Beard Transplant After 1 Week: 12 Aftercare Tips

It’s no secret why beard transplants are skyrocketing in popularity in the United States and beyond. These procedures have the potential to transform your facial hair aesthetics in the exact way you want, whether it’s increased thickness, density, coverage, or shape.

With a beard transplant, you get the benefits of both personalization and permanence — the perfect one-two punch for any cosmetic upgrade.

We know that beard transplants work and have high client satisfaction rates, but let’s dig deeper. What can you expect in the week following the actual beard transplant procedure, and what can be done to ensure you get the best possible long-term results?

As it turns out, there are many ways that you can improve aftercare, which add up to a more comfortable recovery experience, not to mention better outcomes for your facial hair.

This article lists 12 aftercare tips that can help you navigate the all-important week following your beard transplant, getting you the most value from the procedure and keeping risk to a minimum.

1. Follow Instructions

When healing from a beard transplant during the first week, you must follow the instructions laid out by your surgeon and the clinic team: no cutting corners, no skipping steps.

The good news is that these instructions aren’t especially complex. It’s more a matter of discipline and consistency that make the difference here.

For instance, you may be instructed to apply a healing ointment or saline solution to the affected areas every few hours or to wash these areas in a certain way without direct water pressure. You’ll also be advised on how to position yourself while sitting, sleeping, and going about daily life.

Remember not to shrug off any of these instructions because they are given with a purpose! If you’ve planned properly, you shouldn’t have anything else major on your schedule during your recovery week, so sticking to the game plan should be no problem.

2. Prepare Ahead of Time

Upon returning home from your procedure, you’ll want to go straight into recovery and relaxation mode. The last thing you want is to run around town procuring snacks and supplies during the first few days of recovery, so be smart with your planning and try to have everything in place ahead of time.

Stocking up on goods is just one part of the puzzle. You also want to keep all personal obligations and responsibilities to a minimum when you enter the recovery phase, especially in the first three days. Schedule time off from work, take care of any household needs in advance, and maybe offload your pets to friends or family.

The goal is to keep your hands free during the recovery stage and streamline your life as much as possible.

3. Stay Elevated (Avoid Going Horizontal)

This turns out to be one of the tougher aspects of aftercare for many folks recovering from a beard transplant. You’ll be expected to stay elevated to avoid swelling for the e first three days, including while you relax and sleep.

4. Skip the Stress and Strain

Maybe you’re an avid jogger or gym rat and eager to exercise soon after having a beard transplant. The problem is that physical exertion can dislodge grafts or leave bacteria in the incision sites, so we advise against any exercise during the first week of recovery, if not slightly longer.

Furthermore, it’s wise to minimize any unnecessary strain at this early stage, including everything from carrying grocery bags to ascending long flights of stairs. We even suggest avoiding driving during rush hour or anything that can elevate your stress levels.

The body heals best when it’s in a relaxed state without adrenaline and cortisol, so do your best to create those conditions for yourself.

5. Keep Your Beard Clean (Carefully)

How exactly are you supposed to clean your newfound facial hair without dislodging grafts or negatively impacting recovery? While you should keep the area completely dry for the first 24 hours, expect to do some maintenance in the days to come with the proper techniques.

This involves using warm water, washcloths, Q-tips, and other soft implements to remove scabs and buildup around the incision areas. Avoid using too much pressure and limit the amount of water that comes into contact with the grafts.

From there, you’ll be using a gel antibiotic ointment to keep the area free of germs and help the area heal in a shorter time frame. In addition to a saline or squalene solution, these compounds could help preserve the area and minimize scarring as well.

You’ll find that it’s possible to keep your beard hair clean without dunking in the bath or showering, so master this technique early on, and you’ll likely have no issues.

6. Manage Side Effects

Like all cosmetic procedures, you’re bound to experience side effects when recovering from a beard transplant. These include the aspects of recovery that are expected and should be interpreted positively rather than unexpected events that indicate a reversal of progress.

In the first week, you’ll go through some aches and pains and the general discomfort of being upright most of the time. You’ll also encounter issues like bleeding, crusting, scabbing, and some other unpleasant discharges from the affected area — totally normal.

What’s most important is how you manage these side effects and intelligently respond to them, rather than ignoring them or overreacting. Train yourself not to scratch the area when it itches or obsess about swelling or numbness.

Familiarize yourself with the potential side effects and how to respond to them, and any other questions should be answered promptly by the clinic if you contact them. Use all the tools and resources at your disposal, and side effects should mostly subside within the first week.