Will Walking for 5 Hours Right After the Hair Transplant Affect the Survival Rate of the New Grafts?

Why would you walk for 5 hours after surgery? Normal people don't walk 5 hours on a normal day.  Are you walking home because your doctor said you can't drive home?  This is very strange.

It is recommended to wait 7 to 10 days to partake in rigorous exercise or activity after a hair transplant. Elevating your heart rate too soon may cause more bleeding and/or unwanted swelling in the scalp.

Leisurely walking after the hair transplant will likely not change the outcome of your transplant. Vigorous activity or walking fast enough to raise your heart rate may increase your risk of bleeding and should be avoided for at least 7 days.  Activities involving straining, like lifting weights, or impact, like running, should be avoided for 14 days.

We generally do not recommend exercise for the first week post hair transplant, because of the concern that anything that raises your heart rate may increase bleeding.  After about 72 hours, light exercise (including walking) will likely be fine.

 

Others may recommend a more liberal or conservative postoperative routine.  The actual risk of early exercise to graft take is not well known.

I tell my patients that they can run a marathon within 5 days after the transplant. Sweating will not cause a problem by this time because the grafts should be secure