Are hair transplants painful?
Most people are surprised at how little pain there is during a hair transplant procedure today. Some discomfort is to be expected as the anesthetic is injected into the scalp. Once the skin is anesthetized, there is no pain. If the numbing medicine wears off during the course of the procedure, more is injected to re-anesthetize the area. Advances in local anesthetic and the way it is applied allow for a comfortable and relaxing procedure. Most patients watch movies, listen to music or nap during their procedure.
The entire procedure is performed under local anesthetic. In general the only pain experienced is associated with administering this anesthetic. Most patients liken this discomfort to the sensation of a bee sting. There should be no other pain experienced during the procedure. Postoperative pain is unusual with less than ten percent of patients requiring medication for this problem. Tylenol #3 is provided by the clinic in the event that you do experience any pain. We do not generally provide any sedation during the procedure. If however you are experiencing anxiety we can provide you with some sedation. You will not be able to drive after the procedure if sedation is administered.
