What Should I Expect after a Hair Transplant?
When Can I Return to Work after My Procedure?
You can return to work as early as the day after your procedure. If your job requires any type of bending, stretching, physical strain or contact with chemicals, you should take a few days off until the acute phase is over.
Will there be any Bruising after the Procedure?
Bruising or skin discoloration might be present for the first few days after the surgery. We usually give patients a baseball cap to cover the transplanted area. Those with existing hair can use that natural hair to cover the bruised areas of the transplant site.
Can I Resume My Workout Routine after the Hair Transplant?
Light non-strenuous activity can be resumed the day after your procedure. Please wait until the sixth day after your procedure to do any heavy lifting or more strenuous workouts. While light walking/jogging is fine to be resumed the day after your transplant, please try to avoid any activity that makes you sweat profusely. The sweat will not harm your grafts but we don’t want you to take a towel and wipe near/over the grafts and possibly dislodge them before they have completely settled into their new homes.
Will I have a Scar that is Visible after the Hair Transplant?
There is no visible scar from FUE. More traditional methods of hair restoration like FUT will leave a linear scar that matures around 4-6 months after surgery. Keeping the hair as long as possible in the area with the scar will minimize its visibility.
Will I Lose some of My Own Hair after the Procedure?
Some patients lose some of their native hair thanks to
shock loss. This usually happens before the bulk of the transplanted hair has had a chance to grow in.
Will the Transplanted Hair Fall Out and then grow back?
It is completely normal for newly transplanted hair shafts to fall out 2-3 weeks after your procedure. Even if everything that was transplanted in the recipient area sheds, this is nothing to be concerned about. The reproductive part of the follicle is still in the skin. You may see some growth as early as 3 months but give it 6-8 months to start seeing your results.
Do I Need to apply Rogaine after My Hair Transplant?
Any plans to use Rogaine after the surgery should be discussed with the doctor. Do not put any type of topical on the transplanted area for 7 days after the treatment unless approved by the doctor. You can resume Rogaine after the first week.
When can I cut my hair after my hair transplant?
You will be able to cut your hair six days after your procedure. If you want to shave your head, you will need to wait a month before doing so.
What is recommended for folliculitis/pimples?
Folliculitis are pimple looking lesions that may appear after a hair transplant in the recipient or donor area. They typically go away on their own within 3-4 days after appearing. Patients can apply a warm compress multiple times a day to affected area to help speed up the process. If the pimples are becoming enlarged or painful, patients can call the office to make an appointment to have them drained.
How long does itching last and is it normal?
Itching and tightness of the scalp is a completely normal experience after your hair transplant. These conditions can start to occur about one to four weeks after your procedure and is a part of the healing process. To help minimize this, you want to make sure you are resuming a normal hair wash and keeping your scalp clean.
What is recommended to help with itching?
You can try applying a small amount of aloe vera gel the fourth day after your procedure while more severe cases of an itchy scalp might require medication prescribed by the doctor.
How long does numbness last?
Numbness varies from patient to patient. Some may not experience any numbness while others may have numbness in their donor or recipient area (or both). There is not an exact timeline of when numbness should subside. If patients are experiencing numbness after two months, the doctor should be advised so they can examine the scalp of the patient and advise if any further action needs to be taken.
Is there any product that can help with redness?
Redness and any inflammation of the skin usually resolves on its own after the first few weeks. Patients with a lighter skin color may continue to have some redness or pinkish discoloration for a few more weeks. If the redness is interrupting day to day life, there are medications the doctor can prescribe to help minimize or eliminate it.
During the procedure, the technicians use a medical dye called methylene blue to help make the sites visible for placement of the grafts and to insert the grafts more precisely. Although we try to keep this localized to the skin, it is possible for the dye to get on the hair and temporarily discolor any hair that was not shaved prior to the procedure. If there is any dye left on the skin or hair after the procedure, you can expect it to fade with each hair wash you perform. The methylene blue should come off completely once you resume a normal hair wash and are able to lather the affected areas more aggressively with your fingertips.
Are there specific SPF recommendations? (strength, cream, spray, etc.)
For the first six months after your procedure, you need to avoid exposing the transplanted area(s) to direct sunlight for no longer than five minutes. The best way to do this is to wear a hat if you will be outside for a long period of time. If you are doing an activity where you can’t wear a hat, you want to make sure you are applying a spray-on sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or above and repeat it every hour as long as you stay under the sun.
When can I use styling products?
You are able to resume using styling products six days after your procedure.
When can I shave after beard hair extraction?
As long as there isn’t any pain or irritation in the beard area, patients can resume shaving the day after their procedure.
You can dye your hair two weeks after your procedure.
How soon after my procedure can I do another procedure?
If you are wanting to do a touchup to an area that has already been transplanted, you want to wait at least 6-8 months so we can start to see the results from your initial procedure. If you are wanting to transplant to a completely different area, there is not a waiting period.
How do I know if a graft fell out/got knocked out?
The first five days after your procedure are the most crucial for your transplanted grafts. If a graft is dislodged during this time frame you may notice the hair shaft(s) laying on top of the transplanted area, or on hats or pillows if not used correctly. A graft will never “fall out” on its own, so be sure to avoid touching, scratching, or rubbing the transplanted area until day six when the grafts are completely settled into their new homes.
When can I resume OTC supplements?
OTC supplements can be resumed the day after your procedure.
How soon after procedure can I travel?
It is best to wait at least until the day after your procedure to travel. If absolutely necessary, you are able to travel the same day of your procedure.
What to do if I am experiencing pain in the donor and/or recipient area?
Although uncommon, some patients might experience pain the night of their procedure and can have it last up to a few days following the procedure. Patients will be going home with mild painkillers that should be sufficient to minimize any pain they may experience. If the painkillers don’t help, or if the patient has any questions/concerns about any pain they are experiencing, they should contact our office to schedule an appointment with the doctor.
When can I wear a hat of my choice?
Most patients will be sent home with a hat in their post-op bag which we recommend they wear the first five days following their procedure. The reason we ask you wear the hat you are sent home with is because it “sits up” in a more elevated manner than other hats and won’t come in contact with your grafts. If you have a brand-new, loose-fitting hat that you would prefer to wear, feel free to bring it with you on the day of your procedure or hair wash so the doctor can see if it would be okay to wear or not. Please be advised if temples were transplanted, you may not be able to wear a hat of any kind for the first five days. On the sixth day following your procedure (whether temples were done or not) you are able to wear any hat of your choosing.
Combing/brushing hair during the first five days after your procedure.
If a full shave wasn’t done for your procedure, you are able to comb your longer hair after regular FUE as long as the comb is kept a few centimeters above the transplanted grafts. You need to practice extreme caution so the comb does not touch the transplanted area as this may result in grafts being dislodged. If a Celebrity FUE was done and grafts with longer hair shafts were transplanted, it is best to avoid combing your hair for the first five days as there is a chance the comb can pull the hair resulting in the grafts coming out of the site.
Using a hair dryer for longer hair within the first five days.
You are able to blow dry your hair right after your procedure. If possible, use the cool setting and keep the blow dryer at a lower speed. You want to make sure you are keeping the blow dryer at about half an arms-length away from the recipient area. You can blow dry the lengths of your hair as you normally would with a warmer and higher setting.
Is laser cap recommended before and after the procedure? Would it help with minimizing shock hair loss after the procedure?
Laser Caps are not recommended by us before or after surgery. We recommend Finasteride or Minoxidil which are much more proven for hair loss prevention. Laser Caps have not been proven to minimize shock loss.
