Post-Operative Care of Your Hair Transplant in Portland, Oregon
For our patients who had hair restoration in our Portland, Oregon practice, postoperative care is vital for optimal results. In fact, even though the actual hair transplant lasts 8 to 12 hours, the postoperative care and instructions last for a few weeks. The most critical time in the postoperative period is immediately after the procedure, and the time to completely relax and know that all the grafts are secure is about 2 weeks after the procedure. After 2 weeks, patients may resume all normal activity.
Each patient that has a hair transplant at the Gabel Center will have a detailed set of instructions provided to them a few weeks prior to the procedure. This will contain exactly how patients should prepare for the procedure, and exactly the steps patients should do afterward. It is imperative that these instructions are followed exactly the way Dr. Gabel has written them.
Once the procedure is finished, Dr. Gabel and his staff will go over the postoperative instructions in detail. Most people are encouraged to return to the office the following day where the transplanted grafts will be inspected to make sure they have not moved from the prior day. The donor and recipient areas will also be cleansed in the proper fashion, and this will be shown to the patient.
Immediately After Surgery
Once the patients leave the office, we encourage them to drink plenty of liquids and eat a healthy dinner. We provide patients with pain medications in case the pain becomes severe. Most patients do not require any narcotics and do well with ibuprofen. For the transplanted area, we will provide a saline solution to keep the grafts moist and cover the grafts with a shower cap. When it’s time to sleep, we recommend elevating the head to promote drainage of the fluids that were injected throughout the day.
The Week After Surgery
For several days after the hair transplant, we recommend spraying the transplanted follicular unit grafts with a saline solution in a spray bottle that will be provided to the patient. We will also show patients how to use shampoo on the scalp. Basically, patients will put a few drops of shampoo in a cup, swirl it around, and pour it over the scalp.
In the donor area, patients may use their fingers to clean the scalp and hair. If a patient had a follicular unit excision (FUE) procedure, we will have patients put a small layer of antibiotic ointment on the donor area. In the transplanted area, we do not want the area touched. After 7 days, patients will gently use the pads of their fingers to help remove any crusts that may have developed. After about 10 days, all the crusting should be gone, and the transplanted area should look normal with short hair. The transplanted area may become irritated and itchy – avoid scratching or picking at the scalp.
Is the Procedure Painful?
The most painful part of the procedure is the injections to numb the surgical sites. After that, it is not too bad. Most people do very well with just ibuprofen, and only a few require narcotics for one night.
When can Patients Start Working Out?
I recommend that patients refrain from very vigorous activity for 2 weeks; however, people can do light training starting 5 days afterward. Patients need to maintain caution that they do not disturb the transplanted hairs as it takes them about 10 days to 2 weeks to fully implant.
When can Patients Resume Their Regular Medications?
For the surgical procedure, I recommend that patients stop any medications or supplements that may cause bleeding (if they are prescription medications, then they need their doctor’s approval to stop them). People may resume their medications the following day after surgery.
Avoid Tobacco and Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages, chewing tobacco, and smoking can all impede the healing process. Patients should avoid these until directed by their hair restoration surgeon.
Contact The Gabel Center in Portland, Oregon
Our team at the Gabel Center looks forward to your visit and discussing these matters with you in greater detail. To learn more about hair loss, the latest medications, and the latest techniques in hair restoration and hair transplant surgery, contact us at our Tigard, Oregon office. We are located at 12115 SW 70th Avenue, Tigard, Oregon 97223 only 20 minutes from downtown Portland.
