IN WHICH POSITION SHOULD I SLEEP AFTER HAIR TRANSPLANT?
After a surgical procedure such as a hair transplant, you usually need to consider the area being treated. For example, in a hair transplant, it is important to rest your scalp as much as possible so that the hair follicles can settle on your scalp. This means, among other things, that many people have to change their sleeping position. Sleep is, of course, an important part of your daily life, and adjusting to it can have a huge impact on your energy levels throughout the day. We understand why we get so many questions about sleep after hair transplantation. There is also a lot of conflicting information on the internet. In order to get rid of these uncertainties for sure, we wrote the sleep guide after hair transplantation.
WHY SLEEP ON THE BACK AFTER HAIR TRANSPLANT?
In principle, the position in which you sleep is not so important. Sleeping after a hair transplant is two things. First, the head should be slightly higher. Swelling may occur due to surgical procedures applied to your scalp. This has to do with blood circulation, among other things. To reduce these swellings, you can make less blood flow to your head. So you can use, for example, a higher pillow.
Second, you have scars and crusts on your head caused by the collection and placement of hair follicles. These wounds should heal gradually. They should be left alone as much as possible. This way, there is the greatest chance for a hair follicle to attach and your new head of hair to become as full as possible. For this reason, contact of the transplanted hair with the pillow should be avoided.
IN WHICH POSITIONS CAN YOU SLEEP?
So two things are important in correct posture: the head should be higher and nothing should touch the implanted part of your head. The two most commonly used postures are:
a) Sitting down to sleep
b) Sleeping on the back, possibly with a neck pillow
In both cases, a neck pillow is recommended. On the one hand, because a pillow on the neck is more comfortable when you sleep in a sitting position (for example, when sleeping on a plane). On the other hand, to prevent turning while lying down. There is not necessarily a preferred attitude. The important thing is to find the position in which you can sleep best. The good news is that it’s only temporary.
HOW LONG SHOULD I SLEEP AFTER HAIR TRANSPLANT?
This varies from person to person. One wound heals faster than the other. Recovery time also depends on the extent of the operation. This means that some only need to sleep in a different position for three nights, while others lie down for up to ten days until their scalp heals. The healing process is very intense at first and then gets easier. Try not to forget that especially the first days are very important for recovery and therefore the final result. If you carefully follow the advice of the treating doctor during the first few days, you will probably thank yourself a year later when you can walk the streets with your hair!
HOW CAN I HEAL FASTER?
Of course, we also understand that you will not want to sleep upright after a hair transplant, but unfortunately this is usually no different and is a very important part of the healing process. You can of course do your best to speed up the recovery as much as possible. You do this by carefully following the clinic’s recommendations. He will give you some advice and may also suggest a number of products that can help you. In any case, the general advice is to just live a good and healthy life. Of course, you do not drink and smoke in the first days and try to rest as much as possible. It also helps to eat healthy and drink enough water to speed recovery. It would also be wise to pay attention to your personal hygiene. In the context of sleep after a hair transplant, for example, consider changing the sheets regularly and placing a towel over the pillow in case the wounds open.
