How Can Hair Fibers Improve My Hair Transplant?

I am interested in having a hair transplant, but I don’t have enough donor supply to cover my entire scalp. My surgeon has suggested using hair fibers after my hair transplant to thicken the results. Can hair fibers actually make my transplant look better?

Hair transplant surgery does not require any pills, lotions or potions to grow. Surgical hair restoration is a stand-alone procedure that does not require any assistance to grow. However, hair fibers do provide an instant appearance of fullness.

Hair fibers are known as “sprinkle solutions” there are different brands like Toppik, Caboki and Nanogen, but they are all basically the same thing. Hair fibers are a magnetically charged keratin-based topical powder application. Hair follicles are composed of keratin, the hair-binding fibers are sprinkled over thinning hair and with each shake the magnetically charged fibers adhere to the miniaturized hair follicle; creating a thicker, longer strand of hair.

It is important to remember that hair fibers and other hair loss concealers do not regrow hair, they simply enhance the appearance of fullness. Some hair loss concealers work by reducing the contrast between the scalp and hair color, but hair fibers actually enhance thinning hair by attaching to the hair follicle.

Hair loss concealers are a great tool for augmenting a hair transplant result. In fact, many world renowned hair restoration physicians recommend using hair loss concealers during the initial hair shedding phase. This phase is called the “ugly duckling” phase. The “ugly duckling” phase occurs when the transplanted hair sheds and enters the dormant stage called the telogen phase.

At the same time, some of the non-transplanted native hairs may enter the telogen phase simultaneously due to surgical trauma. This temporary condition is called shock loss. Shock loss can last anywhere from 3-6 months. Hair loss concealers can be an effective tool for mitigating shock loss.

Moreover, hair loss concealers are effective at creating the appearance of fullness and density. In some cases, individuals may not possess the donor supply to adequately cover the entire scalp with density. In these instances, hair loss concealers such as fibers and other enhancing applicators can be used to enhance the non-transplanted areas to provide the appearance of a full head of hair.

Written and published by,

Melvin- Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network and The Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians