Aftercare timeline
After a hair transplant, it is important that you follow the aftercare instructions to get the best results possible. In order to make it easier, we have summarized the most important steps on what you should think about after your hair transplant. Here you can see a timeline that shows when you get to start doing certain things again, such as working out, using a hat and when you can start to sleep in a normal position.
How many days should I wait to do my usual activities?
Bandage: 24 hours
After 24 hours, it is time to remove the bandage. If it’s on longer than 24 hours, there is a risk of infection.
Sleeping: 2 days
You can start sleeping as usual 2 days after your hair transplant. Now the hair follicles have grown stable, and you do not have to worry about causing any damage when you sleep.
Wash: 3 days
72 hours after your hair transplant, you should start washing the newly transplanted hair with water for 10 minutes each day. After 4 days you can start washing your hair with a mild shampoo.
Hat and cap: 5 days
You can start wearing a hat or a cap 5 days after your hair transplant, but just wear it for shorter periods.
Styling products: 14 days
After 14 days, the hair follicles are secure enough for you to start using styling products in your hair.
Exercise: 14 days
The hair follicles are now secure enough for you to start working out again, 14 days after the hair transplant.
Sauna and bath: 4 weeks
4 weeks after the procedure you can enter a sauna again without the hair follicles being damaged by the heat. You can also swim in the public pool, in the sea and in bubble pools.
Haircuts and hair dye: 4 weeks
After 4 weeks you can trim the transplanted hair but not shorter than 3 mm. If you trim the hair with a trimmer, it is important that you use plastic covers to protect the transplanted area. The rest of the hair and the donor area can be cut as desired. 4 weeks after your operation you can color your newly transplanted hair.
Sun: 6 months
Strong sunlight should be avoided 6 months after your hair transplant.
Shaving: 6 months
The transplanted area must absolutely not be shaved for the first 6 months. After that it’s okay to start shaving the hair with a shaving machine or using a razor. If you shave before 6 months have passed, you risk causing damage to the transplanted hair follicles.
Frequently asked questions and answers about aftercare
You can start coloring the newly transplanted hair – meaning the hair that has been moved from the back of the head to a new area – after 4 weeks.
The rest of the hair, that hasn’t been transplanted, can be colored as usual the week after the hair transplant.
If the scabs stay on too long, they create a hard barrier that restricts the hair from growing. It is therefore important that you wash the hair as per the instructions you have been given by us to encourage the scabs to fall off as soon as possible. If you wash your hair regularly every day, the scabs will fall off naturally and you also avoid risk of infection.
To help the scabs fall off as non-abrasively as possible, and to keep the area clean, we recommend that you stand in the shower for 10 minutes. Do not wash the area longer. 10 minutes is enough to soften the scabs and help them fall off naturally. Continue this every day until the scabs have fallen off.
The most critical time is the first 2-3 days when the area is at its most sensitive. The first week you should be extra cautious. After 2 weeks it is okay to start exercising, but you should still be careful in the sun and make sure you don’t accidentally scrape the transplanted hair. After 3 weeks you can generally do most everyday things, but head butting a football, wearing a helmet, or shaving with an electric razor might be exceptions to that. We are always available for any questions about post-transplant aftercare.
The hair that is transplanted from the back of the neck does not grow back. The transplantation itself entails the relocation of the entire hair follicle from the back of the neck and not just individual hairs. We usually extract hair follicles from a larger area on the back of the head so that the donor area is less noticeable. You will not completely lack a large section of hair on the back of your neck now that you have had a hair transplant. If your hair is very thin to begin with, however, the hair on the back of the head may feel thinner after the donor area has healed, especially if you choose to have a short hairstyle. Read more about the donor area here.