If you are new to the hair restoration industry, you do not have much knowledge on the same. One of the few things you should know is that hair transplants require care to ensure that the procedure gives high-quality results.
This means that there are a few dos and don’ts you should pay attention to to get the best quality results. Your newly implanted grafts are still sensitive, and you should treat them as such to ensure they grow well.
Therefore, keep scrolling to learn about what you should do, what to avoid, and what to improve in your routine to ensure that your results are the best they can be.
What to Do
- Do take painkillers. After the procedure, you may experience some pain or discomfort after the anesthesia wears off. This is normal and should be no cause for alarm. Luckily, you can manage this pain using over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen. You can speak to your doctor about any pain you experience. The doctor may prescribe something stronger if the pain is too severe. However, this rarely happens, and you will only need regular painkillers for the pain.
- Do keep your head dry. After your hair transplant, the follicles will be delicate. As such, you need to avoid exposing them to external factors that may weaken them or affect growth. This, unfortunately, means that you have to keep your scalp dry for a while. This means avoid getting your scalp wet during showers. Do not shampoo your hair for a bit. Additionally, avoid swimming and other activities that put our scalp at risk of getting wet. Stay dry until your surgeon tells you otherwise.
- Do follow your doctor’s recommendations. You should follow what your doctor says. Your doctor is a licensed and trained professional who has been doing this for years. Therefore, their advice will ensure that you get the best results. So no matter how tempting it is to follow the advice you found on the internet for quicker hair growth, be patient and follow what the doctor says. If you have any concerns, consult with your doctor before making any decisions.
- Do elevate your head when sleeping. You might be wondering if you need to adopt a different sleeping position as your scalp heals. Yes, but nothing uncomfortable, just a little cautious. Over the next few days, you have to sleep with your head elevated. This position is good because it will help to reduce swelling. Some patients experience mild to normal swelling after the procedure. Sleeping with your head elevated allows blood to flow away from the scalp, thus reducing swelling. If you have a recliner chair, use it for the next few days until swelling goes down. If not, use a few more pillows.
- Do keep using hair supplements. If you have been using hair supplements to boost growth before the surgery, you need to keep using them. They will help with the development of your new hair and prevent more hair from falling out. You should consult with your doctor to ensure that the supplements you use are best for your conditions. Additionally, if you have never used supplements, you could speak to your surgeon about them to determine if they are best for you as well.
- Do maintain a balanced diet. A healthy and balanced diet is essential for proper hair growth. So you must adopt a healthy diet that will boost hair growth. Incorporate proteins such as eggs and fatty fish as they promote hair growth. Additionally, eat a lot more spinach, nuts, avocados, and sweet potatoes.
What Not To Do
- Don’t scrub too hard. When you finally get the chance to wash your scalp, do not scrub too aggressively. It may feel like you are carrying a lot of dirt since you haven’t had the opportunity to wash your hair for a while. However, this does not mean that you should go hard on your head. Mild scrubbing will do the job. Additionally, avoid blasting the water dream directly onto your scalp. Both these actions will hinder growth.
- Don’t drive home yourself. Hair transplants do not require strong sedation, just local anesthesia to numb pain during the process. However, it is always a good idea to let someone else drive you home. It is wrong to drive under the influence, so arrange for a friend or family member to drive you home after the procedure. Additionally, you could get a cab.
- Don’t expose your head to sunlight. Excessive sunlight exposure is bad for your natural hair and skin. So it makes sense that your new hair follicles will sustain damage from excessive exposure to the sun. Direct sunlight will cause pain and elevate swelling. Therefore, during the first few weeks, you should avoid the sun. Wear a hat if you need to go outside.
- Don’t engage in heavy exercise. In the next few weeks, you need to be careful about exertion because it could affect your blood pressure and perspiration rate. With this in mind, you have to avoid engaging in heavy exercise and vigorous activities. Excessive sweating will increase the risk of infection on your scalp and affect your results. Elevated blood pressure and heart rate will increase the chances of swelling or make it last longer. Stay clear of vigorous activities until your surgeon tells you otherwise.
- Don’t freak out when your hair falls out. A few weeks after surgery, you will notice hair loss. However, this is no reason to panic because it is normal. The transplanted hair will fall out, but it is a normal effect. You should notice new hair growth 6 to 9 months after the procedure. With proper care, your new hair will set in nicely, and nobody will be able to tell that you underwent a hair transplant.
- Don’t apply any chemicals. Lastly, avoid using any chemicals on your scalp or new hair until the surgeon clears you. These chemicals affect hair growth and could make the results disappointing. Therefore, avoid dyeing or chemically relaxing your hair until the doctor says it’s okay. This will let your roots settle in well, promoting great hair growth.
