Shock loss is the shedding of transplanted (and sometimes surrounding native) hair roughly 2-4 weeks after the procedure. It's one of the most anxiety-inducing phases for patients, but it's an expected, normal physiological response.
Why It Happens
After transplantation, grafts enter a temporary resting (telogen) phase in response to the trauma of extraction and replanting, and shed the existing hair shaft. Critically, the follicle itself — along with its stem cells — remains intact beneath the skin.
How Long Does It Last?
Shedding typically completes within a few weeks, followed by an "invisible phase" where the scalp can look empty while follicles rest. New growth usually begins around months 3-4 as fine, soft hairs.
Shock Loss in Surrounding Native Hair
In some patients, existing (non-transplanted) hair near the treatment area sheds temporarily too. This is also usually reversible and resolves within a few months.