Hair Transplant Recovery Timeline: What to Expect After Surgery
Receiving a hair transplant is different for every patient, and the hair transplant recovery timeline can vary by patient and procedure. As such, it’s important to follow the specific instructions provided by your Parsa Mohebi Hair Restoration care team.
Immediately After Your Hair Transplant
When you leave the office, you will most likely have a bandage, or dressing, around your head. This dressing helps maintain pressure on the donor area to minimize bleeding and reduce swelling. The dressing may be removed the next day, just before your first hair wash. You won’t need the dressing after this.
It’s common to experience certain symptoms immediately after a hair transplant. These symptoms are part of the hair transplant recovery process and typically go away on their own quickly. You may experience redness and swelling in both the donor and recipient areas that may increase and remain visible for up to 4 days after your procedure, for example, but will then begin to go away.
Sleeping with your head elevated above your heart can help reduce swelling. Try sleeping in a recliner and use a neck pillow to keep your head in a comfortable position for the first few nights. Avoid putting pressure on the treatment area.
The First Five Days
The newly transplanted groups of hair follicles, or grafts, are quite delicate during the first five days after a hair transplant. During this part of the hair transplant recovery timeline, the grafts establish a blood supply and anchor to the surrounding tissue. Washing and protecting the scalp gives vulnerable grafts the best opportunity for success.
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A member of our Parsa Mohebi Hair Restoration team will examine your scalp the day after your procedure and perform your first hair wash after a transplant. We’ll also teach you how to wash your hair twice daily for the next five days, and provide you with a special shampoo and brush to help remove all the scabs. When you wash, avoid rubbing, scratching, or picking at the treated area.
If you are thinking about wearing a hat, contact your post hair transplant care team first to find out when you can wear a hat and what type of hat is appropriate.
One to Two Weeks After Surgery
Your donor and recipient areas are still healing one to two weeks after surgery, so itching and redness are common
After day 5, you can begin using regular shampoo to wash the donor and recipient areas. If you still have scabs, wash your hair twice a day and leave shampoo on for 10 to 15 minutes until all scabs are gone.
Do not pick the scabs, as doing so will disrupt the hair transplant recovery process. Picking the scabs will also dislodge the newly transplanted follicles, trigger bleeding, and contribute to the permanent loss of the grafts. It can also lead to infection and permanent scarring.
You may return to normal non-strenuous activity the day after your procedure. Avoid strenuous exercise, heavy lifting, and any activities that cause intense sweating. Your post hair transplant care team may recommend other activity guidelines.
Patients who have had Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) need to be seen by their transplant doctor within two weeks of their procedure, while those who have had Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) or have stitches or staples should be seen within ten days.
The First Few Months
You may notice early hair growth in the first few months following a transplant, although the growth may be gradual and uneven. Before new growth begins, some of the transplanted hairs may temporarily fall out. This shedding phase, commonly called shock loss, occurs as the hairs enter a temporary resting phase and is a normal part of recovery for many patients.
Some hair transplant patients develop folliculitis, which looks like small, pimple-like bumps. Folliculitis develops when the transplanted hairs sprout or become trapped as they grow. Consult with your care team if the pimples of folliculitis do not go away after a few days.
Contact us if you experience severe, worsening pain that does not go away, spreading redness, pus or other signs of infection, fever, or uncontrolled bleeding. We’re always here to provide care after hair transplant surgery.
Months Three Through Twelve
Fine hairs generally begin to appear and continue developing during months three through twelve. Reviewing the typical hair transplant growth stages can help patients understand how shedding, early growth, thickening, and final results progress over time.
Depending on your individual needs, our care team may recommend one or more follow-up appointments within 3 to 12 months of your procedure. During your follow-up appointment, our post hair transplant care team will assess your progress and monitor your hair growth. Appointments for care after hair transplant surgery may be virtual or in-person.
Hair Transplant Aftercare Checklist
Every patient who undergoes hair transplantation at Parsa Mohebi Hair Restoration should follow the individualized post-operative instructions they received. Here’s a general hair transplant aftercare checklist:
- Wash your scalp only as directed.
- Avoid rubbing, scratching, or picking at the treated area.
- Sleep in the position recommended by your care team.
- Avoid strenuous activity until cleared by your care team.
- Protect your scalp from prolonged sun exposure.
- Attend scheduled follow-up appointments.
- Contact the office with any questions or unexpected symptoms you may have.
When to Contact Your Care Team
Contact Parsa Mohebi Hair Restoration if you are experiencing symptoms that are worsening, unexpected, or causing you concern.
You may also contact your care team if you have any questions, need a medication refill, or need more information about a hair transplant recovery timeline or what to expect after surgery.
Post-Operative Hair Transplant FAQs
How long does a hair transplant take to heal?
A hair transplant heals in stages, and the hair transplant recovery timeline is different for every patient. The grafts from the donor area generally heal within 2 to 3 days, and new hairs begin to sprout and thicken between 3 and 12 months.
How should I sleep after a hair transplant?
After your hair transplant, sleep on your back with your head elevated at a 30- to 45-degree angle. Use the U-shaped pillow provided by Parsa Mohebi Hair Restoration, which helps you avoid accidentally rubbing the transplant areas, dislodging fragile grafts, and minimizes inflammation.
When can I wear a hat after a hair transplant?
You may be able to wear certain types of loose-fitting hats with a high cap, such as the one we provide, immediately after surgery. Consult with your care team at Parsa Mohebi Hair Restoration to find out when you can wear a hat after your hair transplant, as every patient has their own hair transplant recovery timeline and hair transplant aftercare plan.
When do hair transplant scabs fall off?
Most hair transplant scabs typically fall off within the first few days after a transplant. The rest usually fall off within a week of the procedure.
Is swelling normal after a hair transplant?
Some inflammation (swelling) is normal after a hair transplant. Inflammation usually reaches its peak around the fourth day and goes away on its own after that. Contact your hair transplant team to learn more about treating inflammation as part of hair transplant aftercare.
When can I exercise after a hair transplant?
Patients can typically resume their normal activities after the fourth day following their procedure, but should wait at least a week before engaging in strenuous work or exercise.
Why is my transplanted hair falling out?
About two to three weeks after hair transplantation, some of the newly transplanted hairs fall out. The follicles that grow hair are still in the skin.
When will new hair begin to grow?
New hair usually begins to grow about 3 to 6 months after a hair transplant. A hair transplant recovery timeline can vary between patients and even between individual hairs, as some hairs will grow faster than others. The hairs will continue to grow thicker as the patient nears the 1-year mark.
