Shedding
Days 38–44 after a hair transplant: Shock loss can happen
Some people notice their own existing hair near the grafts thinning in the weeks after surgery. This is called shock loss. It's usually temporary, with regrowth over the following months, and it's more common in women.
What you can do now
On day 38
What's typical
- Thinner native hair near the grafted area
- Patchy look
- Fading pinkness
Call your clinic if you notice
- Fever, pus, a bad smell, or redness and warmth that spread.
- Round, smooth bald patches or hair loss in other places.
- Thinning that keeps spreading after month 4.
In the GraftKeeper app, Check a symptom walks you through what to do.
Not yet reviewed by a doctor — verify with your clinic.
Sources
- Hair transplantNHS, 2023
- A hair transplant can give you permanent, natural-looking resultsAmerican Academy of Dermatology, 2026
- Hair transplantation surgeryIndian Journal of Plastic Surgery, 2008
- Complications in Hair TransplantationJournal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, 2018
- An Analysis of Risk Factors of Recipient Site Temporary Effluvium After Follicular Unit Excision: A Single-Center Retrospective StudyAesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2024
- Complications in follicular unit excision hair transplantation: current evidence and practical approachesFrontiers in Medicine, 2026