These post-op instructions provide you with plenty of aftercare information on what to expect after a hair transplant operation. It can help you with your head and scalp, including treatment for the transplant site. Follow these instructions carefully and refer back to them when you are unsure about how to take care of your scalp properly after a hair transplant.
A patient can go back to work after 5 days following his/her hair transplant. However, people with heavy-duty jobs should wait longer to return to their work, ideally 7-14 days.
You should avoid wearing a helmet or hat for a month. Wearing a helmet or hat after a hair transplant operation might harm your newly implanted hair grafts and you may end up losing your hair. It also causes sweat that leads to the falling of a hair graft from the scalp.
Patients should not bend their head for 3 days .So they will not cause grafts to pop out or bleeding in the recipient area. This is also an important factor for a successful hair transplant result.
It is best to keep your head upright and avoid any sudden movements such as intense coughing and sneezing following operation. It is unlikely that you damage a graft by coughing a few days after your hair transplant. However, it is still important to be careful while sneezing or coughing.
It is best to keep your head upright and avoid any sudden movements such as intense coughing and sneezing following operation. It is unlikely that you damage a graft by coughing a few days after your hair transplant. However, it is still important to be careful while sneezing or coughing.
You should avoid swimming for two weeks after a hair transplant operation. This period gives the grafts and donor area time to heal. After two weeks, the grafts are securely implanted and protected below the scalp and there should be no concern for infection.
Because smoking extends the duration of recovery, it is for your own good to stop smoking one week before and after the operation. Nicotine stiffens blood vessels and narrows them. This both delays the recovery and affects the new hair growth negatively.
It is important to avoid scratching for a month as it can remove scabs and delay the healing process. Rather than scratching your scalp with your nail, you can gently rub the area.
Patients avoid drinking alcoholic beverages for at least two weeks before and after their hair transplant operation. This will give your body enough time to process any alcohol in your system and for your blood pressure to return to normal.
One of the most important precautions to take after a hair transplant is avoiding direct sunlight. After a hair transplant operation, a patient needs to protect your scalp from the sun for 1-2 months. Too much direct sun exposure not only damages the surface of the treated scalp, it can also affect the deeper tissues and cause serious harm.
Sexual intercourse may cause a person to sweat. After a hair transplant, sweating should also be avoided. Your grafts might get displaced while you sweat, especially in the first few days.
It is best to keep your head upright and avoid any sudden movements such as intense coughing and sneezing following operation. It is unlikely that you damage a graft by coughing a few days after your hair transplant. However, it is still important to be careful while sneezing or coughing.
We do not recommend going to sauna, steam baths or staying in places that are very hot can increase sweating, these activities are as harmful as doing exercises or sports. You should not go to sauna or steam baths for the 1 month after the hair transplant, as they cause intense sweating.
We recommend that you should avoid intense exercises until at least ten days after hair transplant surgery. Light exercises such as walking or yoga or light exercise are fine to do after the fourth postoperative day. If you notice an increase in bleeding during any of these exercises, you should cut back on the intensity of the exercise.
To have a comfortable sleep after hair transplant operation and to prevent infection, it’s crucial that you have clean sheets and pillowcases. Make sure to use detergent free from allergens so you do not irritate or inflame the scalp as it heals.
Patients need to sleep face up with their head elevated at least 45 degrees for ten days, using a neck pillow.
You should avoid excessive movements such as turning your head quickly or bumping your head on a headboard.
Sleeping properly helps patients heal properly and keeps the hair grafts intact. Patients need to sleep face up with their head elevated at least 45 degrees for the first three nights, using a neck pillow. You need to avoid anything during the first few days that could disturb the new grafts from taking a firm hold in your scalp.
Do not use towels to dry your hair for a month after your operation. You should use a hair dryer on a cool air mode and at a moderate distance from your head.
You should start a post-transplant hair washing process 3 days after hair transplant operation and follow the instructions once a day for 10 days. If all scabs are removed after 15 days you do not have to use lotion anymore, feel free to use any kind of shampoo for washing and you can start to rub in the shampoo gently with your fingertips.
You should avoid excessive movements such as turning your head quickly or bumping your head on a headboard.
You can use a hair dryer on a cool air mode and at a moderate distance from your head a week later following your hair transplant operation.
Do not use any harsh hair-care products including gels and conditioner for 3 months after your transplant. You may start using hair gels and sprays at least two to three months after surgery.
Do not comb or brush your hair for 2 weeks after the operation. After this period, you might gently start combing your hair at the non-implanted areas, but it is very important not to scratch, comb or brush the implanted areas. You should not touch the grafts themselves with the comb.
You need to use a special shampoo after the operation that we provide you for the first two weeks. When shampooing, do not forget to touch your grafts gently.
After hair transplant, you should make sure that your newly implanted grafts are not exposed to pressurized water or high temperature for a month. This is why it is important to adjust the water so that it’s lukewarm with low pressure rather than hot and high pressure.
Only after day 10 following your operation, you may start massaging your hair gently just to shed any leftover crusting from the healing process. While massaging, be careful not to scratch the area for a few more weeks.
A special lotion should be used for the first two weeks after the operation. A lotion should be applied only to the donor area during the first week after your hair transplant operation. During the second week, you may start applying the lotion to both the donor and the recipient areas for a faster recovery. Make sure you apply the lotion with the same direction of the transplanted grafts to avoid any damage.
Minoxidil, also known as Rogaine, is a topical medication applied to the scalp to stimulate new hair growth after hair transplant operation. Minoxidil strengthens the hair growth cycle and delays the hair loss cycle. It is recommended by experts to be used regularly for a year after hair transplant operation. Using specific medications for a successful hair transplant is critical to get a satisfactory result.
Face swelling after the hair transplant usually occurs between the 2nd and 7th days after the surgery. Post-inflammatory swelling is generally a secondary reaction to the healing of your scalp skin.To minimize swelling in the forehead or around the eyes, you can apply an ice pack over the eyebrows for 15 minutes every hour, not on the grafts. The swelling is a part of the healing process and will usually disappear within 5-7 days.
You should avoid excessive movements such as turning your head quickly or bumping your head on a headboard.
The first month after a hair transplant does require you to give your scalp and hair a little more care and attention than you would normally. Patients need to wait at least one month following their hair transplant procedure. Waiting for the scalp to completely heal will allow optimum hair growth results.
A burning sensation may occur, especially in the donor area, four days after the operation. In this case, it is recommended that you only apply the moisturizing lotion three or four times a day to your donor site and wait for it to be absorbed.
At the end of the first 4 months, a razor can be used after hair transplant. 0 (zero) number head should be used as the scalp is still sensitive. A haircut with scissors is allowed after a month, but you should not use a razor at least for four months.
It is recommended that you put cold compress or ice after a hair transplant on the donor or the recipient areas. Keep the ice pack at least one inch away from the frontal hairline where grafts were placed. Begin using ice packs immediately after the surgery and continue for the next 5 days. Putting ice around the transplanted area, such as on the forehead or on the donor area, makes you feel better. The application of ice bags on the forehead area and face can reduce swelling. Be careful not to get too close to the implanted area while applying the ice pack.
“How long should you wait to dye your hair after a hair transplant?” is a common question among patients. While it is possible to dye the hair after a hair transplant, it is important to wait several weeks because newly implanted hair follicles are sensitive. Harsh dyes can interfere with their growth during recovery. It is recommended that patients wait at least four to six months, or until the scalp has completely healed, before dying the hair.
Finasteride (Propecia) both reduces DHT level by about 70% and increases the testosterone level by 9%. It is recommended to use Finasteride (Propecia) for a year to protect and strengthen the existing hair after a hair transplant operation. Using specific medications for a successful hair transplant is critical to get a satisfactory result.
A haircut with scissors is allowed after a month, but you should not use a razor at least for four months.
While applying the instructions and suggestions given by your doctor after the hair transplant, don’t forget that; what you eat also will help the healthy growth and strengthening of the new hair follicles. In this process, being careful about nutrition will increase the rate of cell regeneration and will help to shorten the recovery time after hair transplant.
There can be a burning sensation in the recipient and the donor areas after hair transplant for 2-4 days which is quite tolerable.
