Smoking and Hair Transplants

[J_B_Davis]

If you do not stop smoking, that in itslef does not disqualify you from having a successful HT procedure. I smoke myself and I only use a completely 100%additive free tobacco product. I have sustained four seperate strip procedures totally 6900 grafts and never had any problems with yield, healing, etc. But I also could be an exception and obviously I am not going to advocate you smoking.

There are two basic concerns for the patients who smoke. The first is healing. Smoking compromises the healing process in everyone and for anyone who is diabetic and smokes is not a good combination for any type of surgery.

The second concern is that smoking often induces hypoxia which is a condition whereby oxygen decreases below normal levels in inspired gases, arterial blood and tissue, without reaching anoxia. Hypoxia deprives oxygen from the grafts but no one knows to what extent. Obviously the chainsmoker would be at much higher risk. Other higher risks would be any patients diagnosed for things like polycythemia vera which can affect one's hemoglobin and cause hypoxia in patients without smoking. The combination of the two are more risky for the obvious reasons.

Although I am not suggesting that you smoke before and after your procedure, I do know of more patients besides myself who are smokers and had successful yields and results.

We do have to admire and respect those doctors who have the best interest of their patients in mind. And chances are, those docs are non-smokers and detest the habit for good reason.

So You mean I could have continued smoking?