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Hair Transplant Aftercare/Postop

Hair Transplant Aftercare/Postop

Hair Transplant Aftercare/Postop

Are follow-up appointments needed after hair transplants? 

Please continue ongoing hair loss visits. Your expert physicians will call you 24 hours after your surgery to ensure there are no immediate post operative complications. You will send photos of the front, back and sides of your hair 24 hours after your procedure. Your next photo follow up will be 14 days (2 weeks), 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, and 18 months. 

Hair Transplant Aftercare 

  • Rest and Avoid Strenuous Activities: It's important to get adequate rest during the first few days. Avoid strenuous activities, including heavy lifting and intense workouts, to prevent strain on the transplant area. 

  • Protect the Grafted Area: Be cautious not to touch or scratch the newly transplanted hair follicles. Protect the grafts from any trauma and follow our surgeon's instructions regarding headwear. 

  • Medication: Take prescribed medications as directed, including topical steroids, pain relievers and antibiotics. These medications help manage pain and prevent infection. 

Hair Washing and Care: 

  • Doctor Edges Dermal Wound Spray: Spray the new follicles every 1-2 hours for the first 2 days and then every 3-4 days until the bottle is empty after that.  

  • Gentle Washing: 24 hours after your procedure is completed, we advise using The Cup Method to wash your newly implanted grafts and gentle wash cloth for the back of the scalp. Follow our surgeon's instructions for when and how to start washing your hair.  

  • Avoid Hot Water: Avoid hot water in the transplanted area. Use lukewarm water for washing your hair. 

  • Pat Dry: 24 hours after your procedure, let your hair air dry. After 2 weeks, you can gently pat your hair dry after washing. Avoid rubbing or aggressive towel drying. 

Avoid Sun Exposure and Protective Measures: 

  • Sun Protection: Protect the transplanted area from direct sunlight. Wear a hat or use sunscreen as recommended by our surgeons. 

  • Avoid Swimming: Avoid swimming in pools, hot tubs, or any activities that may expose the transplant area to potentially harmful substances. 

Follow-Up Appointments: 

  • Scheduled Check-ups: Please send your photos to review at your scheduled post-hair transplant check-ins. It is also highly recommended to schedule regular hair loss visit appointments for continued management and care of your overall hair. 

  • Gradual Return: Gradually reintroduce physical activities and exercise, following your surgeon's guidelines. Strenuous activities may need to be avoided for a certain period. 

Nutrition and Hydration: 

  • Balanced Diet: Maintain a balanced diet to support overall health, including the health of your newly transplanted hair follicles. 

  • Hydration: Stay well-hydrated, as proper hydration supports the healing process. 

Avoid Smoking and Alcohol: 

  • Smoking: If you smoke, it is very important to avoid this during the healing phase, as smoking can impede the healing process. 

  • Alcohol: Limit alcohol consumption, as it can potentially interfere with the healing process, may interact with medications, and or increase bleeding.  

Hair Growth Expectations: 

  • Patience is Key: Understand that the transplanted hair may initially fall out, but new hair growth will gradually occur over the following months. Be patient and follow up with your surgeon regarding the expected timeline for results. 

Contact Doctor Edges: 

  • Report Concerns: If you experience excessive swelling, bleeding, infection, or any other concerning symptoms, contact our team immediately. If it is after hours contact 911 or go to the emergency room. Prompt communication is essential for addressing any issues quickly. 

Before Hair Transplant Aftercare/Postop

Before

After Hair Transplant Aftercare/Postop

After

FAQs

The postoperative course will depend on adherence to the instructions given after surgery. Small scabs will form on the scalp at the graft sites. The scabs disappear in 4-14 days. Shampooing can be resumed 24 hours after surgery. For FUT procedures, the suture (stitch) used in the donor area is undetectable as it is completely covered by your existing hair. An appointment will be made for the suture to be removed two weeks after surgery if non-dissolvable sutures were used. It is advisable to take at least two days off work after surgery. A very loose-fitting baseball-type cap can be worn 1 week after the surgery. A loose-fitting headscarf or hoodie can be worn after surgery if desired. Patients should avoid strenuous physical activity for at least 2 weeks after surgery. Typically, the shaft of the grafted hair will shed within the first 3 months after surgery, but the root of the follicle containing the stem cells will remain. New growth will begin in 3-4 months and length will increase approximately 1/2 inch per month, which varies per patient. Dr. Ekpo recommends starting PRP with exosome therapy to aid in faster growth of your grafted hairs. Dr. Ekpo may also start you on additional therapy post-transplant to aid in faster healing and growth of your grafts.

The grafts form small scabs in the first few days after the procedure. If one has enough surrounding hair, these scabs can be camouflaged with creative styling. If not, the small scabs may be visible but do not attract much attention. By keeping the scalp moist, the scabs usually come off in about 1-2 weeks. Day 0 (Day of Surgery after completion of hair transplant)

Begin using Doctor Edges Dermal Wound Spray EVERY 2 HOURS and keep your scalp bandage on for 24 hours. On the first day following your procedure, small scabs that are the size of a pinhead surrounding the transplanted hair follicles will likely be visible. They may look like little grains of sand. Scabs protect the grafts from shifting upwards and protect against infection. Begin washing your hair daily 24 hours after your procedure (or weekly if you have Afrocentric textured hair. It is still very important to spray your grafts every 2 hours). So, if your procedure finished around 5 pm, you would begin washing around the same time, the next day.

Hair Shedding (“Shock” Shedding):Shock shedding is a normal physiological process in which there is temporary or permanent shedding of hair close to the tiny recipient incisions OR around the donor area (back of the scalp) in response to the stress of the surgical procedure itself. It usually begins within the first 3 months after the procedure. Please do not be alarmed. Hair that goes into shock and does not return is hair that was inevitably on its way out anyway and was not strong enough to return (miniaturized hairs caused by genetic hair loss). Most of the time the hair that has gone into shock will grow back after 3-4 months (rarely after 6-12 months). The use of prescription minoxidil compound beginning 3 weeks after your procedure and throughout your aftercare process will decrease this loss of hair and accelerate the regrowth of hair.

It is important that you avoid exercise, activities, and sports for 7 days for FUT and 5 days for FUE. Too much activity could cause swelling, bleeding, and loss of grafts. After 7 days for FUT and 5 days for FUE, you may resume MILD activities (approximately 50% of normal exercise routine), continuing to avoid heavy activity such as running, heavy weightlifting, golfing, and cycling for an additional 7 days. Avoid stretching or excessive bending of your neck (no yoga, etc.) for 2 weeks as this could affect the healing of your donor area. Please refrain from sexual activity for 3 days following your procedure. Also, remember to bend at the knees instead of the waist when picking up objects and tying shoes for at least the first 3 days. Be careful not to bump your head or cause any friction to the grafts, for the first 7 days. Avoid the use of a sauna or steam room until after the sutures or staples are removed if you underwent the FUT procedure and after 10 days if you underwent the FUE procedure. Please remember to wash your hair right after exercising, especially for the first 2 weeks, to prevent the buildup of oil on and around your grafts and donor area.

You can have sexual intercourse 3 days after your transplant if it does not disrupt the grafts or affect the donor area.  

If you have a desk job, you may return to work the next day, assuming you are able to work with mild donor area discomfort and mild redness to the scalp. If your job requires you to lift objects greater than 15 pounds or if you are relatively active, it is recommended that you return to work after 7 days for FUT and 5 days for FUE.

Gentle Rinsing and Shampooing  

Regular gentle washing of your hair is extremely important after the surgery. One would think that this would disturb the grafts, however, if done properly, the chance of dislodging the grafts is minimal. Shampooing with baby shampoo using the cup method helps gently remove dead skin cells, dirt, blood, and oil preventing excessive crust or scab formation over the recipient sites, which can impair wound healing and hair growth. If you shampoo properly, scabs should normally be gone within a few days to 2 weeks at the most.  

Conditioning  

You may begin using the conditioner on day 7. When applying the conditioner, please allow it to sit for 5 minutes. This will significantly decrease scab formation.  

To remove scabs and crust from the DONOR incision, use warm water and either a washcloth (while showering) or Q-tips and gently roll it across the suture line and in between the staples.  

It is important to sleep in a semi-sitting position to prevent and/or minimize post-operative swelling. Either use 3-4 pillows or a recliner (no more than 45 degrees from the waist up) for the first 3-4 nights. Facial fullness, headache and disrupted sleep are very normal postoperative symptoms and will decrease as the healing process occurs. Strenuous activity including bending, lifting, or straining after hair restoration surgery is not recommended for at least 7 days after the transplantation. REMOVE YOUR SURGICAL CAP WHEN YOU GET HOME AFTER SURGERY. DO NOT SLEEP IN THIS.

In most patients, mild pinkness or redness over the donor scar and recipient area fades in a few days to 2 weeks; however, on rare occasions there have been some patients that will hold redness in the recipient area for up to 8 weeks or more, especially if they have fair skin. Dr. Ekpo and her team will provide you with a hair transplant goodie bag and prescriptions to help the redness subside faster.

At Doctor Edges, our doctors and extraordinary team have years of experience to help you achieve your hair, skin, and wellness goals. With the help of the Doctor Edges Team, you will be equipped with an individualized treatment plan to help you achieve your ultimate health goals.

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