To get the greatest possible outcomes from a hair transplant, aftercare is just as important as the treatment itself. Areas where hair has just been transplanted need special care since the follicles are easily damaged. You may prevent any accidental harm to them by changing the way you sleep.
Sleep aids with recovery. Increased blood flow to the skin while sleeping has been shown to speed up recovery time after a skin transplant.
Try to sleep with your head raised the first few nights. As a result, you may notice less puffiness in your head and forehead. You may use regular pillows or a post-op bed or wedge pillow.
For the first week or two, sleeping on your back is recommended. In this posture, the donor site is less likely to be scratched or rubbed. If you tend to toss and turn throughout the night, a travel cushion across your neck may help.
For the first several days, the grafts should not be allowed to make direct contact with the pillow. If you’re worried about discharge, you might use a disposable towel or cloth on your pillowcase.
While the region around the transplant heals, you may experience some itching. Scratching may cause the grafts to come loose and should be avoided at all costs. If the itch persists despite your efforts to alleviate it, see a surgeon.
Your surgeon may recommend that you take medicine or use a topical ointment after surgery. Never stop taking these drugs without first seeing your doctor.
While being careful around the grafts is essential, so is keeping the area clean. When and how often you should begin shampooing your hair is something your doctor will go over with you in detail.
Don’t Freak Out! If You Wake Up to Hairs on Your Pillow. After surgery, you may notice that you lose some hair (the actual shafts).
In the ensuing months, new hairs will grow from the follicle under the skin, making the graft the most important element. Be careful you keep all of your post-op visits with the surgeon.
For the greatest potential results and to reduce the risk of problems, it is essential to have a good night’s sleep immediately after a hair transplant.
Keep your head raised as you sleep for the first several nights. Two pillows, or a travel or orthopedic pillow, may make a big difference.
If you’ve had a FUT or FUE transplant on the top or front of your scalp, it’s ideal to sleep on your back so that you don’t accidentally compress the transplanted hair follicles while you’re asleep.
Silk or satin pillowcases are more comfortable and less prone to catch or bother grafts than their cotton counterparts.
To prevent the grafts from coming loose, the transplanted region should not contact or rub against the cushion.
To prevent infection, it’s important to keep the donor region (usually the back and sides of the scalp) clean and covered after a FUE surgery. Be careful not to cause any friction here as well.
Preventing swelling, after surgery, some patients may develop swelling in the forehead or around the eyes. The edema might be reduced by elevating the head while sleeping.
Keep your cool, it’s normal to worry that your grafts may come loose as you sleep. However, with proper care, the grafts should be risk-free.
Don’t do any Exercise
Don’t do anything that will make you sweat excessively or boost blood flow to your scalp for at least a week.
Some clinics may provide a spray or solution to be used at night to the scalp to keep it moist while sleeping. Please follow the instructions given if your clinic has supplied this.
To avoid touching or rubbing the grafts accidentally, some surgeons advise wearing a loose-fitting medical hat. In colder areas, or just for peace of mind, this might be extremely useful.
Protecting the freshly transplanted grafts and allowing them to recover properly depends on how you sleep after a hair transplant.
Put your head on a stack of cushions or a wedge pillow to alleviate pressure. Swelling may be reduced by keeping the transplanted region above the heart, since this prevents fluid from collecting there. It also guarantees that the grafts are under very little stress.
The transplanted region, often the top or front of the scalp, should not come into direct contact with the pillow to prevent the grafts from being dislodged.
Consider using a silk or satin pillowcase because of how silky and smooth they are.
Keeping Your Head in Place While You Slumber Using a travel or neck pillow may help keep your head stable and in place, reducing the likelihood of you tossing and turning throughout the night.
The time it takes to recuperate to the point where you can resume your usual sleeping position after a hair transplant will vary from patient to patient and procedure to operation. In general, you can count on these things:
In the Short Term (After Surgery, Day 1-3):
It’s important to keep your head up and not put any weight or strain on the transplanted region while you sleep. The grafts are most susceptible to becoming dislodged at this time.
Surgical Outcomes After One Week:
The grafts usually become more stable and firmly attached to the scalp by the end of the first week. Patients often report feeling more comfortable returning to their usual sleeping positions at this point, but they should still use care.
After two weeks, grafts are often well-anchored and dislodgement risk is low after two weeks after surgery. The majority of patients may feel safe returning to their usual sleeping positions after a transplant.
Be sure to strictly adhere to all instructions given to you by your hair transplant clinic or surgeon. Based on your unique recovery and the nature of your operation, they will provide you with individualized recommendations.
It’s possible for scabs to form on the transplanted region while it heals. After 10-14 days, they often begin to fall off. Although the grafts underneath are safe, you should take care not to cause any pain or tug at the scabs during this time.
The donor region (usually the back and sides of the head) also develops minor wounds after a FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) surgery. In the days after surgery, it is important to avoid applying any unnecessary pressure on this area.
Overall, you may feel better after a week or two and be able to get some decent shut-eye, but you should never disregard the advise of a doctor.
They are in the greatest position to determine when you may return to your usual sleeping schedule without jeopardizing your health or the effectiveness of your transplant.
In the short term, Avoid sleeping on your side, particularly if the grafts were placed on the sides of your head after transplant surgery. The grafts are most susceptible to becoming dislodged at this time.
In the second week, You may try sleeping on your side again when the grafts have healed. The ability to sleep on your side improves if the grafts were placed on the top or front of your head and not the sides. Still, it’s best to be cautious and avoid putting any stress on the grafts or donor region.
Use a plush pillowcase at all times, make sure you’re using a silk or satin pillowcase, or something as soft, if you like to sleep on your side.
Sleeping on your stomach or back is not recommended following a hair transplant, particularly in the first few days. Grafts are easily dislodged by applying pressure directly to the surgical site. The donor region in the back of your head is also vulnerable after a FUE treatment.
Swelling is more likely to occur while sleeping on one’s face, particularly in the areas surrounding one’s eyes and forehead.
Many doctors advise their patients to avoid lying on their stomachs or backs for a while after getting a hair transplant. This is due to the fact that fresh grafts are vulnerable and readily destroyed by physical contact.
A few days following the treatment, it is normal to have some swelling in the forehead and around the eyes. The swelling may be reduced by sleeping with one’s head raised.
Guarding the grafts, the grafts need special care in the days immediately after surgery. Sweating (which may lead to infection), touching, or rubbing the grafts, and being careless while putting on or removing garments can all cause damage.
Bedding and pillows may be used to prevent you from rolling onto your stomach as you sleep.
Follow-up, keep all follow-up appointments after surgery. After surgery, you may not be able to sleep in your usual posture until your surgeon gives you the all-clear.
The virtue of patience remember that any pain or restrictions you experience at this time are just temporary. If you want the greatest potential outcome from your hair transplant, taking measures right now is essential.
Most people may return to their regular sleeping position around 10 to 14 days after a hair transplant. Here is a rule of thumb:
In the Short Term (After Surgery, Day 1-3):
This is the most precarious time for the grafts. The transplanted region must be protected from direct pressure, thus sleeping with the head raised is a must.
By the end of the first week (often after 7 days):
The grafts become more firmly established in their new locations on the scalp. Some patients may feel comfortable returning to their previous sleeping arrangements; nevertheless, extreme vigilance is still needed.
About 14 days after surgery, or two weeks later:
The grafts are usually securely in place at this point, and further movement is unlikely to cause any problems. Most people are able to resume their normal sleep schedules within two weeks.
Whether or not you may resume your usual sleeping position immediately after a hair transplant will depend on your individual recovery, the kind of the treatment you had done, and the advice of your surgeon. However, in most cases:
Immediately Following Surgery (1-5 Days):
The grafts are more vulnerable now. Keep your head high when sleeping and stay away from the transplanted region.
Last Day of the First Week (After Surgery):
The grafts are beginning to establish a more stable hold. It’s important to be careful and avoid placing direct pressure on the transplanted or donor regions, although some patients may begin to return to their normal sleeping positions at this stage.
Ten to fourteen days postoperatively, most patients are able to resume their regular sleeping positions. The grafts are normally securely in place at this point, and further manipulation is unlikely to cause their displacement.