Hair transplantation is a cosmetic surgical procedure, which treats baldness permanently, and gives thicker and natural-looking hair. The latter results are visible after the few months following implant placement.
Any person, whether man or woman, is a good candidate for a hair transplant provided that they have more than 18 years of age.
After their surgery, the patient has to rigorously follow certain precautions in order to avoid any complications or contraindications to the surgery.
Among the several recommendations to follow is washing your hair after the surgery: how will you do that?
Benefits of washing your hair after hair transplantation:
After having had recourse to hair transplant surgery, the patient will notice the formation of scabs on their scalp.
These scabs, which come in the shape of brown marks, act as a natural protection that covers open wounds on the skin; especially after a hair restoration surgery where many small incisions are made. These cause bleeding which leads to the subsequent formation of scabs.
Among the benefits of hair washing is eliminating accumulated scabs in the hair.
It is, however, important to note that scabs can also cause a loss in transplanted hairs. This is quite expected, so no need to worry if it occurs.
Hair cleaning will also help protect your scalp from potential infections and promote hair growth.
How do I clean my hair after a hair transplant surgery?
After the surgery, following the doctor’s recommendations in washing your hair makes it painless and free of complications. It is advised to follow these recommendations to the letter.
Three days after your hair transplant (once scabs are formed and your scalp becomes highly dehydrated), you can start washing your hair regularly. To do so, you have to get a scab lotion, apply it on the operated areas of your scalp, delicately massage it and let it sit for 15 minutes (without scratching or rubbing too hard).
Once the 15 minutes have passed, you may wet your hair with warm water, then apply your shampoo.
When foaming the shampoo, avoid rubbing the hair too hard with your fingers lest you damage the newly transplanted hairs.
In addition, avoid making any sort of pressure on your head when washing the hair. Once the washing is done, rinse your hair with warm water.
You may be able to wash your hair easily and normally starting from the second week after your hair transplant. After 15 days, you will be able to fully take a shower without worrying about your transplants. But, always keep in mind that rubbing or scratching the hair or scalp during the recovery period should be strictly avoided.
What are the other recommendations?
You should be careful when washing your hair to avoid any risks of complications or contraindications to the surgery. Besides that, there are other recommendations to consider to make sure that the recovery period goes in the best way possible.
Among these recommendations:
- Hair drying after taking a shower: use a cotton-made towel gently on your hair without rubbing it or making any sort of pressure on the head.
- Take three days off work after your surgery and avoid all physical efforts during that period of time.
- Avoid using hair products on your hair and scalp for 3 months after the surgery; especially the ones that are made of chemicals like hair gels.
- Do not go to the hairdresser for 6 months after your surgery
- Avoid direct sun exposure for a few months after your surgery
Your doctor will guide through the whole process and give you additional precautions and recommendations to consider after your hair transplant to make sure that everything goes in the best way possible.