5 Lifestyle Habits to Drop After Hair Restoration

After you’ve gone through the hair transplant process and recovery, you get to show the world the new you. Hair restoration has become immensely popular for treating hair loss, with as many as 3.4 million procedures performed globally in 2021 alone.

If you want to keep your freshly restored hair in top shape, see Drs. Michael and Alister Meshkin, along with our experienced staff at Meshkin Medical in Newport Beach and Glendale, California.

Ensuring your hair stays full and pleasing to the eye means you’ll need to make some changes. Let’s explore the recovery process from your hair transplant and what steps you need to take to keep a full head of hair for as long as possible.

Hair transplant recovery

How you feel right after surgery depends on whether you’ve had the follicular unit extraction (FUE) or follicular unit transplant (FUT) procedure. With the former, you can expect tightness and some numbness in the treatment area, and with the latter, pain where we obtained the donor hair. 

Avoid putting pressure on the new hair for the first 72 hours post-transplant, so keep your head elevated when resting. Pain, swelling, and bruising for the first week are common, but acetaminophen and ibuprofen reduce pain and inflammation, along with applying ice. 

Within two weeks to a month, most normal aspects of your daily routine return to normal. Washing your hair is typically safe 10 days post-treatment, haircuts after two weeks, and dyeing it after 28 days. 

The shedding and regrowth cycle of your new hair starts in three to four months, and much of the new hair comes in between five months and a year.

Habits to avoid post-procedure

Now that you understand the expectations after the transplant, here are the things you should avoid to promote growth and enjoy your hair for as long as possible.

Too much water

While you’ll be able to wash your hair normally over time, you’ll receive specific instructions about how to do it in the first few days. For the first day, avoid getting your hair wet, and follow the recommended guidelines for the first few weeks.

Hair dryers

Right after surgery, the transplants are at their most vulnerable, and direct airflow can adversely affect the results. Wait at least three days after the procedure to use a hair dryer, and even then, use the cold and slow settings. 

Headwear

Your scalp will need to breathe, and while you may feel the temptation to cover the redness and swelling, hats and other head coverings can be unsanitary and only make matters worse. Wait about a month to try on new headwear.

Combing

With your new hair, you’ll no doubt want it to look its best, but avoid combing for at least a month to reduce any stress on the hair and scalp while healing.

Touching and scratching

Similarly, scratching and touching the transplanted areas can irritate and hinder the work done on your head. Wait at least a month to do either.

Sunlight

Stay away from direct exposure to sunlight during the first month to prevent further stress on your scalp. Once it’s safe to use headwear, use it for up to six months to protect the treated area.

We want you to enjoy the feeling of a full head of hair for as long as you can, and these tips are essential to getting you started on the right foot. 

For all concerns regarding your hair transplants, contact us at Meshkin Medical. We serve the Orange County and Los Angeles area through our offices in Newport Beach and Glendale, California.