A few months ago, at a Halloween party, a middle-aged man I met confided in me that he had had a hair transplant done in San Diego. He spoke about a minor post-surgical matter. This fellow party-goer was experiencing minor pain and tenderness on the recipient transplant areas like his hairline and crown. In addition, he saw what looked like red zits and scalp bumps in the same area as well.

Sensing I knew something about hair restoration procedures, he asked me, "am I supposed to be on antibiotics? Will this hinder hair growth in a timely manner?"

Inflammation of hair follicles, or folliculitis, especially of the hair, is considered normal in many patients and may be seen a few days after hair transplant surgery. In some cases, folliculitis may re-occur for as long as a few months after surgery as well.

Antibiotics are not a requirement to be taken unless the lesions do not get better on their own, or if cellulitis (infection and inflammation of the tissues beneath the skin), or skin redness and swelling become evident due to infection. This is considered rare on the scalp but still notable.

Also, folliculitis does not create an issue to the growth of transplanted hair and, in most cases, does not require any special treatment. The lesions usually open on their own but if they persist for more than two to three weeks, I suggest the person to revisit their hair transplant surgeon and have him open and drain the lesions.

For other cosmetic-related questions and answers, do a Web search on Dysport in Orange County. Also, if you’re curious about juviderm, restylane, or botox, check out an Woodland Hills Plastic Surgery center.