HAIR TRANSPLANT DISORDERS: WHAT TO EXPECT
As with any medical procedure, all surgeries carry some degree of risk and cause some discomfort. Hair transplantation is not particularly invasive and therefore should not cause any extreme pain or side effects – but of course you should expect some tenderness and maybe some irritation after surgery. Although it varies from patient to patient, here we review possible discomfort you may experience after hair transplantation.
SLEEPING AFTER YOUR HAIR TRANSPLANT MAY BE UNCOMFORTABLE:
When we sleep by touching the pillow, hair transplant discomfort can be expected for about a week after the procedure. This doesn’t mean you can’t sleep – it might just give you some discomfort. Always use a high pillow to protect your grafts – put one to two pillows below your normal amount to support yourself, or roll a towel under your neck to help sleep at a 45 degree angle. In the first few days to a week, this should not be necessary.
SWELLING – ONE OF THE MOST COMMON AILMENTS IN HAIR TRANSPLANTATION:
Any area affected by surgery will of course be slightly swollen. Swelling is the most common discomfort in hair transplantation and is nothing to worry about. The swelling is due to the medication injected during surgery and will go away within a week. Hydration is very important to help reduce swelling faster, so drinking plenty of water is recommended. Avoiding strenuous activities that can create extra tension on the skin will help reduce swelling faster, including exercise after hair transplantation .
BLEEDING – SHOULD WAIT A LITTLE:
Hair transplantation consists of many small incisions and some injections, so some bleeding on the day of surgery is completely normal , as in every surgery . This is where your skin is gently cut in both the graft area and the donor area, and there is nothing to worry about. It should stop after the first wash, but your sleep may not be comfortable on the first night after hair transplantation. Slight bleeding stops a few days after surgery, but of course, if you hit the area or cause trauma, it can re-trigger the bleeding. After a while, the area such as all cuts, abrasions or wounds will begin to scab and the bleeding will stop.
In any minor operation that causes bleeding, there are general guidelines that you should always follow for a short time to prevent excessive or unnecessary bleeding, such as not participating in too much strenuous exercise or activity, avoiding putting your head and skin on. Taking care of gently cleaning the area and avoiding blood thinning medications (unless and are recommended by your doctor) or alcohol can be damaged. Avoid smoking after hair transplantation m flows is also important.
ITCHING IS ALSO COMPLETELY NORMAL:
Itching is a completely normal part of the healing process and – although annoying – is actually a good sign! Itching means your scalp is recovering and showing signs of improvement. The skin will itch as it heals and moves, but you should touch it and resist itching. Patients should try not to touch their head for a week (other than washing), which gives your skin time to heal and reduces the risk of irritation or infection. Remember, the grafts are still fresh, so if you touch them too much for the first week, you risk moving them.
Of course, there are disturbances to be expected with a hair transplant – but these are minimal and of course, it will look worth it when you are rewarded with the gorgeous head of hair you dreamed of. The longest you should experience any hair transplant discomfort is about two weeks – after that you should definitely feel good again. Of course, if you experience any unexpected discomfort (or anything not listed here) you should consult your special care professional or doctor.
