Did I ruin my hair transplant by rubbing the scabs and crust off? (Photos)

We recommend
that you allow the hair to fall out naturally, and not scrubbed too early.  If there are scabs on the scalp that are
aesthetically annoying, they can be delicately washed off in the shower after
10 days with smaller transplant sites. 
It is suggested a patient wait a little longer if bigger sites were
used.  To be on the safe side, a patient
should wait a full 2 weeks to be positive that grafts are secure.

It is best to check with your doctor for post operative care.  If you follow your doctor's post operative instructions it should be fine.  

Thank you for your question.  One of the most common questions I hear from post-hair transplant patients is, "How long do the scabs last for?"  Generally speaking, the scabs can persist for roughly two weeks before they start falling off but in some patients the scabs fall off much sooner.  I do recommend that my patients refrain from rubbing or massaging the scabs immediately following their hair transplant procedure to avoid disruption of follicle take.  Beginning about 10 days after their procedure, patients can start to gently massage the scalp (including the scabbed areas) assuming that they are recovering well based upon a physical exam.  Because each surgeon will have their own specific post-op protocols, I would defer to your operating surgeon for the best advice.  At 8-9 days post-op you should be fine, but if you are concerned I would encourage you to follow up with your operating surgeon for an evaluation.  All the best.