Alcohol and Hair Transplantation

17 Sept, 2020

Hair transplantation is a treatment intended to boost the patient's cosmetic profile, and nobody wants sub-optimal outcomes. It is also very critical that the pre-operative and post-operative orders are strictly followed since the outcome depends on both the operation and the care taken before and after the operation. This could be challenging for some patients; however, as recommended by the doctor, no one would want to jeopardize the outcome by not avoiding alcohol for some time.

How long does one need to quit alcohol?

Alcohol should be avoided as far as possible. However, it is still good to stop taking alcohol seven to ten days before hair transplantation and continue to avoid it for 2-3 weeks after the surgery for the body's duration recovering from the operation. Some surgeons say two days of avoidance is good enough, but we advise our patients at our centre to avoid it for 7-10 days before the procedure.

Why is stopping alcohol before and after hair transplantation necessary?

There are so many effects of alcohol on the body, and one should note from the point of view of surgery that alcohol intake induces excessive bleeding time, and it takes more time for blood to clot. This may be due to alcohol-induced reduced platelet count. It is common knowledge that the liver is damaged by alcohol and may harm this vital organ.

We should all recognize that the liver produces platelets and clotting factors, causing issues with blood clotting. Prolonged bleeding is not ideal for the treatment, as the desired outcome can be challenging to achieve. It boosts blood pressure, and the heart is also impaired by excessive intake.

Another significant point is that alcohol intake is linked to a deficiency of certain nutrients that can affect the individual's general well-being and cause healing complications during the post-hair transplant recovery process. The ingestion of alcohol induces the direct malabsorption of some nutrients such as vitamin B1 and folic acid and the absorption of trace nutrients such as zinc, selenium, and magnesium. It also decreases the production of liver protein.

Contact Celebrity Hair Transplant Expert Dr. Akhilendra Singh to Know More about hair treatment or Visit Best Hair Tranplant Clinic in Delhi and Gurgaon