How Often Does Hair Transplant Shock Loss Occur?

Written by Martin Tessler, MD on December 19, 2008

I have read some accounts of hair transplant patients losing hair around their donor area in the back of their heads to shock loss. Is this something that happens often? I’m considering having a hair transplant but this concerns me.
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Shock loss is very unusual in the donor area. When it does occur, there are generally two causes: 1.) If a very wide donor strip is taken and closed (sutured together) under very significant tension. 2.) If the patient has had a previous surgery and the new donor strip is taken above or below the previous scar leaving a vulnerable area of hair in between.

I have performed over twelve thousand hair transplant procedures and I can’t think of more than a few patients who had cosmetically significant shock loss.

Martin E Tessler M.D.
Member, International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons
Member, American Hair Loss Association

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