How Can I Tell If I Damaged My Transplanted Grafts?

Hi there.

14 days after hair transplant surgery i got sunburned…i saw a similar question here on the site.

my question is – is there a way to know if i damaged my hair transplant? Does in any case of sunburn the newly grafts are “killed” what are the signs ( if any ) to know whether you killed your grafts or are they alive and slowly growing….? I would appreciate if you could explain why and under what conditions the sunburn can prevent growth.

i’m quite worried and appreciate your answer. thank you

Ultraviolet light is bad for skin and worse for new wounds, which are your healing grafts at 2 weeks. If the burn was deep enough to be a second degree burn, then you could have damaged the grafts, but superficial first degree burns should not have gone deep enough to damage the grafts from a growth perspective. Healing tissues, on the other hand, may be a problem.

Did you get the instructions to keep your head covered? My patients are indoctrinated on the things that they can and can not do. Ask your surgeon for a list of do’s and don’ts, and as long as you avoid the don’ts I’d expect that you shouldn’t experience any problems with your transplant.