Planning a hair transplant in summer or winter but torn between the sunny days and the cozy chill? We answer the burning question of “Which season is the best for hair transplant: summer or winter?” in this article.
The answers to these other questions that we replied to may hold the key to your decision:
- Which season is better for a hair transplant surgery?
- Do sweat and sun have detrimental effects on healing?
- Which season is more favorable according to a comparative analysis?
- Are newly transplanted grafts affected by extreme cold?
- Which season is the DHI – dihydrotestosterone level higher?
Which one is the right choice: Hair transplant in summer or winter?
Both seasons have pros and cons in terms of temperature, sun or cold exposure, weather conditions, and other factors. All of them have good or bad effects on transplanted hair. Ideally, newly transplanted hair needs a normal temperature without wind, rain, or sun.
Undergoing a hair transplant surgery can be crucial for people with severe baldness. Because the best method of cure for balding is a hair transplant procedure, thousands of people undergo this cosmetic surgery each year. But what is the best time for such a surgery?
Is winter or summer better for hair transplant?
Depending on several variables, the dominant season may differ between summer and winter. Although hair loss as related to seasonal variation is unknown, the following facts may help you choose the best season.
DHT: According to a scientific study, the DHT hormone is highest in the middle of May. DHT (dihydrotestosterone) is known to cause hair loss because it shortens the resting phase. Therefore, hair restoration surgery may not be effective until hair loss or thinning has stabilized. In conclusion, a hair transplant in summer may not be effective due to high DHT levels.
Sun Exposure: Together with ultraviolet radiation, it can damage freshly transplanted follicular units and the scalp by causing sunburn, irritation and dehydration. It can also fade hair color and weaken follicles, thereby affecting the growth cycle and appearance of hair in the recipient area. To protect the scalp and hair, it’s important to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun and to wear protective headgear.
Extreme Cold: We lose 6% more hair during the summer months. However, if the patient’s scalp is directly exposed to cold elements such as snow and rain in winter, the grafting process can be disrupted. As tight hats also contribute to hair loss, we recommend that you protect your follicles at home for the first week after the procedure. You can use an umbrella, but if it doesn’t cover your scalp sufficiently, the surgery may fail.
Sweating: Protecting transplanted grafts from sweating can be a challenge. Hair follicles can be sensitive for at least a couple weeks after the procedure, so you will need to take care of them. When sweat occurs due to high protein and mineral intake, it creates an environment that is hospitable to bacterial proliferation. They will colonize fragile hair follicles and result in a poor hair transplant.
Wind: Exposure to wind after hair transplant surgery in winter can be risky. The wind carries many particles like dust. If dust touches the transplant region, our surgeons say it can put your skin at risk by causing infection. In extreme cases, the wind can even blow the grafts away! Avoid wind until the scabs have formed.
Hair Transplant in Summer vs Hair Transplant in Winter
Effects of Warm Whether on Grafts
1. DHT hormone increases in May-June, causing hair loss. High levels of androgens – DHT – can shrink your follicles.
2. Dry air reduces the moisture in the skin and leads to dandruff and shedding.
3. Direct exposure to the sun and UV rays can damage the recipient area, so use a high factor sunscreen (at least SPF 30) up to 4 months.
4. Although moisture can help prevent itching and dryness after hair transplant surgery, sweating doesn’t have the same effect on oversensitive hair follicles, leading to bacteria.
Effects of Cold Whether on Grafts
1. Direct contact with ice, snow and rain will damage the follicles. Especially in the first 7 days, the grafts need to be protected from all elements.
2. Too much wind can lift the grafts, distorting their angles and bringing dust that can carry infection into the tiny incisions.
3. Dry cold can disrupt the skin’s moisture balance, and dry air can cause hair shedding and thinning.
4. Cold and dry weather are linked to hair breakage. They can affect the hair growth cycle and extend the exogenous phase.
Which season is the best for hair transplant in Turkey?
The best season for hair transplant surgery in Turkey may actually be the spring months. Spring is a good time for hair transplant in Istanbul because it is neither cold nor hot. Similarly, you can have a hair transplant surgery at our clinic in Istanbul in the autumn if there is not much rain and wind. If you have to choose between summer and winter, winter may be a better option.
In addition to the time of year, you may also want to take the following into consideration:
Future plans — You may want to wait to book your hair transplant if you have a wedding or a holiday plan coming up.
Work schedule — If your work schedule is going to speed up before and after the hair transplant, we recommend that you wait for quieter times. This is because you should avoid heavy exercise and intense pace for a few weeks after the operation.
Other options — Hair transplantation can be supported by hair loss treatments such as PRP or iPRF therapy, medical treatments (finasteride or minoxidil) or laser therapy.
Which is the best season to travel and explore Turkey?
Every season is great for exploring Turkey, especially Istanbul.
- Winter season: You can visit all the museums in Istanbul, stay in spa hotels and sip mulled wine a few days before your hair transplant procedure.
- Summer season: You can go to one of the dozens of open-air concerts, stroll through parks filled with hundreds of different flowers, and swim in the pools of 5-star hotels.
- Spring season: You can participate in activities such as theater, cinema, concerts and experience Istanbul’s rich nightlife.
Hair Transplant: Solution for All Seasons
Hair transplantation is the process of removing luxuriant hair grafts from the donor area and transplanting them to the bald area, i.e. the recipient area. There are several modern hair transplant methods such as Sapphire FUE, Unshaven FUE, DHI. Your surgeon will decide which method to use depending on how many grafts you need.
Although there are issues such as temperature, humidity, and dust depending on the season, it is possible to have a hair transplant in any season. By viewing the Vantage Clinic hair transplant before after shots, you can view 500 to 7000 graft hair transplant photos done in any season. Are you considering a hair transplant but not sure how many hair grafts are needed?
FAQs about Hair Transplant in Summer or Winter
Is it okay to get a hair transplant in summer?
Yes, it is not a problem. As long as you protect yourself from the sun and maintain your skin’s moisture balance, it will be fine.
Is winter good for hair transplant?
Hair transplant surgery in winter is perfectly fine as long as it is not a dry cold and you protect your dermal skin layer from external factors.
Is hot weather bad for hair transplant?
You can interfere with your male pattern baldness treatment if you do not use sunscreen and are exposed to UV rays without wearing a loose hat.
What season is the most hair loss?
Depending on the climate, summer is the worst time for hair transplant operation in general due to hair loss (6% higher).
Do seasons affect hair growth?
Although vitamin D has a stimulating effect on hairgrowth in the summer, the resting phase of the hair growth cycle lasts longer in the warm weather because hair loss patterns are seasonal.
References
- Tanaka S, Takikawa H. Seasonal changes in plasma testosterone and 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone levels in the adult male newt, Cynops pyrrhogaster. Endocrinol Jpn. 1983 Feb;30(1):1-6. doi: 10.1507/endocrj1954.30.1. PMID: 6884270.
- Kerure AS, Patwardhan N. Complications in Hair Transplantation. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2018 Oct-Dec;11(4):182-189. doi: 10.4103/JCAS.JCAS_125_18. PMID: 30886471; PMCID: PMC6371733.
- Wikipedia Contributors. Health effects of sunlight exposure. Wikipedia. Published May 13, 2019. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_of_sunlight_exposure
- Hsiang EY, Semenov YR, Aguh C, Kwatra SG. Seasonality of hair loss: a time series analysis of Google Trends data 2004–2016. British Journal of Dermatology. 2018;178(4):978-979. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.16075
Article Review By: Dr. Jyothi Shenoy V
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MBBS, MD – Obstetrics & Gynaecology, MRCOG(UK)
23 Years Experience Overall
