Hair Transplantation Recovery

To gain the maximum result from your hair transplant the post operative care is very important. The hair transplants need to have specialized treatment and you need to take proper care of these hair transplants so that they are able to grow into healthy hair.

After the operation, you will have a dressing around your head, resembling a turban. It is removed after one to two days.

About 8 hours after the implantation procedure the local anesthetic injection will start to wear off. This is when you, as a hair transplant recipient, will experience most discomfort. You will be given adequate painkillers to prevent severe discomfort.

A rather crusty looking scalp is to be expected for the first 24 - 48 hours. Most patients develop some swelling 1-4 days after the operation. This can last for a week or so.

If you have had external stitches, these will usually be removed after five to seven days.

When you return home, ( usually in a few hours) you should take life very slowly and be extra careful. Sleeping in a sitting position or sleeping at a 45 degree angle is advisable. You should avoid any lifting, stretching or strenuous exercise for 2-3 weeks.

You can start washing your hair gently after three days. It is better (more gentle) to do the washing in a sink rather than under the shower head. It also helps to soak the crusting a little with water before shampooing to help dissolve the crusts. After gentle washing, allow your hair to air dry. Avoid hair dryers. If you do any exercise or perspire a lot then you need to wash your hair as soon as possible after sweating. Bacteria grow in moist conditions so sweating increases the chances of developing an infection. You should wash your hair every day so that the crusting can be removed fairly quickly.

The crusting over and around the grafts should start to fall of 1-3 weeks after the procedure. Crusts will separate from the grafts more quickly if they are kept moist. The transplanted hair follicles will usually shed their hair by about 6 weeks after the surgery.

By 6 months, the hair should be growing well enough for you to gauge the result of the transplant, though it will be 9 months after the surgery before the full effect will be seen. The hair that initially grows in the first few months may be duller and more fizzy than normal. However, the follicles settle down and start making better quality hair by 12 months.

Risks and Complications

All operations carry risks. A surgical complication is defined as any undesirable result of surgery. A few of the more common problems are listed below. This list is intended to inform rather than alarm you, and it does not cover everything that can go wrong but the more common problems.

•  Scalp Swelling, mild bleeding, itching and pain may occur may occur in the immediate post operative period.

•  The scars that follow a hair transplant are covered by normal hair. However, they are not invisible and can become prominent and unsightly.

•  After the operation, the transplanted hair follicles will be shed but this improves after six months or so. It is due to the temporary disruption of blood supply to the follicles during the surgery, pushing them into the resting phase, or telogen.

•  There is a small risk of infection of the wound, which may lead to breakdown of the area, and may prolong your hospital stay, and necessitate further treatment including additional surgery.