Hair Transplant Diet

Hair transplant diet refers to how you should eat for your hair health before and after hair loss treatment. Daily eating habits and the nutrients you get from food have an effect on hair loss. In particular, protein is a necessity for hair, which is made up of 95% keratin. Therefore, it is beneficial to consume foods that speed up the healing process before and after hair transplant surgery. This article focuses on what to eat and drink during the hair transplant procedure. 

 

Is a hair transplant diet necessary?

Before and after every surgery, including hair transplant surgeries, a healthy diet is crucial for your physical and psychological well-being. Healthy scalps and hair follicles are closely related to your lifestyle choices. A strict diet program that includes important minerals such as iron, zinc, and protein can turn into a recipe to stop further hair loss. 

It is not realistic to say you can completely solve hair shedding and thinning problems with a balanced diet. However, nutritional habits are effective in combating baldness. To decrease the risk of unsuccessful hair transplant results, pay attention to what you eat and drink before-after hair transplantation.

What should I eat before and after a hair transplant?

What you drink and eat changes according to the three phases:

• pre-operation,
• during the hair transplant surgery (under anesthesia),
• post op recovery period. 

 

Hair loss in men and women has many causes. They can be linked to food intake and can trigger hair loss in relation to your diet. The most common causes include:

 

Before the hair transplant surgery:

• chronic telogen effluvium that presents as diffuse thinning
• high levels of DHT – dihydrotestosterone
• scarring alopecia
• androgenetic alopecia – pattern hair loss
• hereditary hair loss – hereditary-patterned baldness
• scalp infection

 

After the hair transplant treatment:

• shock hair loss
• malnutrition
• poor hair care
• autoimmune disorder
• psychological explanations – high level of stress

 

We’ve listed the hair transplant diet guidelines for you below according to the causes of hair loss and thinning pre- and post-surgery.

Diet before hair transplant

For optimal hair transplant results, following a healthy nutrition program is crucial. This program should include essential nutrients, iron-rich foods, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, B complex vitamins, and adequate protein.

Here’s a suggested dietary plan to support healthy hair growth post-transplant:

 

Diet before hair transplant – eat or don’t eat list

For a healthy hair transplant diet, you can include the following foods in your meals:

1. Consume nutrient-dense foods: lean proteins, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, healthy fats.
2. Drink water.
3. Eat iron-rich foods like red meat and spinach
4. Focus on vitamin D
5. For antioxidant protection; eat nuts and seeds (vitamin E)
6. Don’t forget the B complex vitamins for healthy hair; these are found in eggs, leafy greens and so on.

 

Before the hair transplant surgery, do not eat the following:

1. Don’t drink alcoholic drinks, which thin the blood, 
2. Avoid caffeine as it can increase heart rate and blood pressure, 
3. Don’t consume sugary foods and drinks that can cause inflammation, 
4. Avoid junk food, which can interfere with your body’s ability to heal faster.
5. Stay away from salty foods as they can lead to water retention and swelling.
6. Avoid smoking, as it can reduce blood flow and oxygen to the scalp, which is a barrier to healing and hair growth.

Diet after hair transplant

The importance of protein (keratin – a protein group) intake in hair transplantation is invaluable. It helps heal and repair scalp tissue. You should eat a protein-rich diet before and after hair transplant procedures involving follicular unit transplants, such as follicular unit extraction (FUE) or direct hair implantation (DHI).

Diet after hair transplant – eat or don’t eat list

After treatment for male pattern baldness or female pattern hair loss, it is important to consume the below foods to help speed up the healing process.

 

1. Stay hydrated and drink up. Drinking clean water is effective in treating all hair loss problems. These include: 

• • alopecia areata, 
  • anagen effluvium, 
  • telogen effluvium, 
  • syphilis, 
  • systemic diseases.

 

2. Protein deficiency can be one of the main causes of patterned thinning of the scalp. Protein directly provides the keratin needed for hair structure, so in your diet include these foods such as:

1. • red meat, 
   • fish, 
   • chicken,
   • eggs,
   • milk.

 

3. You may need to add vitamin supplements to your hair transplant diet after surgery. The following vitamins can regulate the hair growth cycle and speed up your hair regrowth: 

• • Vitamin D, Vitamin A, Vitamin E,
  • Biotin, protein, and iron,
  • B complex vitamins like B12,
  • Folic acid,
  • Omega 3.

 

After the process of hair extraction from the donor area, in order to promote the healing of both the donor and the recipient areas, to increase the hair vitality, to eliminate patchy baldness, stop using the below for a while! 

 

01- Avoid high-fat foods for at least a week. Examples of nutrition that can be fatty-foods are:

• • fatty meats,bacon, lamb, processed meats (sausages, salami)
  • butter, margarine and hydrogenated fats
  • fries, fried chicken, onion rings
  • burger, pizza, packaged cakes
  • whole milk, cream, full-fat cheeses.

 

02- Avoid alcoholic products. Alcohol should be stopped a few days before the anesthetic. Do not use the following products for at least 15 days after surgery: 

• • beer,
  • red and white wine,
  • spirits (whiskey, vodka, rum, gin, tequila),
  • champagne and sparkling wines,
  • cocktails which contain high amounts of alcohol and sugar.

 

03- Spicy and acidic foods can cause skin irritation and make it difficult for the newly transplanted grafts to adapt to the scalp in the bald area. As a result, they can prolong the healing process:

• • spicy sauces: sriracha, tabasco sauce,
  • pickles: cucumber pickles, sauerkraut,
  • acidic fruits: excessive consumption of oranges and lemon,
  • spicy dishes: spicy curry, spicy chicken wings,
  • foods containing vinegar: apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar.

FAQs about Hair Transplant Diet

Reference List:

 

1. Ho CH, Zito PM. Androgenetic Alopecia. Nih.gov. Published May 18, 2019. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430924/ 
2. Gawande MJ, Bansal S, Daga A, Siddhesh Latke, Joseph S, Agrawal R. Hair Transplant: Challenges, Solutions and Guideline for Beginners. Journal of pharmaceutical research international. Published online November 12, 2021:185-194. doi:https://doi.org/10.9734/jpri/2021/v33i49b33355 
3. Almohanna HM, Ahmed AA, Tsatalis JP, Tosti A. The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2019;9(1):51-70. doi:10.1007/s13555-018-0278-6 
4. Bhat YJ, Latif I, Malik R, et al. Vitamin D Level in Alopecia Areata. Indian J Dermatol. 2017;62(4):407-410. doi:10.4103/ijd.IJD_677_16

 

Article Review By: Dr. Jyothi Shenoy V
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MBBS, MD – Obstetrics & Gynaecology, MRCOG(UK)
23 Years Experience Overall