Hair Transplants » Hait Transplant Recovery

Hair Transplant Recovery

The recovery time is usually minimal for hair transplants performed at our Birmingham, Alabama outpatient facility. Our office will provide you with complete instructions for taking care of yourself after the procedure. Most patients can return to work and resume most of their normal activities within 2 to 3 days. However, lifting or bending over should be avoided for at least 3 days, and vigorous physical activities such as weightlifting should be avoided until any non-absorbable sutures in the donor site are removed in 7 to 12 days.

Patients should not use alcohol or any medications that thin the blood (such as aspirin, ibuprofen, arthritis medications or vitamins) for 3 days after surgery to avoid excessive bleeding. During this time, acetaminophen (Tylenol) or your prescribed pain medication may be used for pain or a headache. If minor bleeding occurs at the transplant sites, apply light pressure with a moist, clean cloth for 5 to 10 minutes, taking care not to disrupt surrounding transplants.

Swelling that is usually painless may appear on the forehead and around the eyes 2 to 3 days after surgery. This swelling usually goes away after a few days. To inhibit swelling, apply ice packs to swollen areas for 10 minutes an hour for 3 days. It is also a good idea to sleep with your head and upper body elevated with pillows or in a recliner.

The transplanted hair should not be washed for 24 hours, after which you may gently shampoo and rinse with cool water and light water pressure. If you use a blow dryer, place it on a cool setting. After showering, gently apply a towel or gauze pad to the scalp to absorb any bleeding that is present. You may shampoo as normal after 5 days.

As healing begins, crusting may develop at the base of the transplants 24 to 72 hours after hair transplant surgery. Patients should not scratch or pick at any scabs that form to avoid an infection or damaging the hair transplants. Carefully apply a thick moisturizing conditioner, let it remain on the hair for 5 minutes and gently rinse to decrease crusting.