After a hair transplant, there are certain things you can do to help speed up your recovery and get you back to normal as quickly as possible.
The key is to follow the doctor’s instructions and care for your scalp as much as possible. If you follow these tips, you’ll be on your way to a quick and painless recovery.
Keep Your Head Elevated
One of the most important things you can do to speed up your hair transplant recovery is to keep your head elevated during sleep. This will help reduce swelling and promote healing.
Patients should sleep on their backs, with their heads elevated to a 45-degree angle, using one or more pillows. This will prevent tossing and turning, which can dislodge the grafts and cause them to fall out.
Keeping your head elevated also helps to curb post-nasal drip, which can contribute to sleep apnea or snoring. Snoring can be especially troublesome for those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or other breathing issues.
Don’t Scratch Your Scalp
During your hair transplant recovery Fort Lee, VA, you’ll probably experience itching and crusting of the scalp. This is normal and should subside after a week or so.
Nevertheless, it would help if you resisted the urge to scratch and avoid picking scabs. This can cause bleeding and increase the risk of infection.
Scratching your scalp also damages the skin and causes itchiness. Plus, you’re putting unnecessary stress on your hair, which can lead to traction alopecia and excessive scarring.
So, if you want to speed up your hair transplant recovery and see the desired results, ensure you don’t scratch! Instead, use a medicated shampoo or ointment to soothe the scalp and reduce itching. And don’t forget to follow your surgeon’s aftercare instructions! These tips will help you get back to normal in no time.
Don’t Apply Ice
During your hair transplant recovery, it’s important to avoid applying ice. It can have a negative impact on your recovery and may even cause the procedure to take longer than necessary.
Using ice can also damage the skin. This is particularly true if you have a cold allergy.
If you need to use ice during your recovery, apply it carefully, as mentioned above. Generally, medical studies have shown that 20 minutes of icing at the right temperature reduces pain and swelling.
Swelling is one of the most common side effects of hair transplant surgery and tends to occur around the third or fourth day after your treatment. The best way to reduce this is by applying an ice pack or bag of frozen peas on the forehead, but not directly on your transplanted area.
Don’t Smoke
Smoking is a serious problem and should be avoided as much as possible during your hair transplant recovery. Not only does it delay wound healing, but it can also lead to graft failure and an unhealthy scalp.
Nicotine narrows blood vessels, which reduces the amount of oxygen that travels throughout the body. It also causes changes in the consistency of blood.
The thinning of blood also increases the chance of bleeding, which can prolong surgery.
During your recovery, the tiny holes where the hair roots are exposed are vulnerable to numerous pathogens and germs. Excessive scabbing and crusting can make these areas itchy and irritating.
Don’t Bend Over
Bending over can cause your blood pressure to rise, increasing the risk of swelling and bleeding, so avoid bending over during your hair transplant recovery. It’s also important to avoid any physical activity that requires you to be on your stomach or lower back. When you bend over, the muscles and ligaments on your spine stretch and strain your body. This can exacerbate pain and reduce the ability of your grafts to take correctly. You should also avoid sexual contact for a few weeks after surgery, as it can harm your new grafts. These tips can help speed up your hair transplant recovery so you can look and feel your best.
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