It is extremely important to follow the aftercare procedures of the hair transplant surgery. During the first night following the surgery, the grafts are still sensitive and could fall out of the incisions if touched or manipulated. Avoid pulling shirts over the head. Do not brush, comb, rub, or even touch the transplanted hair for at least 24 hours after the surgery.

Patients should sleep in a mostly upright position the first three nights following the procedure. This will avoid accidentally rubbing or shifting the grafts.

It is important that patients take the full dose of the medications prescribed by the surgical team. Even if patients are not experiencing pain or swelling, they must take the full dosage of medication.

Swelling commonly occurs in the first few days after surgery. Ice can be applied to the forehead, not on the grafted area. Icing the grafted area could result in the death of the grafted hairs. Ice can be applied to the donor area at the back of the head if necessary.

Patients may also experience crusting around the grafted follicles. This is completely normal and the crusts will fall off on their own around a week after surgery. It is important that patients refrain from picking at the crusted area. Picking could result in the removal of grafts.

Patients will need to return to the surgical site to have their stitches removed about two weeks after the surgery. The surgical team will check the healing progress to ensure a healthy recovery.

*We provide post-surgery instructions to our hair transplant patients, detailing what can and can’t be done for the first few weeks, as well as what patients can expect in the first few months. It is strongly recommended that these instructions are read and followed for the best results.