You may return to sleeping on your side 10 days after receiving your hair transplant procedure. Patients are advised to wait 15 days after the surgery before going back to sleeping on their stomachs. The initial 10-15 day window allows protective scabs to form over graft sites during the early healing phases.
Seven to fourteen days after a hair transplant, a patient can gradually transition into a more natural sleeping position, but it's still important to be cautious. By this stage, most of the patient's grafts are securely in place, but it's essential to minimise discomfort and pressure on the scalp.
When can I stop using a neck pillow after hair transplant? You can stop using the neck pillow after your hair transplant once your grafts are secure, typically after 10-14 days. After this stage, you can transition to using a normal pillow for sleeping.
Sleep on your back with your head elevated for the first week or two after surgery. This serves two purposes — it reduces swelling after your hair transplant and stops you from tossing and turning in the night and accidentally rubbing your head against your pillowcase.
It's important to be extra gentle during this time to avoid dislodging the grafts. While 7 days mark a significant milestone, total and complete security for the grafts takes a bit longer. By around 14 days, the scalp around each graft finishes healing, providing a more robust foundation.
You should wait at least 14 days before touching your hair grafts following a hair transplant. This is because the hair grafts will have built sufficient strength during the recovery period that any movement or friction isn't going to cause them to fall out.
So while wearing a hat may seem like a good way to hide your hair transplant, it should normally be avoided until around 10 days after your hair transplant operation.
The growth center remains in the scalp and is what produces the new hair. If some grafts were to become dislodged and fall out -– which can happen the first few days after the hair transplant — there would be some localized bleeding. At 10 days the grafts cannot be dislodged, even with vigorous scrubbing.
During the first 10 days you should avoid putting clothes over your head. This can damage or tear out the newly implanted hair roots. Therefore, do not wear clothes that you have to slip into with your head. Avoid T-shirts, sweaters, undershirts and the like.
Recovery & Rest Is Crucial After A Procedure
At around 5 days post hair transplant, your scalp should be healed enough that you can begin to gently wash it again. At this stage, the soreness and swelling that appeared after the transplant should have mostly disappeared.
After 10 to 14 days: any non-dissolvable stitches can usually be removed. After a few weeks: the transplanted hair will often fall out, and later start to grow back. After 4 months: new hair will usually start to appear. After 10 to 18 months: the full results should be seen.
Take care of your sleep position:
Avoid direct pressure on the donor area or transplanted grafts. Find a comfortable sleeping posture. Follow the surgeon's instructions on sleep positions. Avoid direct face-down pillow sleeping.
This is why people mistake it for a follicle. The truth is that the hair bulb (follicle) remains safe when the shedding begins 4-5 days after the procedure. Afterwards, the follicles go into the telogen resting phase which takes 8-10 weeks.
Day 5 onwards: You can start to wash the entire head using baby shampoo. Day 14: You can return to your normal day to day hair care routine from here onwards.
Experts say that the normal lying position can be adopted after ten days. Ten days after the hair transplant operation, a face-up or side lying position can be preferred.
We recommend avoiding coffee before having your hair transplant as it can raise your blood pressure and cause complications during surgery5. Rarely, we advise that some patients avoid having coffee for 1-2 days after their hair transplant especially if they have bled more than the average patient.
Most likely, your transplanted hair grafts are going to be fine and you did not lose anything during the incident. You can stop worrying about any lasting damage to your grafts.
10 days is the magic number
Of course, that area still needs to be properly maintained by following the post-op instructions that have been provided. However, after 10 days, there is very little that can be done to cause any damage to these transplanted grafts.
Excessive Scarring, Swelling, and Redness
Some scarring and redness are normal after a hair transplant, but if these symptoms are excessive or last too long, it could mean something went wrong. This might also increase the risk of infection, indicating that the procedure wasn't done correctly.
Signs of failure include poor hair growth, resulting in sparse or patchy areas, and an unnatural-looking hairline, which may appear too straight or asymmetrical. Excessive scarring, infections, and prolonged inflammation are other indicators of a failed transplant.
Generally, you can begin washing your hair normally about one week after a hair transplant procedure. Your surgeon may recommend you still use the provided shampoo, or they may advise that you can return to your regular products.
Patients can gradually start sleeping in a normal position 7 to 10 days after hair transplant surgery. However, it is advised to avoid putting direct pressure on the transplanted area for a few more weeks. This will help ensure proper healing and minimize the risk of damaging the newly transplanted hair follicles.
Hair transplant surgery can range from $3,000 to more than $15,000. The average cost is $6,000 to $12,000. Hair restoration surgery can be successful for men and women. Your costs will vary based on the type of procedure, where you have the treatment, your surgeon's fees, and other factors.