You’ve opted to undergo hair transplant surgery, which will overhaul your life and alter your appearance permanently. You may be experiencing a variety of emotions and having several thoughts. Obviously, this might end up making you anxious.

And in order to ease your anxieties, you may grab for a bottle or anything alcoholic. But a lot of people think it might not be a good idea to drink alcohol before getting a hair transplant.

Consuming alcohol has physiological effects on the body. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) report that drinking alters behavior and impairs motor coordination. Additionally, it lowers the immune system, making you more susceptible to illness.

If you consume too much alcohol in one sitting, your resistance to infection is weakened. This impact might last for up to 24 hours following excessive drinking. Obviously, this is not a smart idea before the hair transplant procedure.

listing of contents
Can I consume alcohol prior to a hair transplant?
Increased Risk of Bleeding

Affects Blood Clotting; Reduces Blood Volume; Permanently Harms Transplanted Hair Grafts
Variability in Blood Pressure
Anaesthesia is harmed by a weakened immune system.
Surgical Delay How long before surgery may one consume alcohol?
What Happens If I Consume Alcohol Prior to Hair Transplantation?
What Happens If I Consume Alcohol Immediately Following a Hair Transplant?
When may I drink alcohol again after a hair transplant?

I’m planning on getting a hair transplant soon; may I drink alcohol before the procedure?
Avoid alcoholic beverages on the day of your hair transplant because doing so increases the risk to your personal safety significantly. Yes, we do recognize your anxiety. However, drinking may affect your health in a number of ways that might complicate your operation.

An Enhanced Potential for Bleeding
Two of alcohol’s effects on the brain are these:

1. Interferes with the body’s natural ability to stop bleeding.
A hair transplant involves the creation of tiny puncture holes in the donor region, from which individual grafts of hair are taken. In a FUE hair transplant, the surgeon will additionally make small incisions in the recipient region. All of them are wounds.

Even if the injuries are minor, they will still bleed. The bleeding is stopped when platelets clump together to form a clot.

Typically, things go like that. However, alcohol inhibits platelets from sticking together and creating a clot; therefore, it should be avoided if you need a blood transfusion.

In addition to that, it will reduce the body’s ability to make platelets. Because of this, there is a higher chance of blood loss during the hair transplant procedure and more work to do in the recovery period.

2. Blood Diluting Agent
The inability of the blood to clot generally leads to increased bleeding. Also, this will result in a significant decrease in blood pressure throughout the surgical procedure. The surgeon will have to abandon the operation at this point.

Because their task is so minute, that’s the case. Blood seepage will make it difficult to safely remove and implant grafts. The length of the operation will increase due to the need for constant blood removal. It will be necessary to halt the operation until the bleeding is controlled.

A Permanent Risk to Hair Transplants
Since prolonged bleeding prevents the production of scabs, your wounds will be exposed to infection for a longer period of time than normal. This may have a negative impact on the viability of the new hair follicles, which can ruin the outcomes permanently.

The freshly transplanted grafts require the appropriate nutrition and oxygen from the blood supply to remain in place. Not getting enough of them will do irreparable harm to your grafts. That’s why it’s not a good idea to imbibe the night before getting a hair transplant.

Deviations in Blood Pressure
As reported by Scientific American, alcohol intoxication causes vasodilation (widening of blood vessels), while extreme drunkenness causes vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels). As a result, the person’s blood pressure would go up and down.

The patient’s health is in danger during surgery if their blood pressure is too high or too low. Your hair transplant procedure will be delayed or cancelled in this case. In addition, high or low blood pressure will lengthen the healing time and lead to unsatisfactory outcomes.

Immune system depletion
Consuming alcohol might hinder the body’s natural ability to fight infections. It has several physiological effects. For instance, it may alter the composition of gut microbes and promote the growth of pathogenic bacteria.

According to studies, alcoholics have a slower rate of wound healing and an increased risk of infection after surgery. Additionally, it may lead to respiratory distress syndromes, pneumonia, and organ failure (ARDS). It also has the potential to lower lung immunity.

Since it will become tougher to close the incision as it heals, the danger of infection is too great. There’s more than one way in which alcohol might weaken your defenses:

Iron deficiency may also have an influence on the immunological response if excessive blood loss occurs owing to alcohol’s hemostatic effects.

General Anesthesia Effects
A heavy liver is just one more reason why alcoholic beverages should be avoided. That’s because your body needs time to process the anesthetic and alcoholic ingredients.

If an anesthesiologist determines that alcohol usage has damaged the liver, the dosage must be adjusted. Furthermore, when combined, they might increase postoperative nausea. It’s possible you’ll throw up.

Delay in Surgery
Our surgeons will not perform the procedure if you have consumed alcohol before the procedure. The result will be unnecessary waiting around.

Perhaps you missed some time at the office in order to undergo surgery; however, your efforts were in vain.

The best way to avoid this problem is to not drink alcohol, especially if you need surgery in another country and any delay could cost you more money than you expected.

How long before I have to stop drinking alcohol before having surgery?
For the week leading up to your hair transplant procedure, abstaining from alcohol is strongly advised. Two days before the surgery, you must refrain from drinking at all. The night before surgery, many patients partake in one last drink. That is not what you should do!

It raises the risk of problems after surgery, lengthens the time you have to spend in the hospital, and slows your progress once you get home.

A greater degree of bruising than is typical is to be expected. You’ll have greater swelling after surgery if you drink alcohol, since dehydration is another side effect of alcohol consumption. Therefore, staying away from alcohol is highly recommended.

What Happens If I Consume Alcohol Prior to Hair Transplantation?
Despite being counseled against drinking, some patients nonetheless find themselves in this scenario. In this situation, keep in mind the adage “never conceal anything from your physicians or attorneys.” For you, it may become a matter of life and death.

First and foremost, inform the surgeon of the amount of alcohol you have consumed. If anything goes wrong, they will be better equipped to handle the problem if they have complete information.

Before surgery, your surgeon will discuss the risks associated with alcohol use. Alcohol consumption might cause excessive bleeding and harm to hair transplants that have been placed. If you opt to have the treatment despite being fully informed, the surgeon may conduct it in certain instances.

Additional blood tests, such as coagulation testing, may be requested by the surgeon. A blood test will reveal if your blood clots regularly or not. If it does, surgical procedures are safe. If the wound is not clotting properly, surgery should be delayed.

Avoiding alcohol consumption is the best approach to prevent this issue, both for your own benefit and for the good of your transplanted hair. Two days after talking with the surgeon, you may have surgery. This is only achievable, however, if your blood clotting returns to normal.

When I have a hair transplant, what will happen if I drink alcohol right away?
Not doing so is still not a smart plan. Consuming alcohol soon after undergoing FUE hair transplantation, or any other kind of surgery, can reduce blood flow and increase the risk of complications. As we’ve discussed, this is poor news for anybody considering hair transplants. Along with the swelling, you run the danger of getting an infection in your scalp.

Maintaining a healthy diet, getting enough rest, avoiding drinking or smoking, and drinking plenty of water may all contribute to a speedy recovery with little discomfort. If you take care of yourself throughout the transition phase, you’ll have a better chance of seeing healthy hair growth when the time comes.

When Is It Safe to Drink Alcohol Again After Getting a Hair Transplant?
It’s been at least a week since you had anything to drink, and you should stay away from alcohol until then. Drink plenty of water until then; it will help you feel better.

Fresh fruit juices and herbal teas are other great options for calming the mind and body. You still shouldn’t start binge drinking once a week has passed. Slow down, pay attention to your body, and give it the support it needs to heal.

Bottom Line
We recommend that you stop consuming alcohol one week before surgery. Otherwise, there is a significant possibility that you may develop issues during and after the procedure. Additionally, you may be unhappy with the results of the procedure.

The blood-thinning effects of alcohol may increase surgical bleeding. Too much bleeding might cause a reduction in blood pressure. In addition, it might damage the immune system. Do not conceal alcohol use from your doctor. Make sure you tell them so they can make safety recommendations.

Drinking non-alcoholic drinks, such as water or meals with a high water content, helps. During the recovery phase, you must adhere to all aftercare guidelines in order to encourage healing.