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Smooth Recovery: A Guide to FUE Hair Transplant Aftercare
Congratulations on taking the step towards a fuller head of hair with FUE hair transplantation! Now comes the crucial aftercare phase, which directly impacts your healing and final results. Here’re comprehensive guides to ensure a smooth recovery:
REMEMBER The hardest part of hair transplantation is waiting for the hair to grow. The hair transplanted today will not begin to grow for 3-4 months after the procedure. Prior to this the grafts will develop small scabs which will fall off in 10-14 days. The shaft of the hair will shed with these scabs. This is normal, do not panic! The roots remain behind. The new hair shafts will be growing below the skin and reach the surface in 3-4 months. The hair continues to mature and add density for up to 12-18 months.
It will take at least 6 months to actually see the results of surgery since the hair grows at an average rate of 1.5 cm/month.
WARNING
- DO NOT drink alcohol for 3 days after the surgery. Alcohol thins the blood and may cause bleeding.
- DO NOT take aspirin, blood thinners for 2 days after surgery (except if the doctor approves the intake of these drugs) as these can also thin the blood and cause bleeding. If you are in doubt call the clinic.
POSTURE Do not bend over but rather lower your body to pick up things for the first 5 days to prevent swelling.
DIET Do not over eat food after surgery because this may cause stomach upset especially with the drugs you’re receiving during surgery, no restricted food.
SLEEPING Keep the head mild elevated with one or two pillows or use neck pillow or rolled towel under your neck to help relieve the pain. Try to sleep on your back it you have temporal points done, do not face down to prevent facial swelling.
First 1-3 nights will have bandages depends on each patient’s conditions, and please wear a bandanna while sleeping to protect the grafts for 5 days post op.
POST – OPERATIVE MEDICATIONS
- A) Antibiotics, please take as prescribed on the label to help prevent infection, should be finished.
- B) Pain killers: You may take Tylenol 1 tablet every 4 hours or NSAIDs IF NEEDED.
- C) Sleeping pill (Valium 10mg): take 1 pill at bedtime, if needed.
- D) Prednisolone 5 mg 1 tablet 3 times a day till finished, reduce swelling and inflammation
SHAMPOOING AND CLEANING
We provide intensive post op care for 5 days, includes wound care, hair wash and Low-Level Light Laser Therapy (LLLT).
LLLT (HealiteTM) will help increase blood supply to the grafts, reduce swelling, discomfort, redness and prevent scarring formation. We do LLLT for both recipient and donor sites, 13 minutes each.
Post op care each time will take 45-60 minutes.
CARE OF TRANSPLANTED AREA
Your hair will be washed 24-48 hours after surgery. We want the grafts to adhere solidly during this time.
1) Wet your head with mild warm temperature and a gentle stream of water from the shower. If you use the shower, block the stream with your hand so that the water pressure is not too strong.
- Lather up shampoo on the palm of your hands.
- Pat this shampoo on the area gently (DO NOT RUB) and let it sit for 1-2 minutes.
- Gently rinse off with a gentle stream of water from the shower.
- Pat dry gently with towel. After 24 hours you can use a blow drier on cool setting only. DO NOT RUB THE GRAFTS TO DRY THEM.
- Do this once a day starting 24 or 48 hours after surgery.
- After 7 days you can begin to lightly rub the graft area to help remove crust.
- After 14 days you should be able to shower normally.
- Please use baby shampoo for 2 weeks post op, conditioner is allowed to use at end of hair not put to the scalp, grafted area. After 2 weeks, you are able to use regular shampoo.
- Apply antibiotic ointment 5-7 days
CARE OF DONOR AREA
You can gently rub the donor area. Wash this daily starting 24-48 hours after surgery.
Apply antibiotic ointment 5-7 days
NAUSEA/VOMITING
This may occur in less than 10% of patients after surgery. This is due to the medication given during surgery. Don’t panic because this condition is self limited and the doctor will give you medication for this. For intractable vomiting you may need intravenous fluid.
HICCUPS
This may occur occasionally and may last for 24-48 hours; it’s caused from local anesthetic or sleeping pill. Drink plenty of water. Don’t worry this condition is self-limited, if not relief, you may need medication.
BLEEDING
On occasion slight bleeding may occur from either the graft site or donor site. If this occurs, apply gentle but firm pressure to the area with the gauze provided or a clean cloth. APPLY THE PRESSURE FOR A FULL 5 MINUTES. The bleeding should stop. If it does not, please call us.
HEAD BAND
It should not be removed in the first 48 hrs except when you shampoo and unless the doctor will tell you to do so. Continue to wear it a few more days for a minimum of 2-3 days post-op to prevent facial swelling.
SWELLING
On occasion swelling may occur in 3% of patients. However currently we have incorporated anti-swelling medication in the local anesthetic that we use which is why most patients don’t usually experience swelling but if it does occur it is very minimal. It is not dangerous and is painless and will not affect the growth of the graft.
ITCHINESS
A few days after surgery, early sign of wound healing is itchiness either in transplanted or donor area. If you have this symptom, do not scratch it! Cold compression, gentle pat or touches will relief it. If there is no improvement, anti-histamine drugs may be prescribed.
Aloe Vera gel or healing cream will help this.
SCAB or CRUST
Small crusts may form on each graft, and these can usually be camouflaged by any existing hair that can be combed over the recipient area, or with camouflage products such as Toppik. These crusts will flake-off by 10–14 days after the surgery. Aloe Vera gel will accelerate scab falling by applying twice a day after shampoo. Do not pick at the scabs, let it fall off by itself.
After 10 days, you can soak with baby or olive/ coconut/ rosemary oil for 10-15 minutes then go to wash, gentle rub them off while shampooing.
EXERCISE AND ACTIVITY
No exercise should be done for 7 days after the procedure. It could result in increased swelling or lost grafts. After 7 days mild exercise can be resumed and after 14 days normal exercise can be resumed.
Sex: after 1 week is fine
Masturbation: after a few days
SWIMMING
You should avoid swimming and sun for at least 3 weeks after surgery. Remember there are acids, chlorine and bacteria in pools! After this, swimming is alright.
Sun protection: Avoid direct sunlight on the scalp for at least three months. The skin of the grafts is not used to the sun and may burn easily. It is OK to go into the sun but do not sunbathe without some protection for this sensitive skin. You can wear a cap or hat after 1 week. Wear a loose-fitting hat, cap when outdoors.
Headwear: For the first 3 days, wear a loose-fitting headband provided by the clinic to minimize swelling. In first week wear a bandanna provided by clinic, after a week, a wide-brimmed hat, loose cap is okay.
FOLLICULITIS AT THE GRAFTED OR DONOR SITE
On occasion it may develop a folliculitis at the graft site, these look similar to acne with pimple like lesions. If this happens, apply moist warm soaks for 15 minutes, pop them up and apply antibacterial ointment, cream, gel such as Clindamycin, Bactroban 3 times a day. You may need oral antibiotics if you have a lot of pimples.
TEMPORARY HAIR SHEDDING OF DONOR and/or GRAFTED AREA (SHOCK LOSS)
In some patients, there will have some shedding of the existing hairs around 3-4 weeks post op. Don’t worry because this condition is temporary and the hairs will grow back in 3-4 months post op.
REDNESS
In most patient’s redness over the recipient and donor areas, will fade away in few weeks.
However, in some patients the redness may take several months to disappear. If it takes longer in your case please just be patient because eventually the redness will fade with the passing of time.
Aloe Vera gel or healing cream will help this redness, stay out of the sun for a couple months.
Hair CUT & DYE
We advise not to have the hair cut or colored at least 3-4 weeks after the surgery.
SAUNA
No sauna for at least one month.
GROOMING
Rogaine, gel, hair spray and mousse are allowed for grooming 7 days after surgery.
GETTING IN AND OFF THE CAR Be careful when you get inside the car. Make sure your head does not hit the roof. We have a few patients a year that lose grafts from this accident
Smoking cigarette, weed: You should stop for 1-week post op
Helmet, hard hat: You can wear it after 2 weeks but put bandanna or scarf before it
