What Should You Expect after a Hair Transplant?
A Los Angeles hair transplant takes hair grafts from one area of the body (usually the sides and back of the scalp) and then transplants them to the balding area of the scalp. The transplanted hair will grow just as it did on the donor area of the scalp and provide the patient with a healthy hairline and a more youthful look. But what happens in-between the actual hair restoration surgery at our Los Angeles or San Francisco hair transplant surgical centers? The answers you are looking for are in the article below!
Hair Transplant – Some Swelling and Pain Immediately after the Procedure
Once the surgery is competed, you might feel some pain and experience some swelling in both the donor area of the scalp and the area where the hair was transplanted. The hair transplant surgeon can prescribe you some antibiotics, painkillers and anti-inflammatory medicine to reduce the amount of pain and swelling on your part along with protecting you from experiencing an infection.
Hair Loss Soon after the Hair Transplant
While it might seem the opposite of what you are trying to accomplish with a hair transplant, the hair follicles will enter the resting phase two to four weeks after a hair transplant. This means that the hair shafts will begin to fall out but you should not let this worry you. The falling out of the hair shafts is a normal development and this hair loss is to be expected after your surgery. The transplanted hair will start to grow in again about two to three months after the procedure. In general, it can take anywhere from twelve to eighteen months to see the final results so you will need to be patient and understand that it takes a little while to see your desired hairline.
Washing Your Hair – Talk to us First
It is a normal instinct for you to want to wash your hair once you get home after the surgery. We advise, and ask you, not to wash your hair without meeting with us the day after your surgery. We will perform a post-op hair wash in our office the first day after your medical procedure. The purpose of our team performing the hair wash is to show you the proper technique to use in order to avoid dislodging or damaging the hair grafts.
We will also provide you with a special shampoo and sponge that you will use to safely wash your hair at home for the first four or five days after the procedure. It is necessary for you to remember to perform your hair washing in a gentle manner so you will not harm your hair grafts.
Do not scrub so hard that the scabs on the scalp are removed by your vigorous hair washing. The scabs will go away on their own sometime after the first five days after surgery.
FYI…The hair grafts will not be able to be dislodged from the transplanted area anywhere from five to seven days after the surgery.
Physical Activities after Hair Transplant Surgery
It will be tempting to want to start exercising again soon after the surgery. In general, people have the tendency to think they are doing fine after surgery and want to prove it by rushing back into their normal activities.
In general, you can begin to resume your normal physical activities, such as playing sports, around five days after your surgery. If you are unsure about if you are ready to start your physical activities again, you can either be cautious and wait a little longer or contact our office if you have any questions.
Hair Transplant Questions to Ask before Post-Surgery Time
We realize there is a good amount of hair transplant information to remember both before, and after, your procedure. You can certainly refer to this blog, as well as this page or this page, on our website to find the answers to your questions.
You will also have the opportunity to schedule a consultation appointment with one of our doctors before you make the final decision to have a hair transplant. The consultation appointment is your opportunity to meet with the doctor in-person to ask any questions or voice any concerns you have about having a hair transplant. It is also the opportunity for the doctor to perform a thorough examination of your scalp to determine the cause of your hair loss and to determine if you are healthy enough to have the surgery.
It is important to remember there is more to the hair restoration process than the actual surgery itself. You need to know what to expect after your surgery so you will have a complete picture of what it will take to achieve your hair restoration goals.
If you want to discuss having a hair transplant at one of our surgical centers, please contact our office today.
