Immediate Post-Operative Folliculitis: A Foreign Body Reaction, Not an Infection

Immediate post-operative folliculitis (IPF) is characterized by inflammatory lesions around transplanted hair follicles shortly after a hair transplant, usually within 1–7 days. It is primarily caused by a foreign body reaction or surgical trauma, rather than a bacterial infection. IPF is generally self-limiting, and distinguishing it from infective folliculitis, which occurs later, is crucial for proper management.