Although hair transplant surgery is a relatively non-invasive procedure only requiring local anaesthetic, it is still important to understand the recovery process before making a decision. Our last article covered everything you need to know about the hair transplant surgery process with some additional information on travelling to Turkey for this procedure. If you are not familiar with what the procedure involves, it is recommended to read that first before finding out more about the post-operative care and recovery process. In this article, we will dive into the hair transplant recovery process in more detail and cover the timelines you can expect for healing, what is necessary to make it simpler and frequently asked questions. Continue reading below to find out more.
Table of Contents
Immediately After the Surgery
Once the hair transplant surgery is finished, your doctor will bandage up the donor area and recipient area (these are the parts of the scalp where your hair follicles will be taken from and transplanted into). It is normal for your scalp to be swollen, red and sensitive as the process involves removing hair follicles and planting them into your head. The first few weeks following your surgery are the most important for recovery. It is important to follow all of the instructions given by your doctor and get sufficient rest to allow your body to recover.
After being bandaged, your doctor will also give you a post-operative aftercare package with important things to aid your recovery. These aftercare packages generally include:
- Aftercare instructions: This will contain a guide to the various stages of recovery and what you need to do at each one so you don’t have to remember all of the instructions given to you.
- Painkillers: It is not unusual to experience a bit of pain, itching and swelling in the days after your surgery so your doctor will give you painkillers to help with this.
- Antibiotics: You will also be given some antibiotics after your surgery to help prevent any infections from occurring.
- Spray-bottle with Saline: A spray bottle with saline (a salt water solution) is included for you to spray on your head for the 1-2 weeks after your hair transplant to keep the scalp clean and germ-free. This solution helps the healing process and can also be useful to reduce the itching on your head from the forming scabs.
- Neck pillow: A neck pillow will be included to help you elevate your head while resting and sleeping for the days following your surgery as you should not be laying on or sleeping on your scalp.
- Specialised shampoo: A specialised shampoo is included so you can gently wash your hair 5-7 days after your surgery.
While it is possible for you to go back to work 1-2 days after your surgery, it is generally recommended to wait 4-5 days at the very least to give yourself sufficient rest and reduce unnecessary stress. The recovery process differs from person to person so the information found below is a general guide. If you have any questions or are unsure about any part of the recovery process, make sure to consult with your doctor.
1-5 Days
In the 1-5 days following your operation, the most important thing to remember is to be careful with the healing areas of your head. This means ensuring head elevation while sleeping and not straining the body by doing exercise, swimming, drinking alcohol, smoking or other exerting activities.
Along with these considerations, it is also important to regularly hydrate your head using the saline spray provided. If you are struggling to spray the entire area on your head, you can ask family or friends for help.
Your doctor may also ask you to rub a cream to provide relief, wear a hat for protection while outside and take painkillers to protect your scalp. Make sure to not wash your head, scratch the healing area or rub and dry your scalp with a towel as it can irritate the newly transplanted hair follicles and complicate the recovery process.
5-14 Days
After approximately 5 days, the majority of swelling and soreness experienced should be gone and most patients will have recovered enough to start washing their scalp with the specialised shampoo provided. You will be provided detailed instructions on how to do this however, as it is still pretty soon after the surgery, it is important to be gentle and not cause any irritation to your scalp. This can be caused from scratching your head or drying your scalp by rubbing with a towel.
Most of the transplanted hair grafts will have adapted to the recipient area by now and the most difficult part of the recovery should be complete. As the recovery is not completely finished, you will need to continue taking care of your head and not exert your body from exercise with the considerations given in the previous section.
2-4 Weeks
At this point in the hair transplant recovery process, you are well into the healing journey and you can start easing back into your normal routine. There is no need to worry if there is still some redness as this is not unusual, especially depending on your skin tone. Scabs should start falling off by themselves but make sure you’re not picking them off and causing any unnecessary irritation. You can also start sleeping as you normally would and resume some light exercise.
The main thing to remember at this stage is that your newly implanted hair will start to fall out and this is expected. This is a result of your hair follicles going dormant before starting to grow strong new hair. As long as you are not feeling pain or discomfort there is nothing to worry about. If you are, please contact your doctor.
Finally, you can start washing your hair and head as normal. You should no longer need to use any special shampoo but do be careful to not use any shampoo with strong chemicals which may be harsh on your scalp. Ingredients in shampoo to look out for include sulfates, parabens and formaldehyde. When drying your head, it’s best to allow for drying to happen naturally or, if you would like to use a towel make sure to only pat gently.
1-3 Months
By reaching the 1 month post operation hair transplant recovery point, most, if not all of your scabs should be gone with little to no pinkness left. Different parts of your transplanted hair will be going through various phases of falling out and growing back. If things are appearing patchy or are not growing back completely, there is no need to worry, this is all a part of the process. The speed of growth varies from person to person, so it is important to not compare your hair growth with cases you find online which can cause worry. If there is still swelling or soreness by this time, you should contact your doctor.
3-6 Months
3-6 months into your recovery, more hair should start growing with most of the falling out being done by the end of the 6 month stage. It is not unusual for the hair growing at this time to be thin and almost like body hair due to the maturity of the new follicles. Continue to be patient and trust the process of your hair growing back as it will thicken and fill out over time.
Your doctor may schedule a check up appointment with you in this time frame to check on progress and make sure everything is looking good. If this is something you would like for peace of mind, make sure to ask your doctor during the initial consultation/booking of your hair transplant surgery.
6-12 Months
Between 6-12 months, you will start to see significant progress with hair thickening and experiencing a good level of growth. There may still be a little bit of hair falling by months 6-8 but this should stop soon after. As this is a 6 month period being covered, patients may have slightly different experiences depending on their individual recovery. Generally after around 9 months, most patients start to see the beginning of what they were hoping to achieve by getting a hair transplant in the first place – a full head of hair. You may even consider getting a trim to try and get an even look for the hair that has grown in different stages on various parts of the scalp.
1 Year and Beyond
While 9+ months in you will start to see a glimpse of your full recovery, 1 year after the hair transplantation you will start to see the final results. This can be incredibly exciting! With a new full head of hair, you may feel like a whole new you. You can treat your hair as normal at this stage getting regular cuts or styling it the way you desire. While it was not a quick or easy process to get to this stage, you will be glad you went through with it as you may experience a new confidence you may have forgotten existed. Make sure to follow any special instructions, if given by your doctor.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
How long does it take to recover from a hair transplant?
Initial recovery takes about 10-14 days for minor scabbing and redness to subside. Full regrowth results are visible in 12-18 months, as the transplanted hair goes through its full growth cycle.
Will I experience pain after a hair transplant?
Most patients experience mild discomfort for a few days following the procedure. Over-the-counter pain medication is usually sufficient for relief.
When can I return to work after a hair transplant?
Most people can return to work within a few days if their work is not physically demanding. It’s best to consult with your surgeon for an individual assessment.
When can I wash my hair after a hair transplant?
Your surgeon will give you specific instructions, but generally, you can gently wash your hair 5 days after the procedure, following their recommended technique.
Can I use my regular shampoo and conditioner?
You’ll likely need to use a gentle, fragrance-free shampoo and conditioner provided or recommended by your doctor for the first few weeks. You can normally go back to using normal shampoo 2-4 weeks after the operation.
Can I blow-dry my hair after a hair transplant?
Avoid blow-drying and heat styling for several weeks as the heat can damage the newly transplanted follicles. It’s best to let your hair air dry.
How long should I avoid exercise after a hair transplant?
Avoid strenuous exercise and activities that raise your blood pressure for the first week or two. Light activities and walking are encouraged after the initial few days.
When can I go swimming after a hair transplant?
You should avoid swimming pools and submerging your head in seawater for at least a month. This is to protect against infections.
Can I wear a hat after a hair transplant?
Wearing a loose-fitting hat is typically OK, but consult your surgeon. Avoid tight hats that apply pressure to the scalp initially.
When will the transplanted hair start to grow?
There’s typically a temporary shedding phase 2-3 weeks post-surgery. New growth occurs over the following months, with visible results starting around 3-4 months. It is not unusual for parts of your hair to fall out in this time frame but growth will continue to improvement over the year.
Is there scarring after a hair transplant?
Different hair transplant techniques will leave different amounts of scarring. FUE transplants leave the most minimal scarring that eventually become unnoticeable while FUT transplants may be a little bit harder to cover as they involve removing a strip of skin from the scalp. You can read more on the 2 main types of hair transplants in this general article.
If you still have any questions or are unsure of the procedure, feel free to contact us for unbiased information. We are not associated with any clinics and are here to simplify the information gathering process around hair transplants recovery process. We hope you’ve enjoyed this article and feel free to leave a comment below.