{"id":22596,"date":"2022-03-29T14:24:31","date_gmt":"2022-03-29T21:24:31","guid":{"rendered":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/?p=22596"},"modified":"2024-06-25T09:42:06","modified_gmt":"2024-06-25T16:42:06","slug":"what-not-to-do-after-hair-transplant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/what-not-to-do-after-hair-transplant","title":{"rendered":"9 Things Not to Do After Hair Transplant Surgery"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hair loss<\/a> is top of mind these days, with more and more women<\/a> opening up about their struggles with it. Not only that, but recent research<\/a> found a steep rise in hair loss among people of color amid the pandemic—so the enduring popularity of hair transplant surgery<\/a> isn’t all that surprising. Plus it has a relatively high patient satisfaction rate and can offer natural-looking, long-lasting results.<\/p>

However, hair transplantation is not usually covered by insurance, as it’s considered an elective procedure, which is why it’s worth going the extra mile to protect your investment. Whether you choose follicular unit transplantation (FUT), which involves grafting a strip of skin, or follicular unit extraction<\/a> (FUE), which moves individual follicles one at a time, the proper post-transplant protocol is key—in particular, caring for the grafted skin or hair follicles. “It is best to keep the grafts well hydrated and clean,” says Beverly Hills, California, board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Natalie Attenello<\/a>. “Scabs will form, and you can gently soften and tease these off, to keep the area as clean as possible, for best growth and results.”<\/p>

The recovery experience can vary from person to person. “Most patients will feel well enough to resume daily activities the very next day for both FUE or FUT harvest surgery,” says Los Angeles hair restoration surgeon Dr. Jae Pak<\/a>, who notes that the recommendations may be different, depending on your provider. That said, some activities and habits should be off limits for a certain period of time. Here’s what should be avoided to help transplanted hairs take root and get the best possible results.<\/p>

1. Don’t get a haircut or color<\/h2>

Don’t schedule an appointment at the salon just yet. “It’s best to wait five days to have the donor area cut and three weeks before the recipient area is manipulated, to avoid disrupting follicles,” says New York City board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Gary Linkov<\/a>. While keeping both areas clean is essential for healing, it’s best to otherwise stay hands-off for a few days. And consider coloring or chemical treatment off the table for a few weeks, as “the chemicals used could adversely affect graft survival,” he says.<\/p>

2. Don’t use styling products<\/h2>

Hold off on styling products too as well as any topical products or medications that promote hair growth, since both can interfere with keeping the recipient area clean. While the exact timing varies from patient to patient, Pak says, “in general, you should avoid topical products for about one week.”<\/p>

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