Hair Restoration Blog

1.    When can my son start handling his hair after his hair transplant without any caution whatsoever regarding physically touching or handling his hair, for example, with a full shower head, and rubbing his hair dry with a towel.
2.    He uses his comb just a little right now.  For example, he will comb his hair forward in anticipation for going to school.  Once in a while the comb hits his scalp, albeit pretty gently.  Is that O.K., or is it bad?
Thank you greatly.  All my best,

A:
Any time after the first four days from the day of a hair transplant surgery, patient can go back to his or her regular routine for washing and handling of their hair.

At this point (5 days after hair transplant), there is no limitation in daily hair care except in regards to sun exposure.  I don’t recommend excess sun exposure for 6 months after hair transplant to the newly transplanted area.  It should not be a problem for your son since he is combing his hair forward and covering the transplanted area.

Q:

I have had a hair transplant surgery of 1500 grafts 2 weeks ago. I have been told that scabs should be gone in 5 to 6 days, but I still have scabs. I am very careful with washing my hair once a day since the day of surgery. I don’t scrub my scalp. Yesterday I tried to be a bit more aggressive and I picked and pulled a scab and it came off with a hair. Did I lose a hair graft? When should one start scrubbing scalp and at what point can I go back to my regular washing and cleansing of my hair?

A:

Scabs are almost always seen after hair transplant surgeries. You may continue to see scabs for a variable amount of time. One of the common causes of losing a graft is pulling scabs during washing and combing hair within the first few days after hair transplant surgery. Fortunately, we have researched evidence that shows pulling scabs with hair can dislodge hair grafts if done in the first five days after hair transplantation.

At US Hair Restoration, we recommend washing transplanted areas twice a day to prevent formation of scabs within the first four days after hair transplant surgery. After day five patient can start his regular hair wash, but if scabs continue to be present at transplanted area, more frequent washing is recommended until the scabbing is all gone.

The good news is; if you lose hair after this day, active part of the hair follicle stays in skin and can generate a new hair. When fully healed, the follicle becomes part of the recipient skin and will keep its ability to generate new hair. At this time you are well beyond day five and it is unlikely that what you saw was a lost graft. My recommendation to patients is that they can start their normal hair wash and styling methods and use their usual shampoo or conditioner after first week. At this time you should be able to get back to your normal life and scrub and style your scalp as you wish.