To your surprise, over six lac people undergo hair transplants yearly. Ninety percent of this figure is men, as baldness is more common in men than women. Research has shown that forty percent of men begin experiencing hair loss at age 35. If you have also undergone a hair transplant or are planning for it, you should know about hair transplant aftercare.
It's necessary to ensure your hair makes the most of the surgical or non-surgical transplant. Understanding this, we have compiled tips for maintaining healthy hair post-hair transplant. Let's dive into this comprehensive guide to learn in-depth about them.
Tips for Ensuring Optimal After Care for Hair Transplant
Aftercare treatments can last for ten to fourteen days. You should stick to certain tips for longer. Here are some most important considerations falling under the umbrella of tips for healthy hair after a hair transplant. Hop on below to give them a quick read!
Tip 1: Moisturize the Recipient Area
Hair transplant surgeons usually suggest several aftercare products, including moisturizers, for keeping the recipient area moist. These products promote softening effect on scabs around the transplanted area, boosting healing. However, you should not rely on any other moisturizer bought from the market, as not all are compatible with hair transplanted hair scalp.
Tip 2: Use Pain Killers to Relieve Post-Hair Transplant Pain
It's normal to experience pain after a hair transplant. The pain is more intense in the donor than in the recipient area. A painful sensation is because of the awakening of nerves and relocation of fluids under the skin, causing a throbbing discomfort. You can rely on over-the-counter painkillers to relieve it. These are easily available at any medical store.
Tip 3: Don’t Partake in Strenuous Exercise
It’s essential to avoid doing any strenuous exercise a few days after your hair transplant. Wondering why? This might be because of sweating. Though sweating isn't harmful after a surgical hair transplant, your skin becomes sensitive, getting irritated with sweat. This can also develop infections around the donor or recipient sites. Exercise can also increase pain and inflammation.
However, you can practice non-aerobic exercises ten days after the surgery. Then, gradually increase, adding more demanding exercises after two weeks.
Tip 4: Hair Washing Strategy
That’s something most of the patients are concerned about, and they should be. Hair washing can either make or break the after-results of your hair transplant. This is why every single patient is normally taught hair washing at the clinic. The right strategy for washing hair in hair transplant aftercare is as follows:
- Firstly, the entire surgical area is treated with lotion or moisturizer, leaving them applied for 15-30 minutes. It's followed by washing the scalp with warm water. The special medical shampoo is used to make lather in hand, which is then carefully applied on the head; rubbing is strictly prohibited.
- You can dry your hair with a towel, but again don't rub. Just rely on gentle tapping. You can apply moisturizers between hair washes to relieve dryness.
- You should stick to this method for shampooing your hair daily after transplant for 7-10 days. However, after 14 days, you can shift back to your normal hair-washing routine.
Tip 5: Change Your Sleeping Position
The best approach is to sleep on your back with your hair slightly upright. This will help relieve swelling and prevent damage to your grafts during sleep. This sleeping position should be ensured till 3-4 days post-hair transplant. This might vary in some cases. So, you should consult your surgeon, asking how long you are supposed to follow this sleeping pattern.
Tip 6: Dealing with Itching and Swelling
Using innovative hair transplant equipment has reduced swelling and itching after the surgery. Still, one can expect to experience these for a few days, especially when the hair transplant covers an extended area, focusing on the hairline. Swelling is experienced on the forehead and around the eye area for 2-5 days. You can use Dexamethasone to relieve it.
On the other hand, itching normally occurs when hair restoration begins after 7-14 days. This sensation indicates tissue recovery, yet you can use an antihistamine pill if it becomes strong.
Tip 7: Comb Gently and Stick to Easy-to-Carry Hairstyles
Another tip for healthy hair restoration during hair transplant aftercare is to comb gently. Ensure to detangle your hair before washing and avoid combing wet hair. Latter can trigger more hair breakage and split ends. You should also skip using hair styling tools like curlers, dryers, etc.
Coming to the hairstyles, you can stick to Slicked Back, Caesar Look, Pompadours, or other easy-to-carry hairstyles. Do not use hair spray, gels, or other styling products. In short, avoid using any product that can make your newly transplanted hair stiff.
Tip 8: Follow These Dietary Changes
Besides following the above-mentioned tips, you should also practice these dietary changes to ensure optimal hair transplant aftercare. Some of these changes include:
- Boost your protein intake by eating more protein-rich foods. These can be anything from chicken egg, fish, and pulses, to walnuts and more. These will provide the required sources for keratin production, the main components of hair follicles. This, in turn, supports healthy hair growth.
- Keep yourself hydrated, drinking a minimum of 6-8 glasses daily.
- Intake of an adequate amount of Biotin or Vitamin B7. These nutrients will also support the recovery process, promising earlier hair growth.
- Also, avoid smoking and drinking; otherwise, you might delay the healing process.
What Else Can You Do for Proper Hair Transplant Aftercare?
Another thing you can do is select a top-notch surgeon for your hair transplant. It’s essential as only experts know the core basics of care before, after, and during the hair transplant. If you are looking for one, we recommend contacting Dr. Feinberg. With the experience of over 500 surgeries, this amazing man is dedicated to attaining perfection in his profession. Our Board-Certified by the American Board of Dermatology, offers Surgical and Non-surgical hair transplant services. Get in touch with us for more info.
Wrapping It Up!
This article features all the essential tips for promoting healthy hair development post-hair transplant. Stick to them to help your hair grow well. Hope this article was helpful; stay tuned for more such informative guides.