There are so many questions following a hair transplant. This includes everything from how do we sleep, do we have to wear hats and what kind of shampoo can we use? Well, those are great questions and very important. Thus, we will be diving into what shampoo can be used following a hair transplant, but specifically Nizoral shampoo.
Most hair transplant surgeons recommend using baby shampoo for the first few weeks after having a hair transplant procedure. This is because harsh chemicals found in some shampoos may damage the healing grafts. Therefore, patients should wait until all of their transplanted grafts have shed before beginning to use Nizoral again.
What is Nizoral
Nizoral shampoo is a shampoo that was created to treat dandruff and other fungal scalp conditions. The active ingredient in Nizoral is ketoconazole, this ingredient has been shown to be a potent 5-alpha reductase inhibitor. The 5-alpha reductase enzyme is responsible for converting testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT) through the bloodstream. DHT is the main catalyst for male and female pattern hair loss.
How Does Nizoral Treat Hair Loss
No shampoo to date has been approved by the FDA to treat hereditary hair loss, but there is some clinical evidence that suggests Nizoral may treat androgenic alopecia (genetic hair loss). The active ingredient ketoconazole is thought to work by removing excess sebum from the scalp and hair follicles. Hair follicles, as well as sebaceous glands, contain a high level of the 5-alpha reductase enzyme. As we previously stated, this enzyme is responsible for creating DHT.
Therefore, removing sebum that contains DHT should theoretically stop the hormone from binding to the androgen receptors on the scalp and reduce hair loss. According to various studies Nizoral shampoo is as effective in treating genetic hair loss as 2% Rogaine (minoxidil). That may not sound impressive, but it shows that the shampoo can be somewhat effective in treating hair loss.
Conclusion
Using Nizoral shampoo after a hair transplant can be useful in preventing the further progression of hereditary hair loss, but the shampoo must be used after the transplanted grafts have fully healed. Additionally, the shampoo on its own is not likely to have any major impact on hair loss, however, when combined with Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil) the shampoo can be quite effective. This combination is commonly referred to as the "big 3".