Hair transplants are an increasingly popular procedure, boasting an impressive success rate that leaves patients with the hair they have always dreamed of. However, you may be surprised to hear that hair transplant aftercare is as important as the surgery itself when it comes to the final result.
One of the many reasons why Crown Clinic advises against undergoing hair transplant surgery in countries such as Turkey, is that there won’t be a proper aftercare procedure in place. Once you have left the country, it becomes much harder to follow up with the clinic if you have any concerns – unfortunately, the wellbeing of patients is of little interest to these clinics.
Why is hair transplant surgery aftercare important?
After your hair transplant, you must be extremely careful with your scalp, to minimise the risk of infection, scarring or even disrupting future hair growth. This means that in the weeks following surgery, there is advice you need to follow to make sure you’re giving the newly-transplanted hair the best chance to thrive.
Hair transplant aftercare
Following your hair restoration surgery, we would recommend taking 7 – 10 days off work after the procedure, if possible – although if you have a manual job, 14 days would be advisable. You’ll also need to make sure that, amongst other precautions…
You sleep with your head elevated on 2 or 3 pillows for the first few days after surgery.
You avoid strenuous exercise for the first few weeks.
You regularly spray your new hair grafts with saline solution before you are instructed to start gently washing your hair.
It might sound like a lot to consider after your hair transplant surgery, which is why Crown Clinic offers a helpful guide to get you through the first few weeks post-surgery. It offers a day-by-day post-operative calendar to advise you on how to look after your new grafts in the first 10 days, as well as in-depth advice on how to care for your scalp.
Plus, the guide explains any potential side effects that you may notice after your surgery – most very minor – and how to treat them at home. However, the team at Crown Clinic are happy to discuss any concerns you may have after your hair transplant.
Some patients panic when the new hair sheds a few weeks after the surgery and worry it’s to do with improper aftercare – but please note this is usually normal and it will grow back. It takes around 4-6 months after the hair transplant for the hair to start to grow, although it can take longer, so patience is key.