Hair transplant recovery tends to be easier on people who avoid touching the hair grafts for a couple of weeks after the procedure. The hair grafts will be very sensitive for a while, and a person should avoid picking at the scabs that form around the grafts. Shampoo should probably be avoided during the first 48 hours after the procedure. Most doctors also advise their patients to keep their head out of direct sunlight until the grafts have healed. In addition to these tips, a person who has had the procedure should be diligent about taking all medicines prescribed to him for faster healing.
Immediately following a hair transplant, a person’s doctor will usually give her a surgical cap to wear over her head. It may be useful to wear this cap throughout the day to help avoid picking and scratching at the grafts. The cap may also protect a person from the sun in the event he must go outdoors during hair transplant recovery, but in public places a baseball cap may be worn in place of the surgical cap as long as it is not adjusted too tightly. A person might also want to wear her surgical cap at night while she sleeps to help prevent her grafts from rubbing against pillows, which could damage the grafts. In addition to wearing the cap at night, sleeping in a slightly elevated position might also be beneficial to help reduce the amount of friction between the grafts and other surfaces.
A person who wants to have an easy hair transplant recovery should also be careful when he is showering until the grafts are fully healed. Most doctors tell their hair transplant patients not to use shampoo or conditioner for the first few days after the grafts are put in place. When a person does shampoo her hair grafts, she should avoid rubbing the shampoo too vigorously into her scalp. Once the grafts have completely healed, a person’s regular hair care routine may be safely resumed.
Taking all prescribed medicines is vitally important for successful hair transplant recovery. Doctors usually give their patients an antibiotic to help prevent infection along with pain medicine. Many patients also receive prescriptions for medicine to reduce swelling. If these medicines are taken as directed during hair transplant recovery, a person may have a much easier time getting through the healing process. The antibiotics are particularly important because the new hair grafts will likely be very susceptible to infection for the first couple of weeks following the procedure.