Best Health Hair
Care Tips
Taking care of your hair is always a good idea, especially after having had a hair transplant operation, when your hair and scalp will be very sensitive. Here you can find a few helpful tips by our team at BHH, that can help you go through the recovery and healing process in the best way possible.
Remember that you can always contact us regarding any concerns during the time after you've had your surgery, or request a post-op check up!
Post Hair Transplant Healing Care
Is it normal to have redness and a pink scalp after a hair transplant operation?
Yes, that redness that you will experience post operation is a normal part of the hair follicles' healing process. Before receiving your hair implants, your hair specialist makes small incisions on the scalp in order to place the donor hair into the new area. This will cause a small amount of bleeding and therefore cause redness, as well as form scabs around the transplanted follicles. Following the natural regeneration of cells the scabbing will slowly start to fall out, leaving behind the newly implanted healthy follicle, which in turn follows the hair growth cycle and will start growing back again in 3-6 months.
At this time, it is essential that you avoid touching/scratching the scabs or the donor area, as this may cause further bleeding, redness and irritation - or even completely interfere with the new hair follicles' growth.
The redness is persistent, is it permanent?
Depending on your skin type the redness you experience may last for a longer or shorter period of time, but it is not permanent. Typically, fairer skin types will tend to see redness a bit longer than darker skin types. In addition, the period of time redness persists can also be related to your body's ability to heal. It can also be dependent on the number of grafts you have received. This is why having a consultation and examination before you have your surgery will give you a full understanding of what to expect before, during and after your hair transplantation.
Experiencing some redness, irritation and/or itchiness following any type of invasive procedure is natural. Everyone will have a different healing response and recovery time, this doesn't mean that the procedure hasn't worked or it isn't effective. Our expert doctors can be at hand to help with anything you may need after your procedure.
What is a
hair growth cycle?
Hair grows in a similar way to skin, with the difference that hair follicles produce cells composed entirely of keratin - the protein present in hair and nails.
The growth of such cells is cyclical, and it goes through four stages of rapid growth, elongation, stagnation and depreciation.
These phases are called:
Anagen(Growth),
Catagen(Transition),
Telogen(Rest), and
Exogen(Shedding).
General Post-Op Tips
First two weeks:
At about 5 days after your hair transplant operation, your scalp will be adequately healed that you can wash it gently. It is essential that you take extra care to follow closely all instructions provided by your surgeon.
After about four weeks - a month after the operation, you may notice some fluff falling out from the transplanted area. That is normal, along with the redness. Make sure to follow-up with your doctor and continue to adhere to the advice and actions that need to be taken for successful healing.
First month post operation:
Use products provided by your doctor
Protect the transplanted area
No heat, chemicals or power showers
No strenuous activities
Follow instructions for medications
Wash your hands well and regularly
What can you do after your grey hair transplant?
Just like every other hair type, you need to first rest and take great care of your hair after having an operation. However, depending on the health of your scalp and hair - as determined from your examinations by your doctor - you may need to pay extra attention to your transplanted and donor areas while they are healing. This is because grey hair can be weaker and more fragile, which may be tied to weaker follicles with age.
Therefore, during the days and weeks after your hair transplant you should:
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Avoid touching or rubbing the recipient and donor areas, so that you won't run the risk of dislodging the grafts
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Gently wash your hair, according to the instructions of your doctor
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Follow prescribed medication instructions and take care to schedule any check up appointments to monitor your progress and check that the healing is moving along well.
Aftercare tips for grey hair
What can you do after your afro hair transplant?
The first thing you need to do, as with every surgery, is to rest and take care of your sensitive new hair follicles.
Because of the nature of afro hair - being very curly and dry (even though it has natural oils) - you will need to carefully moisturize your hair, but always following the instructions given by your hair transplant doctor. You should also:
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Gently wash your hair; no rubbing or scratching but patting the hair dry
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Follow a healthy diet and stay hydrated as your doctor recommends
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Avoid putting pressure on your healing scalp
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Don't use any chemicals; there are a lot of organic products specifically for African hair that your doctor can recommend to you as well (and you can even continue using some of those even after you have fully healed)
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Avoid styling with heat or tight hairstyles
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Understand the healing process, as afro hair is known to grow much slower than other hair types and it will require patience until your hair grows back
Aftercare tips for afro hair
What can you do after your long hair transplant?
Recovery time is equally as important as the transplant itself, and rest and pain management can greatly aid the healing process.
Since the hair is longer, it is facing a greater risk of being tangled and dislodged from the new follicles, therefore extra care needs to be taken in following your doctor's instructions after the procedure.
The same tips as most hair transplants apply to long hair transplants too, like gently washing, no touching or rubbing, medication instructions, protecting donor and recipient areas from the sun and elements.
But if you've had a long hair transplant be sure to also:
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Avoid any type of styling (especially with heat)
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Don't wash your hair for at least 3-4 days after the operation
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Don't dye your hair for as long as possible
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Keep your head elevated when you sleep, as this can help reduce swelling
Aftercare tips for long hair
What can you do after your ginger hair transplant?
Redheads usually tend to have a more sensitive skin and hair, therefore, they should pay special attention to their body's reaction after a surgery, and make sure to report anything unusual to their hair transplant specialist.
On the days and weeks after the operation it is best to always rest and follow doctor's instructions on medications, diet and - as there will be a greatest possibility for redness - it is critically important to avoid touching and scratching the transplanted areas.
Make sure to:
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Avoid sun exposure and protect the new hair follicles from elements
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Don't put pressure on the transplanted area
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Moisturise and care according to instructions
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Don't do any tight hair styles, use heat, or do anything that might completely dislodge the hair from the new follicles and possibly hinder the healing process
Aftercare tips for ginger hair
Preventive Measures
How do I know if I am losing my hair?
Beside the fact that hair loss may be a by-product of your genetics, if you are frequently wearing hairstyles that pull on your hair - like high ponytails, up-dos, cornrows, dreadlocks, hair extensions or tightly braided hair - you can take some time each month to look for early signs of hair loss, such as:
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Patches of hair loss wherever your hair was pulled tightly
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Broken hairs around your forehead hairline
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Pain from tightly pulled hair
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Stinging on your scalp
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Clearly receding hairline
What can I do to prevent hair loss?
Generally, it is a good idea to practise loosening up your hairstyles or avoiding very frequent tight hairstyles. Another thing you can do is also find a professional who can help relax your hair and scalp - and remember it is essential to use the right products to moisturise your hair.
It is best to stop smoking, as it is known to play a significant role in causing androgenetic alopecia(AGA) as well as in the severity of baldness.
Look into how you can improve your diet in order to get nutrients, such as proteins and iron, to prevent hair loss, as well as always remember to keep hydrated.
Get advice from your doctor on what supplements and vitamins you should be getting, or if you should. You can easily get a blood test before you have a hair transplant, so that you can check whether or not you are getting enough vitamins and minerals according to your body's needs. Your doctor will suggest the best options before you make a final decision.
At Best Health Hair we are hair loss restoration professionals and will use our expertise and care for our patients so that every transplant will be a pleasant, transformational experience. Ready for a life change?
Take a few seconds and fill out our form to get booked for your free consultation. Your hair will thank you for it.
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