Please note that hair transplantation is a very predictable surgery. You need not worry about what happens after hair transplant surgery as all post-operative events are already informed to you. There are no surprises and hence there is no need for any anxiety.
DO NOT BE WORRIED ABOUT PAIN AFTER SURGERY AS IT IS NOT MUCH
Many patients who’ve had a hair transplant can become very concerned about the newly-transplanted hair and often discuss what happens after a hair transplant. In the months that follow the procedure, you might start comparing your own hair growth to other people’s pictures posted online and realise that you are falling behind.
Are these emotions unfounded? Very often they are.
Precautions after hair transplant
Hair care after hair transplant
Hair transplantation at the Venkat Center is a predictable, safe procedure with no surprises in the post-operative phase. We fully educate our patients about precautions after hair transplant, mitigating any cause for concern.
Post-surgery pain is typically minimal, with effective management ensuring patient comfort.
Following surgery, proper hair care after a hair transplant is crucial to ensuring the best results. Patients often compare their progress with others, causing undue worry. Each individual’s hair growth differs; therefore, these comparisons may not reflect your unique journey accurately.
Our team at Venkat Center is dedicated to monitoring your progress, providing guidance, and alleviating any anxieties throughout your hair restoration journey.
What happens after Hair Transplant Surgery?
- On the evening after surgery: Have light food, your usual food, Rice, Dal, Chapatti, Rasam any non-spicy food. Don’t smoke and don’t drink alcohol.
- Take medicines as per the prescription: All capsules are to be taken after food or with a glass of milk, but not on an empty stomach. Remember that a pain medicine works for a few hours only- about 4-6 hours so that you may need one more capsule at night. Do not hesitate to take one if needed. But take it after milk/food.
- Be your usual self: bed rest is not needed; You may watch TV/Listen to music/read computer work is fine.
- Avoid exertion: Go to bed early
- Avoid Jerky movements of the head: Avoid pressure on the head. Avoid handling the bandage- keep your hands away from the head
- Use soft thin pillows: You may lay on the back of the head. You may turn sideways but do not sleep with your hand under your head.
What happens the day after surgery?
You need to come back for the removal of the bandage- you cannot remove this yourself. Time for this will be informed to you. Before coming, you can take a bath for the body, but not for the head. You can have breakfast as usual. Take capsules after breakfast. When you come to the clinic, our nurse will remove the bandage and show you how to clean it, and how to shampoo.
Always feel free to ask any doubts.
You may go to the office if you feel like it, but preferably wear a cap which is not tight. You can drive. You need to massage the forehead (as explained in the clinic) 3 times a day, to prevent forehead swelling.
How do I take care of my grafts?
Note that moisture is very important for grafts; So, wet the hairs both in the donor and recipient (grafts) area either by spray or by wet pad; don’t be hesitant to put water; water should be clean; use mineral water or boiled cooled water; you may add a small amount of Johnson baby shampoo to the water. Do wetting as often as you can (2-6 times) for the first 4 days.
First week:
Don’t disturb the grafts by rubbing/combing. The rest of the scalp may be cleaned with baby shampoo if you wish; otherwise, water is enough.
Second week:
Mild rubbing is allowed; you may apply oil if you want. Start using minoxidil lotion twice daily. Grafts fall off at this stage-don’t panic. They will come back in 3-4 months.
Donor area:
Also needs cleaning, with spray just as grafts. After cleaning, put Tbact ointment twice daily. After one week, gently rub the stitch area, so that the stitch loosens gradually. After two weeks, use hexilak cream.
Some patients are too anxious to clean grafts; so they may see grafts with greenish-brown material sticking to their skin; this only needs proper cleaning. Note that after 7 days, rubbing is allowed.
When can I exercise?
Walking is allowed. Neck stretching can put tension on the donor suture area in FUT –hence neck-stretching exercises are to be avoided for up to three months. Swimming is allowed after 2 weeks.
In case of FUE: Exercise and swim after 5 days.
Will there be swelling?
This may appear in 5% of patients only, on the forehead which may come down to the eyelids on day 4/5. If so, do not worry, it will disappear in 2-3 days.
Apply ice cubes as follows.
a. Take ice cubes.
b. Keep them on a piece of cloth. If you do not have ice, take a wet cloth in cold water.
c. Keep the ice pack o the swollen area for 2-3 minutes 4-5 times for 2 days.
Do I need to remove sutures?
If FUT is done, sutures can be removed any time after 10 days by our nurse; this is a simple painless procedure taking about 10 minutes. For those who are from outside Bangalore, absorbable sutures are put and these will be absorbed by 2 weeks.
For FUE: Apply Tbact ointment- no other care is needed
Will I see hair fall after surgery?
The grafts may start falling by 2 weeks. Do not panic – the roots are firmly in place. Sometimes, you may see whitish material sticking onto roots; don’t worry about it. They will start growing in 3-4 months; you will see full results in 9 months.
Apart from the grafts, your natural hair may also experience temporary hair fall. This hair will come back. It is important for you to use the hair fall medication as advised.
Some patients may develop a few boils on the graft area after 4-6 weeks. These are temporary, so don’t worry.
Do I need to come in person to the clinic?
Often patients leave Bangalore after surgery and the only means of communication is by telephone or email. Feel free to contact us at any time. Our staff will contact you for feedback after one month and after 6 months.
Do send your photos to our clinic at skinhair@venkatcenter.com.
The most important thing is to be patient. If you still don’t have the desired result by 6 months, don’t start panicking. Your best days are yet to come. You can visit our results page to see some examples of hair transplant results.
What is happening to my hair after transplant?
When a harvested graft is transplanted into the recipient area, a process begins which takes several months, and it may not be what you’d expect.
In the first 3 days post-transplant, the grafts begin working to regain their blood supply. Because of this, the hair shaft is shed, starting from week 1 up until week 6 after the hair transplant surgery has been performed.
Only a very small percentage of patients don’t shed their hair after hair transplant surgery. The earliest hair growth starts generally from month 3.
When a hair shaft has just penetrated the skin, it will still undergo many changes in overall appearance that will contribute to the result. For a period, it will remain very fine, weak and very light in colour. This will gradually improve as time passes until it is indistinguishable from your original hair.
Remember that this is an average and very rough estimation of where a patient should be in a certain period. While most people see their desired end result pretty much by the 12-month mark, some very late growers might see their results later, at around the 15-18 month mark.
As already stated, the result shouldn’t be evaluated for at least 12 months.
About The Doctor
Dr. Venkataram Mysore was one of the first surgeons to learn this technique in the country. He is an expert in FUT and is one of the most respected Hair Transplant experts in the world. He has edited the first Indian textbook on the subject and is the first and only Indian Dermatologist to be made a fellow of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgeons.
