Getting any form of surgery comes with its terms. Some of these include having to change your diet before the procedure. Others expressly request that you stop indulging in certain lifestyle habits to qualify for the procedure. With hair transplantation, stopping to smoke is one of the terms patients have to comply with.
Qualifying for a hair transplant
If you have decided to get a hair transplant, then you’ve probably done some research on it. Some sacrifice on your part will prove necessary. That’s all in a bid to make the procedure successful. Failure to adhere to the terms set out for you could bring about undesired results.
For your physician to proceed with doing a hair transplant, you need to stop smoking at least 10 days before your procedure. In addition to this, you would also need to stop taking alcoholic beverages. Physicians also suggest that on the day of the procedure the patient takes no caffeine.
Why smoking is prohibited
Smoking is known to constrict one’s blood vessels. So the scalp wouldn’t get a healthy supply of blood. Low blood supply means that the newly implanted grafts wouldn’t get the nourishment they need to survive.
The chemicals contained in cigarettes also bring risks with them. Reduced blood supply leads to poor distribution of oxygen. That means the incisions could take longer to heal.
Keep off cigarettes for at least two weeks
Since you already had to quit smoking before the transplant, you may be tempted to start after the procedure. However, the effects listed still put your new implants at risk. It’s advisable you entirely stop smoking to give the implants a better survival rate. However, if that’s not possible, a minimum of two weeks would do.