The below question was asked by a member of our Hair Loss Social Community and Discussion Forums and answered by “California”, patient advisor for recommended hair restoration surgeon Dr.Tejinder Bhatti:
I’m concerned about losing follicular unit grafts during sleep in the first few days post hair transplant. Especially along the sides/temples and hairline. What precautions can I take to ensure I don’t cause any harm to my HT? Also, how long until the grafts are secured in place?
Grafts do take 6-8 days to get firmly rooted in the scalp. We advise our patients not to sleep flat for at least 3 days post-op. We ask them to keep upright and sleep in a semi-sitting position for the first 3 nights after the procedure so that the head is higher than the heart.
Listed below are the “don’ts” after having surgical hair restoration:
- Do not sleep flat for the first 3 days.
- Do not consume alcohol on the night after surgery.
- Do not pour tap water over the procedure site.
- Do not do heavy exercise, gym, aerobics, heavy weight lifting or yoga for one week.
- Do not bend down or forward to tie your shoe lace or to pick up objects from the ground for the first 3 days.
- Do not use a hair dryer.
- Do not scratch the procedure area with you fingernail.
- Do not allow the teeth of your comb to touch the procedure area while combing.
- Do not apply any ice or cold pack over the procedure area, forehead or any part of the face
- Do not stroke the planted area with gauze from forward to backward.
- Do not use any shampoo, washing solution or antiseptic other than what is supplied/ recommended (by your Doctor’s Office).
- Do not take steam or sauna bath for 2 weeks.
- You can use your own loose cap/hat after 5 days of the procedure or you can wear a bandana. We request our Patients to wear only our cap as it is designed specially for the post-op care. Use it only for outdoor activity. Do not wear any woolen cap. No turban for 2 months after the procedure. No helmet for 6 weeks after the procedure. Cap should not touch any procedure area. Wear it loose and do not press it tight across your head. Remove it by lifting it from back to front.
- Do not go to the barber for 6 weeks after the procedure.
- Do not color your hair before 6 weeks of the procedure.
- After the first 2 weeks do not unnecessarily keep the hair covered with a cap. Give them air for healthy hair growth.
- If you develop dandruff, you may use a ketoconazole shampoo like Nizoral 2 days a week.
- If the beard is the donor site, do not shave it for 7 days after the procedure. After 7 days you can shave your beard and use a trimmer for the shadow area from where grafts have been take.
- Do not use shampoo more than 2-3 times a week.
- Do not wear the cap when on a long haul flight out of India since it will be uncomfortable. Tie a loose bandana over the scalp.
- Do not swim in a pool or in the sea for 3 weeks after the procedure.
We wish you all the best,
California
North America Representative and Patient Advisor for Dr. Tejinder Bhatti.
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David
Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q & A Blog.
To share ideas with other hair loss sufferers visit the hair loss forum and social community.
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