post-surgery guide
Hair Transplant Aftercare:
Day-by-Day Recovery Guide
This guide explains the typical aftercare following FUE surgery with Dr Peter Thomas. Your exact schedule and restrictions will be explained by the team after your procedure.
First
24 Hours
Hair Transplant Aftercare:
The First Day
The first day is mainly about protecting the newly transplanted grafts and allowing the scalp to settle.
You may notice some redness, tenderness, swelling or slight oozing from the donor area. Small amounts of bleeding can occur during the early healing period. Find out more about how things will look after the procedure on the aftercare and recovery page.
During this time:
- Avoid touching or rubbing the transplanted area
- Follow your prescribed medication instructions
- Use the spray provided by the clinic as instructed
- Keep your head elevated
- Drink plenty of water
- Avoid strenuous activity
- Take care not to knock or bump your head
Afterwards, the dressing placed over the donor area will need to be removed and you will be shown when and how to do this.
Sleeping After A Hair Transplant
Sleep on your back with your head elevated for the first few nights. A travel pillow or rolled towel can help reduce movement and prevent pressure on the transplanted or donor areas.
You can usually return to your normal sleeping position from night five provided healing is progressing normally.
Read more: how to sleep after a hair transplant and common questions.
Days
1-3
Hair Transplant Aftercare:
First Few Days
During the first few days, protecting the grafts remains the priority. You will be asked to use a saline spray regularly and avoid rubbing the scalp.
Swelling can develop during this period. It may affect the forehead and occasionally move lower around the eyes before settling. Medication is prescribed and in your aftercare pack to reduce swelling and discomfort. Take this exactly as instructed.
Itching After A Hair Transplant
Mild itching is common as the scalp starts to heal. Do not scratch or pick at the scalp.
If itching is troublesome contact the clinic for advice. An antihistamine may sometimes be recommended as part of your aftercare.
Day
3+
When Can I Wash My Hair After A Hair Transplant?
Your first gentle hair wash begins. At this stage, washing needs to be very gentle. The scalp should not be rubbed or scrubbed.
For this reason patients are shown how to wet the scalp carefully and use the provided recommended shampoo. For the first few washes:
- Use lukewarm water
- Avoid high water pressure
- Do not rub the transplanted area
- Allow the scalp to dry naturally
Days
4-7
Hair Transplant Aftercare:
Starting to Settle
By this stage, the scalp will usually begin to look more settled. Small scabs will form around the transplanted grafts. This is a normal part of healing.
In the meantime continue your washing and aftercare routine as instructed. Do not pick individual scabs. Allow them to soften naturally through washing.
Day
7+
Hair Transplant Scabs: When Do They Come Off?
Scabs are expected after a hair transplant. They usually become more noticeable during the first week and then start to loosen as washing becomes more active.
From 1 week onwards gentle contact may be introduced according to your instructions. Over the following days more purposeful movements can gradually help loosen the remaining scabs. You will be advised on how and when to do this safely.
By around Day 10–14 most scabs should have cleared. Do not scratch or forcibly pick them off. It is also common to see small hairs within shed scabs. This does not automatically mean a graft has been lost.
If you are concerned about anything you can send photos for the team to review.
Day
8-14
Hair Transplant Aftercare: Getting Easier
During the second week the transplanted area becomes progressively easier to manage.
Washing can usually become more thorough and the remaining scabs are gradually removed. By the end of this period:
- Most scabs should have cleared
- Redness may be reducing
- Swelling should have settled
- Washing can become more normal
- Activity can begin moving back toward normal
From around day 15 normal hair washing can usually resume.
Day
14+
What Happens After The First Two Weeks?
After two weeks the most intensive part of the aftercare routine is usually complete. From this point the grafts are more secure, scabs should have cleared and normal washing can usually resume.
Over the following weeks, the transplanted hairs often begin to shed. This is a normal part of the process and does not mean the transplant has failed.
At this point, the focus then moves away from wound care and toward longer-term growth.
Read the Hair Transplant Growth Timeline and the article on shedding.
Healing
Signs
Redness, Swelling and Scabs After A Hair Transplant
Some redness, swelling and scabbing are expected during the early stages of hair transplant recovery. They usually settle gradually as the scalp heals.
Redness After a Hair Transplant
Redness around the donor and transplanted areas is common after FUE surgery. For many patients, it begins to settle during the first couple of weeks. However, the length of time can vary depending on your skin type, the size of the procedure and how quickly your scalp heals. Some residual pinkness can remain for longer, particularly in fair or sensitive skin.
Avoid scratching, rubbing or applying unapproved products to try to reduce the redness. If redness is increasing rather than improving, particularly if accompanied by increasing pain, warmth, discharge or feeling unwell, contact the clinic straight away.
Swelling After a Hair Transplant
Similarly, some swelling can develop during the first few days after surgery. It commonly affects the forehead and can occasionally move down towards the eyebrows or around the eyes before settling.
To help minimise swelling:
- Sleep with your head elevated as instructed
- Take your prescribed medication exactly as directed
- Stay well hydrated
- Avoid strenuous activity
- Avoid spending long periods looking down
Your prescribed medication is intended to reduce post-operative swelling although it may not prevent it completely.
Contact the clinic if swelling becomes severe, continues to worsen or is associated with other concerning symptoms.
Hair Transplant Scabs
Small scabs form around the grafts as part of normal healing. These should be allowed to soften gradually through the washing routine provided. Gentle contact is introduced and followed by progressively firmer washing to help loosen the remaining scabs. Most should have cleared by around 10–14 days.
It is also common to notice small hairs within the scabs as they come away. This is usually nothing to worry about.
If the scalp is not clearing as expected or you are worried about something you see, contact the clinic rather than trying to treat it yourself.
Find out more on the article discussing shedding after a hair transplant.
Protecting
Grafts
Sleeping, Hats and Exercise After A Hair Transplant
Protecting the grafts from pressure, friction and unnecessary physical strain is particularly important during the early healing period.
When Can I Sleep Normally After A Hair Transplant?
Sleep on your back with your head elevated as instructed. A travel pillow around the neck can help keep you in position and reduce pressure on the scalp.
Provided recovery is progressing normally you can usually return to your normal sleeping position from night five. Try to avoid rubbing the transplanted area against pillows during the early healing period.
When Can I Wear A Hat After A Hair Transplant?
Avoid hats during the early healing period. If wearing one is essential, a loose-fitting hat may be an option. Dr Thomas and the team will need to give further advice on this but generally speaking they should:
- Sit loosely
- Avoid rubbing the grafts
- Not create pressure across the transplanted area
However, tight hats or helmets should be avoided for longer. If you are unsure whether a particular hat is suitable, contact Dr Thomas and the team first.
Discover more advice on hats here.
When Can I Exercise After A Hair Transplant?
It’s important to avoid strenuous exercise early after your procedure. However, gentle walking is ok if you feel well enough. After two weeks you can begin returning to exercise but it is advised to gradually build this up.
Additionally, activities involving a risk of direct impact to the scalp should be avoided for longer. Dr Thomas and the team will guide you on specific timeframes if you need to return to high intensity activity or sports with likely head-contact.
More questions answered about aftercare and recovery on the FAQ page.
Things To
Avoid
What To Avoid After A Hair Transplant
There are several things to avoid after your hair transplant. The grafts remain fragile in the early phases and limiting certain activities or exposure to things can help them survive.
Alcohol
Avoid alcohol for one week after surgery. This allows helps with healing and avoids unnecessary dehydration or potential interaction with medications.
Smoking and Vaping
Try to avoid smoking and vaping for as long as possible after your procedure. Nicotine causes blood vessels to narrow and may reduce blood flow to healing tissue.
Direct Sun Exposure
Protect the transplanted scalp from strong sunlight and sunburn for around three months.
Once the scalp has healed sufficiently sunscreen can be applied. A suitable loose hat can also help once you have reached the stage where wearing one is permitted.
Swimming
Hold off swimming in chlorinated pools for around four weeks after surgery as it can irritate a healing scalp.
Saunas and Steam Rooms
Keep out of saunas and steam rooms for four weeks while the scalp heals.
Hair Cuts and Hair Colouring
Afterwards, hair styling and cuts can be reintroduced gradually if healing has progressed normally. Dr Thomas and the team have specific timeframes but as a general guide see below:
- Hair cut in recipient area wait around four weeks.
- Hair dye and bleaching wait 3 months.
- Styling products once scalp has healed, usually after 2 weeks.
Scratching or Picking The Scalp
Make sure to avoid scratching, picking or manually pulling at scabs. Even if the scalp becomes itchy, allow the washing routine to loosen crusts naturally.
Medication
Guidance
Hair Transplant Medication After Surgery
Your individual medication schedule will be provided after surgery and may vary depending on your procedure and medical history. Take prescribed medication exactly as instructed and do not add anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen unless advised to do so.
When Can I Restart Minoxidil After A Hair Transplant?
For most patients topical minoxidil can usually restart from around three weeks after surgery. Oral minoxidil can be started sooner, typically after 2 weeks but follow your individual instructions provided by Dr Thomas and the team.
Oral finasteride can continue as normal unless advised otherwise.
When To
Call
When Should I Contact The Clinic?
Most redness, itching, tenderness, swelling and scabbing are part of normal healing. In the following circumstances its best to contact the clinic for advice.
- Persistent or heavy bleeding
- Worsening rather than improving pain
- Increasing redness or warmth
- Pus or unusual discharge
- Fever or feeling generally unwell
- Severe or worsening swelling
- Trauma to the grafted area
- Anything that appears different from what you were told to expect
Frequently
Asked
Questions
Dr Peter Thomas
MBBS MRCGP FUE Hair Transplant Surgeon
UK-trained doctor and specialist FUE hair transplant surgeon with postgraduate qualifications including MRCGP and specialist training to CCT level. Bringing refined FUE hair restoration techniques and renowned for natural results.