Is There An Ideal Season For Receiving a Hair Transplant?

Written by John Cole, MD on September 10, 2009

Is there any ideal season for doing hair transplant, like summer winter? Some of my elders are advising to do a hair transplant in the winter season. I need your expert advice. -Hafeez
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Dear Hafeez,

The ideal season depends mostly on you and the procedure you choose.

Hair loss has a tendency to accelerate in the winter months. We usually see an increase in surgery patients in the fall and winter. As you know, some animals tend to retain more hair in the winter months and have more shedding in the warmer months. With humans, we tend to see more shedding in colder months.

Perhaps this is why we perform more surgical solutions in the winter than in the summer. Perhaps it is because people want a more active life style in the summer.

This leads me toward my recommendations. You are the one who will determine when to have a hair transplant. It will depend on your lifestyle. If you can wear a hat and can get out of public scrutiny in the winter, the winter will be better for you. If the summer is better for a more secluded life style, then have the procedure in the summer.

Then there is the question of when you want to see hair growth. Suppose you want significant growth 8 months after your procedure. In this instance you will want to plan your procedure 8 months before your “coming out” party.

Hence, there is no ideal season. Most patients prefer fall or winter months. Ultimately the decision is up to you. I think that if you are planning to shave your head for FUE or CIT, you will want to plan your schedule more cautiously. If you are having a strip, you will find that 7 to 10 days should be enough provided you use products to help get rid of scabs such as Graftcyte or Haircycle.

John P. Cole, MD
Member, International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons
Member, American Hair Loss Association

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