How Does Hair Transplant Surgery Impact Daily Activities and Routines?

There are many uncertainties surrounding hair transplants and patients often have questions. We understand this as it is a pivotal surgery that drastically changes your appearance. One of the most common questions we get relates to the recovery period and how a hair transplant affects your daily activities and routines immediately after and in the long term.

This is something you must understand as some slight adjustments are required in the immediate aftermath of a Turkey hair transplant. Below, we look at different aspects of your life that could be affected and the changes you have to make.

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Showering and Washing

Initially after a hair transplant you should not use any shampoo on your hair or wash it vigorously. You can shower immediately after – just avoid rubbing any lotion or body wash into your hair. The best practice is to use something like a jug to pour water gently over your scalp.

Shampooing is typically OK after five days but you should still take care and avoid being too rough. Try to avoid drying your hair roughly too – the best practice is to gently pat it dry with a towel.

Physical Activity and Exercise

We know that fitness and exercising are important for many people and it could be part of your daily routine. It is advised that you do not exercise for the first 14 days after your hair transplant. We get that this may be disappointing but there are associated risks with exercise that could affect the results of your surgery.

Sweating from exercising can make your scalp itchy and irritant which will add to the mild pain that you may already experience from the surgery. Additionally, rigorous exercise always has the chance to dislodge hair grafts due to excessive movement or accidental pulling.

After 7 days basic exercise that doesn’t build up a sweat is acceptable like walking. It’s not until after 14 days that you should consider “heavy” exercise like contact sports, swimming, and gym sessions. At this point, there should be little to no chance of dislodging the hair grafts and any pain and swelling should have subsided.

Find out when you can sleep normally after a hair transplant.

Alcohol Consumption

Many people like to have a glass of wine or a beer after work or while watching TV in the evening. Consuming alcohol may also be something you do when you go out with friends and family. Don’t worry – having a hair transplant doesn’t mean you have to give this up!

However, we recommend not drinking alcohol for at least 14 days after your surgery. Alcohol can disrupt the healing process and give you a longer recovery time among other damaging effects. It can also affect the blood supply to your scalp which isn’t good for your newly grafted hairs.

If you want the best results, it’s wise to cut down on alcohol consumption or eliminate it completely for a few months after your transplant.

Clothing and Headgear

Some hair transplant surgeries provide a special hat that you can wear after your surgery to help protect your scalp from dirt, sun exposure, and other things. It is recommended that you wear this or a loose-fitting hat for at least 5 days after your surgery.

It is important that the hat is not tight fitting as this can put pressure on the newly transplanted hair follicles and potentially pull them out. Ideally, a hat should be worn when you are outside for 2 weeks after the surgery or until any scabbing on your scalp disappears.

Getting Back to Work

We know that taking time off work for a hair transplant surgery is costly and that not everyone can afford to take weeks off work. Also, you may not want to use all your annual holiday allowance on your surgery leaving you with no days for planned holidays!

Thankfully, the recovery time for FUE and FUT hair transplants is quick. If you work from home and rarely have face-to-face contact with colleagues or clients, you can start working within 2-3 days after your surgery.

If you work in an office or have regular face-to-face contact it is recommended that you don’t start work for 7 days after the surgery. This means that the maximum time you should be away from work is 7-10 days.

Read Next: Do Hair Transplants Go Grey?

Hair Transplants Offer a Quick Recovery and a Return to Normality in a few Weeks

We hope you now have a clear picture of your recovery and what you can expect after a hair transplant. It is important that you look after yourself and follow the guidelines and recovery plan outlined by your hair transplant surgeon.

By doing this, you can increase the effectiveness of your hair transplant and make sure the transplanted hairs have the opportune conditions to flourish. This also ensures your recovery period is short and that you experience no complications.