The recovery period of an FUE Hair Transplant is very important because it will impact the final outcome of the procedure. Patients must follow their surgeons instructions and recommendations.
One of the main factors that will help the healing procedure is the sleeping position during the first weeks of recovery. The reason why the sleeping position is crucial during the first stages of the aftercare is because right after the hair transplant the skin will be very sensitive.
In order to prevent any possible wounds on the scalp, a specific sleeping position must be adopted so that the scalp doesn’t come in contact with any objects.
During the first 10 days the patient will need to sleep on their back and with their head elevated, most commonly patients use neck pillows to keep their head raised up.
Patients should avoid sleeping on their stomach or sides, turning and tossing should be avoided as well. It’s important that the scalp doesn’t come in contact with any surfaces, especially when it hasn’t completely scabbed.
Some patients opt to sleep on recliners because they find it easier to maintain the position this way. It is advised to be careful when sleeping on a recliner because, as stated above, the patient’s scalp must not touch any surfaces because any kind of contact might dislodge the hair follicles that were transplanted.
It’s important to add that if the patient decides to practice any form of light exercise after the first 5 days of recovery,
After 10 days the patient can start sleeping on their side but it’s important that they avoid any contact between their scalp and the pillow. They can keep using the neck pillow to keep their head elevated.
Patients should avoid sleeping on their stomach because there’s still a possibility of possible damage to the hair follicles that were transplanted.
After 15 days of recovery the patient can start sleeping on their stomach if that’s what they prefer.
By this point the scabbing should have subsided. However, the scalp will still be quite sensitive which means that the patient must still take care of their scalp by following the instructions given by their doctor, such as avoiding rubbing their head against any surface, avoiding tossing and turning aggressively, etc.
Other tips that will help the healing process during these first weeks are the following:
Although Fue hair transplants are minimally invasive, it’s important to understand that they still require care during the post op period. Here’s a list of some do’s and don'ts that will help the success of the healing process and results.
