Top Tips For Hair Transplant Recovery

Top Tips For Hair Transplant Recovery

You’ve finally been able to get that coveted head full of hair you’ve always wanted with a hair transplant. You want to make sure that you are well informed and prepared for the best recovery after your hair transplant procedure. A lot of patients choose to have a hair transplant abroad and may travel home within just a few days of the procedure.  

To make sure you have a speedy recovery, follow your surgeon’s instructions for aftercare and take care of yourself and your scalp. If something does go wrong, you can find a good surgeon for a hair transplant repair. Here are the best aftercare tips for your hair transplant. 

• The First Few Days

You might go home right after your hair transplant procedure. However, resting for a couple of days is an important part of healing. Do not scratch or pick at the wound, no matter how itchy it feels. Avoid any strenuous activity, like manual work, lifting, bending, or playing any sports. 

Stay away from heat, cold, and sweating, as these can interfere with your healing process. Stay inside for a few days. If you do need to go outside, wear a loose-fitting hat. At home, leave your head uncovered. 

Prevent swelling by sleeping semi-upright, propped on pillows, and keep pressure off your head. Don’t try to wash the area, and avoid aspirin, alcohol and ice cream. Try not to blow your nose too hard, as it can cause bleeding around the wound. 

• Pain Management And Swelling

Swelling in the transplant area is normal during the first week. You can relieve this with anti-inflammatories and ice packs that are placed on your forehead, but never on the graft site. Use the packs for fifteen minutes every two hours. 

Sleep with your head elevated at least 45 degrees for the first three nights, by using a neck pillow or sleeping on your side or in a comfy chair to keep pressure away from the graft site. Your doctor may also be able to prescribe pain medication if you need it. 

• Infections

Infections from hair transplants are rare, but for at least two weeks you need to avoid dirt, dust, sweat, and bacteria from getting into the wound. Don’t touch or scratch it, and report any redness, swelling, or pain to your doctor. 

• Activities, Work, And Sports

You can go back to work pretty much immediately unless your job involves exposure to strenuous activity or heavy lifting, dusty environments, or hats and helmets. Many patients go abroad for hair transplants, so why not enjoy a holiday as part of the trip? This is a low-risk procedure and exploring an area afterwards is fine. It is better to stay away from saunas, steam rooms, Turkish baths and too much sun exposure in the early days, however. 

• Peeling

Itching or irritation in the donor area is common and can be relieved with any sterile saline solution, or with Aloe Vera gel. Flakes or peels could start falling off the implant site after seven to ten days, or more. Ask your surgeon to prescribe you a softening cream as part of the aftercare bundle to reduce this. 

Contributed Article.