As with any surgical procedure, after the surgery, every patient will be confronted by a set of situations stemming from the procedure. These situations are expected due to the nature of the operation carried out in them and are in no way abnormal.

To have an optimal recovery postsurgery, it is necessary to navigate them successfully. And to navigate them better, you can learn ahead about these said situations beforehand by reading about them.

Here are the seven things to expect after a hair transplant procedure and how you can successfully deal with them.

The Most Common 7 Things to Expect after Hair Transplant

Following your hair transplant procedure, it is completely normal and expected to face the following situations.

You Will Loss Hair

What? You thought you were done losing hair, and now what? 

It is nothing to alarm yourself, though. This is part of the process. The hair attached to the graft will fall after eight or ten days following the surgery. The phenomenon is called “shock loss” and happens because the hair follicle is making room for new hair. A new set of hair follicles deserve a brand-new set of hair after all.

A Tender Scalp

The receiving site, as well as the donor site, will be very sensitive due to the trauma incurred, so don’t be rough with them. Swelling is expected as well; you can get it to subside by giving it a little massage and by using gauze as a buffer. Direct contact between the scalp and the fingers is not advised. 

You Will  Sleep with Your Head Up

After the surgery, sleeping lying down in a supine position is not advised. Rather, you will have your head resting at a 45-degree angle with the help of some extra pillows. Sleeping flatly lying down risks inflammation from the surgery to get much worse.

Expect Some Itching

The donor, as well as the receiving area, will be itchy. You must resist the urge to scratch them, however, lest you damage your grafts. Lotions such as bacitracin can be applied carefully in the itching area to soothe them.

There Will Be Some Scabs

The donor area will have little scabs due to all the hair follicles extracted from it. Don’t pull them; they will fall out on their own after some days. Then they will leave behind little spots of scars that your hair will easily cover.

Take Your Medications

Anti-inflammatory drugs, painkillers, and in some cases, antibiotics will all be prescribed to you by your surgeon. Take them all as scheduled, in the recommended dose, and only for the length of time advised.

 

You Might Need a Second Surgery

It’s true—this can happen. Your surgeon might advise another hair transplant procedure in order to improve your appearance further. This happens due to the continuous thinning of the original hair on your scalp that might muddle the overall looks of the grafts. If you detect this situation after your surgery, you can consult with your hair surgeon to see if further work is needed.