has been created to help patients prepare for hair transplant surgery. This guide is a general outline only; patients must always maintain strict adherence to the specific pre-procedure guidelines prescribed by physicians during hair transplant consultation.
Below, we cover basic pre-transplant procedures and tips to follow during the weeks leading up to your hair restoration procedure.
3 Weeks Before Transplant
Hair Transplant Consultation. During consultation, Dr. Nusbaum and/or Dr. Rose will provide an overview of the procedure, including how donor hair (follicular units) will be extracted and transplanted to the recipient (bald) area. At this time, you will also learn specifics on which daily medications are okay to continue taking, which must be discontinued, how long the hair transplant procedure will take, and more. Patients are asked to pay close attention to these details.
Patients will be briefed on additional substances to avoid, like nicotine and alcohol. Patients will also be advised to take specific vitamins and minerals to improve the body’s natural ability to heal, like vitamin C.
If you have any questions about pre-procedure preparation, please call our Institute at 305-925-0222.
1-2 Weeks Before Surgery
At 1-2 weeks prior to hair transplant, you will be contacted by our Patient Coordinator to review instructions for day of surgery. Our Patient Coordinator will be happy to answer any additional questions you may have. Also 1-2 weeks prior to procedure, patients are advised to adhere to the following:
- Begin taking vitamin C as directed in consultation to bolster immune system
- Cease use of nicotine, including cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, nicotine gum, nicotine patches, electronic “e-cigarettes,” and other items containing nicotine. Nicotine restricts blood vessels and may hinder the healing process, so it’s important to stop using nicotine well before the procedure to ensure it is entirely out of your system.
- Stop the use of alcohol, including beer, wine, liquor, and other spirits.
Pick Up/ Drop Off. Please arrange to have a friend or family member drive you to our office and pick you up after the procedure. The procedure requires the use of a mild sedative, after which patients are not permitted to drive. We welcome drivers to wait in our reception area, or they may visit the Village of Merrick Park, located just across the street from our Institute. There, visitors may enjoy more than 100 upscale cafes, restaurants, and high end shopping stores like Nordstrom, Gucci, and more.
Plan ahead. During your hair transplant consultation, you will be given estimates on how long the entire procedure will take. To be safe, we ask patients to maintain flexibility to accommodate for procedures that take longer than expected.
24 Hours Before Surgery
In the final 24 hours leading up to hair transplant surgery, patients are advised to adhere to the following:
- Do not eat or drink anything after midnight, unless instructed otherwise.
- Do not eat or drink anything during the day of surgery, unless instructed otherwise.
Feel free to shower, brush your teeth, and perform your ordinary morning routine. However, please do not use any hair gel, hair spray, hair conditioner, or make-up.
Learn More About Preparing for Hair Transplant Surgery
At the Hair Transplant Institute of Miami, we proudly represent South Florida’s finest hair transplant surgeons, technologies, treatments, and staff. We are committed to helping each patient realize a fuller, more natural head of hair. For additional assistance in preparing for hair transplant surgery, we welcome all patients to contact online or call our Institute directly at 305-925-0222.