OUR PROCEDURES
What to Expect After A Hair Transplant Procedure
at Jae Pak MD MedicalRequest a ConsultationSurgery Day - Post Procedure
The journey to your hair restoration begins today.
- Keep bandages on your head until you return the day after surgery for your post-operative check-up and hair wash.
- You may experience hiccups which are harmless and a common post-operative phenomenon.
- Pain, if any, will be mostly on the donor side.
- Over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen (Advil) can help manage this.
- Try to sleep elevated on two pillows to reduce swelling.
Day After Surgery
Please resist the urge to seek advice from forums or Google. Each surgeon has their unique post-operative care procedures, and it is crucial to adhere strictly to your doctor’s instructions. Some clinics use their “advice” as a marketing tool to try to lure you to come to their facility.
Actual Patient of Jae Pak, M.D. – Post-Operative Check Up and Hair Wash
Second Day Post Surgery
- The transplanted area on your head might feel itchy. To avoid dislodging grafts, please tap the area rather than scratch.
- Remember to wash your hair following your doctor’s instructions, using the sponge provided.
- Use the special shampoo provided for five days only and then return to your regular shampoo or gentle baby shampoo.
- You may wear a loose-fitting hat starting today.
Third Day Post Surgery
- You might notice swelling on your forehead. This occurs in 1 in 30 hair transplant patients and is a reaction to the injections in the scalp. It should not hurt and will not affect the hair grafts in any way.
- Continue to wash your scalp per the instructions provided by Jae Pak MD Medical.
- You can go jogging or running today, as sweat will not affect the transplanted area.
- You can go to the gym for a light muscular workout, but avoid exercises that may cause an impact on your scalp or the transplanted area.
- Avoid exercises that may cause the incision to be stretched if you have had the FUT (STRIP) method.
- Remember to wash the transplanted area after working out to ensure bacteria does not settle in the recipient area.
Fourth Day Post Surgery
- The grafts are set after three days so do not worry at this point about losing grafts.
- Swelling, if any, will progress from your forehead to mid-nose. The swelling is just fluid and will not affect the hair grafts.
- You may see bruising or have black/blue areas around your eyes but this will disappear within seven days.
- Continue to wash your scalp using a sponge as instructed. You can gently touch or pat the recipient area.
Fifth Day Post Surgery
- If there’s swelling, expect it to move from your mid-nose to under the eye.
- Continue to follow the given care instructions.
- Begin using your own shampoo and conditioner as our shampoo is great for healing but can be very drying.
One Week Milestone
- Your swelling, if any, should be subsiding.
- You no longer need to wash with a sponge.
- As the scabs dry out, you might experience more itching. Apply a light coat of coconut oil or argan oil with a Q-tip to keep the scalp moisturized.
- You may use conditioner to loosen the scabs by leaving the conditioner on for 5-10 minutes. Then gently rub the scabs with your fingertips until they fall off. (Do not scratch or pull off the scabs.)
- Regular exercise can be resumed at all levels of intensity but avoid overexertion.
- Keep monitoring your scalp and follow the given care instructions.
- You are progressing well into the healing phase.
Day Ten Post Surgery
- Continue washing your hair, now using your fingertips to massage in the shampoo or conditioner.
- If you experience scabbing, Leave conditioner on the scalp for 5-10 minutes to help dislodge the scabs.
- Don’t worry if you see a dry scab with a hair attached fall out. You will lose all the implanted hairs in 2-4 weeks.
- These are not grafts, as a lost graft usually bleeds and looks like a piece of rice at the bottom of the hair.
- The grafts will then “hibernate” underneath the scalp for six months before growth begins.
Two Week Milestone
Actual Patient of Jae Pak, M.D. – FUT Hairline Lowering/Forehead Reduction Review
- Continue caring for your scalp as instructed.
- Your healing is in progress, and it’s important to stay patient.
- At this stage, you can resume all normal activities.
- You can wear helmets and engage in any activity that suits you.
- Your journey to full recovery has truly begun.
- THERE ARE NO RESTRICTIONS AFTER TWO WEEKS.
You will begin to see growth around the 6 month mark post surgery and full growth will be achieved in 9-12 months.