Exercising After a Hair Transplant

The recovery period after an FUE hair transplant is essential for positive results. In fact, the first weeks of this recovery period will impact the end result of the hair transplant. This is the main reason why it’s crucial that patients follow the after care instructions and recommendations given by their surgeon.

There are always certain Do’s and Don’ts that patients should pay attention to after going through an FUE hair transplant. One of the main DONT’s is exercise. Patients are mainly concerned with the amount of time they won’t be able to perform any physical activity.

How Long Must a Patient Wait Before Exercising?

Many patients will be able to exercise 2 weeks after their surgery as recommended by Dr. Cortez. The following is a timeline that shows which physical activity is allowed based on the weeks of recovery:

First week: Patients shouldn’t exercise during the first week of their recovery, it’s recommended that they relax.
Two weeks:After two weeks, patients can go back to some light exercising such as walking, doing yoga or light cycling, nothing that involves excessive sweating.
One month: After 1 month patients who practice contact sports such as soccer, rugby or anything that involves water such as swimming can go back to these types of activities.

It’s important to add that if the patient decides to practice any form of light exercise after the first 5 days of recovery, they should do it indoors so that they can avoid any kind of exposure to the sun. Only after the first 2 weeks will they be able to exercise outdoors. Moreover, patients are all different and some may heal faster or slower, therefore they must keep in touch with their surgeon to figure out when they can safely start exercising.

Possible Risks of Exercising Immediately after a Hair Transplant

If patients decide to exercise immediately after their surgery they will most likely face some problems, such as:

Irritation and possible risks of infection can happen due to excessive sweating. It is advised that patients don’t exercise or sit directly under the sun to avoid excessive sweating.
Dislodgement (force out of position) of hair grafts can happen if the patient does a lot of exercising and rough movements.
Straining(to make an unusually great effort) can create pressure on the scalp and will pop or dislodge them, which happens with heavy exercising.

An important reminder: Patients must follow all the instructions given by their surgeon, this will help reduce any risks or side-effects. If the patient notices any problems during their recovery they should contact their surgeon immediately.