The general principle of the procedure is based on the fact that the hair that originates in the permanent area or Safe donor area’ are not affected by the DHT.
Hair Transplant is a very delicate surgery. The adherence to some very basic post-operative care will definitely help yield good results. Most the things mentioned below do not require a lot of extra time outside your routine. All you need to do is to just be little more conscious about the fact that you’ve undergone a surgery.
And this more important as AK Clinics we try to minimise any intra or post operative discomfort and patients sometime tend to careless as they do not feel anything at all.
On discharge, you would be provided with a headband over the forehead region and a surgical cap.
You should wear the cap for three days and can remove the cap at the time of spraying (mentioned below) but it is advisable that you wear the headband continuously for the next 5 days. A spray bottle with Normal Saline solution is also provided to you on discharge. You need to spray the transplanted area with this solution starting from the day of the surgery. For the first 2 days, you should spray over the transplanted area once every hour and then from Day 3 to Day 5 of the surgery, you should spray it at 2 hourly intervals. There is no need to get up at night to spray during sleeping hours. You may use sterile water (bottled drinking water) once the Normal Saline solution provided is finished. Spraying is essential as it prevents scab formation and keeps the grafts hydrated. On the day of the discharge you should also start with the forehead massage. You are also advised to sleep on a flat surface or with a thin pillow for the next 5 days to prevent swelling over forehead. It is advised not to wash your head for initial 4 days after the transplant.
* Details of massage are described later in detail under the subheading- Swelling. On Day 5 after the surgery:you can wash the transplanted area with water alone by pouring it gently with a mug over the non-transplanted part of the scalp so the water just seeps over the transplanted grafts. You can also block the flow of water partially with your other hand so water falls with less pressure over the grafts. Allow your hair to dry naturally, do not towel dry or blow-dry your hair.
On Day 7:you can wash your scalp using shampoo with water. Mix a coin size amount of baby shampoo in a mug of water and pour it gently over your transplanted area of the head. You can partially block the flow of the water with your other hand so that the scalp is not subjected to strong, direct pressure. Rinse off any remaining soapy solution. Do not stand under a shower. Allow your hair to dry naturally, do not towel dry or blow-dry your hair.
On Day 10:the washing of the transplanted area is done as follows- If you are in town, it is advisable that you come to the clinic for this wash. In case you can’t come you can also do this yourself at home. First apply some aloe-vera gel gently on the transplanted area and keep it for 10 minutes to soften the crusts. Afterwards take a coin size amount of baby shampoo on your palm and lightly apply over the transplanted area with finger tips in a back to front direction making sure not to rub /scratch the area. Wash the shampoo by pouring some water on the head gently with mug.
After the second shampoo wash at day 10:you can wash your hair regularly using baby shampoo/ prescribed shampoo twice a week. The scabs should be removed gently at the time of each head wash.It is imperative that you DO NOT rub/scratch the transplanted area.
Covering of the Recipient area:Continue to wear the surgical cap provided to you for 3 days after the transplant. You can start wearing the routine cap (Polo, cricket, etc.) from 3rd day onwards. Make sure that the routine cap does not impinge over the graft area/ put pressure over the recipient area. While wearing the cap make sure you wear it from back to front direction to avoid pressure on the transplanted area.
Most importantly, do not keep your head in forward bending position to avoid swelling. In case the swelling arises, it usually occurs on the 3rd-5th post-operative day, increases on 6th- 7th day and decreases on its own by 8th and 9th day. This is again a normal phenomenon and will resolve on its own. You can use cool ice compresses over the area. In case of any fever/redness/ pain associated with the swelling, please contact our clinic.
AK Clinics- India most trusted & recommended Hair, Skin, Cosmetic Surgery Clinics in India run by Dr. Kapil Dua & Dr. Aman Dua.
