Retained Hair Fragments 6 Months After Hair Transplant

I just read a post by a doctor on one of the hair loss forums saying that retained hair fragments post op can interfere with transplant growth. I’m coming up on six months out from my procedure and haven’t seen a lot of change — still very sparse. I have noticed that I do seem to have a lot of these retained fragments where new hair should be sprouting. I had my wife tug on a few with tweezers last night and they just slid right out. Could these be interfering with my growth? Is it okay to go ahead and remove them this way?

Thanks in advance for your response.

Some people retain the hairs (beard length) for months. I generally do not remove them, particularly at this stage, as they may be the new hair growing in and you would not be able to tell the difference between new hair in its initial growth spurt and the fragments. These retained fragments that go through the skin and look like a beard have no importance and will not impact growth of the new hair. You need to wait out the full 8 months and then set up an appointment to review where you are. Patience is a virtue.