Instructions After Your Hair Transplant
PDF Version
1. Care of Transplanted Area
At the time of surgery, your scalp was thoroughly cleaned of blood and crusts, but these will tend to re-form soon after your procedure. Care should be taken while cleaning the transplanted site during the 10 days following surgery, because it is during this period that the healing mechanisms of your body secure the grafts firmly in place. However, appropriate care of the recipient area will minimize crusting and make the transplant less noticeable and the healing more rapid.
The morning following surgery, remove your bandage and shower with comfortably warm water. Allow the shower water to flow gently over the transplant area. You may partially block the flow of the water with your hand so that the scalp is not subject to strong, direct pressure. Lift up the hair in the back of your scalp so that water may irrigate the sutured areas as well.
Place a small amount of GraftCyte shampoo on the sponge that we have given you or on your finger pads, and gently apply the shampoo to the recipient area with a patting or rolling motion. Do not rub. As soon as the shampoo has been applied to the entire transplanted area, rinse the shampoo off with indirect running water. You may use the rinsed sponge or your finger pads to assist in removing the shampoo, but be careful that you pat the area and do not rub. Stop soaking your head as soon as the shampoo is rinsed off. It is not necessary to remove all of the crusting during the first shower. Repeat the showering and gentle shampooing three (3) times the day following surgery.
On the second day after the procedure, shower and shampoo twice daily and continue this regime for 10 days. If the scalp becomes too dry, you should switch to Baby Shampoo on the fourth day and continue showering using only the Baby Shampoo for the remainder of the 10 days. Resume your normal shampoo after 10 days and/or when the GraftCyte shampoo runs out.
If the grafts are soaked too long, they may swell and rise above the skin surface and appear as little white bumps immediately after showering. This is a problem more likely encountered the first few days after the procedure. It is not harmful to grafts, but indicates that you are soaking too much. As soon as you allow your scalp to dry, they will disappear.
It is important when shampooing, or rinsing the transplanted area, that you are gentle for the first 10 days following surgery. DO NOT RUB, PICK, OR SCRATCH, as this may dislodge grafts.
From one to four weeks post-op you can expect that some transplanted hair will begin to shed. This is a normal process and should not be a concern. The healthy hair follicles are firmly in place at TEN days post-op and can not be dislodged. If there is still any residual crusting at this time, you may scrub them off in the shower. First, soften the crusts by soaking them in the shower under direct running water and then, using regular shampoo, scrub them all off. If this is not done, the crusts will eventually fall off naturally as the hairs are shed.
Please note that when hairs are shed, there may be a crust at the top and a bulb at the bottom. Remember the bulb is not the root (the growth part of the hair follicle). It is normal for the hair, bulb and associated crust to be shed and this does not represent a lost graft. If a graft is actually lost (something that may occur the first few days following the procedure) there will be bleeding at the site of the lost graft. Therefore, if you don’t see any bleeding, don’t be concerned.
Do not use tar shampoo (a dark-colored, medicated shampoo used for psoriasis) on the transplanted area for 10 days following your procedure, as this may interfere with the growth of the grafts.
2. Care of Sutured or Stapled Area (and non-transplanted parts of scalp)
Gently wash the donor (sutured) area with your hand using GraftCyte shampoo. The shower water may hit the sutured area in the back of your scalp directly. If this is uncomfortable for you, turn down the water pressure or partially block the water with your hand.
The purpose is to soak off the crusts from the suture line so that it will heal well, and to remove crusting from the hair in the non-transplanted area. This may take 15 minutes or more in the shower. You will not hurt the sutured area by using directly running water or by rubbing or washing the area gently.
After the shower, pat the area dry. If the physician has given you Bacitracin Ointment, you should apply a very THIN LAYER so that it LIGHTLY covers the entire suture line. You should reapply sparingly throughout the day if the area feels like it is drying out. You should continue applying the ointment until the staples or sutures are removed. It is not necessary to use ointment after that.
If at any time there is bleeding in either area, do not be concerned. Apply direct pressure with a dry, clean cloth until the bleeding stops. This may take several minutes in the transplanted area and up to 20 minutes in the sutured area. If you have any concerns or questions about bleeding during your hair transplant recovery, please contact us.
When staples are used, there is often slightly more bleeding in the donor area than with sutures. This is expected and should not be a cause for concern. It you have staples, the night of your hair restoration surgery, please place a towel over your pillow to keep it clean. Bleeding can be controlled with direct pressure using a dry, clean cloth.
You may dry your hair with a warm, NOT HOT, hair dryer. Hair spray should NOT be used for the first week.
3. Medications You May Need
Sleeping Medication: You have been given Valium 5mg (generically known as Diazepam) or Xanax 0.5mg (Aprazolam) tablets to help you sleep. If the pills are strong, you can break the tablets in half.
The most important medication to use when trying to sleep is the pain medication; be certain that the pain in under control before using any additional sleeping medication, as the additional pill will often not be necessary. DO NOT DRIVE under the influence of Valium or Xanax. DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL WHILE TAKING ANY MEDICATIONS GIVEN TO YOU FOR SLEEP, PAIN or HICCUPS.
Pain Pills: You have been given Vicodin (generically known as Hydrocodone) for pain. Take 1-2 tablets every 4-6 hours as needed for the first 72 hours. After 3 days, you may take Aleve, Extra Strength Tylenol, Aspirin, Motrin, Naprosyn or Advil, during the day and save the Vicodin for bedtime. Vicodin may cause drowsiness, therefore driving under the influence of Vicodin is not recommended.
Hiccups: Do not drink carbonated beverages (such as beer, Coke, Pepsi, or any other diet or non-diet soda) the day of and the day following your procedure, as this increases the occurrence of hiccups during the hair transplant recovery period. If hiccups occur and do not resolve quickly, call the doctor with the phone number of a local pharmacy so that he may prescribe Chlorpromazine 25mg (Thorazine). Take two Chlorpromazine when you get the medication and then one tablet every four hours until the hiccups stop. DO NOT TAKE VALIUM AT THE SAME TIME AS THE THORAZINE AND DO NOT DRIVE, AS IT MAY MAKE YOU SLEEPY.
Itching: You may experience some itching either in the transplanted area or in the sutured area following your procedure. In general, itching is part of the healing process and should not be a cause for concern. A common contributing factor may be dryness. You may also experience itching as the new hairs grow in. If the itching is bothersome to you, purchase Hydrocortisone Ointment 1% in 30 gram tubes which may be bought over the counter (it must be in Ointment form, not a cream). This may be applied locally to the areas that itch, as needed, up to four times a day. It is also possible that you may be using too much shampoo or shampooing too long which can dry the scalp. If you feel that this is a factor, please cut back on the shampooing. DO NOT SCRATCH THE SCALP as this may dislodge grafts.
Less commonly, itching may be a sign of a skin infection or an allergy to the Bacitracin ointment or the shampoo. In the transplanted area, this may present as small pustules and/or redness. If you suspect that the itching is due to either of these caused, or if the itching is persistent, please contact the office, as this may require specific treatment.
Minoxidil (Rogaine): Rogaine may cause severe irritation to the scalp. If this occurs after a hair transplant, it can interfere with hair growth. If you choose to use Rogaine after your procedure, you should wait a minimum of one week after surgery. If any sign of redness, irritation, itching, or burning occurs, stop the medication and call our office.
يتيع
PDF Version
1. Care of Transplanted Area
At the time of surgery, your scalp was thoroughly cleaned of blood and crusts, but these will tend to re-form soon after your procedure. Care should be taken while cleaning the transplanted site during the 10 days following surgery, because it is during this period that the healing mechanisms of your body secure the grafts firmly in place. However, appropriate care of the recipient area will minimize crusting and make the transplant less noticeable and the healing more rapid.
The morning following surgery, remove your bandage and shower with comfortably warm water. Allow the shower water to flow gently over the transplant area. You may partially block the flow of the water with your hand so that the scalp is not subject to strong, direct pressure. Lift up the hair in the back of your scalp so that water may irrigate the sutured areas as well.
Place a small amount of GraftCyte shampoo on the sponge that we have given you or on your finger pads, and gently apply the shampoo to the recipient area with a patting or rolling motion. Do not rub. As soon as the shampoo has been applied to the entire transplanted area, rinse the shampoo off with indirect running water. You may use the rinsed sponge or your finger pads to assist in removing the shampoo, but be careful that you pat the area and do not rub. Stop soaking your head as soon as the shampoo is rinsed off. It is not necessary to remove all of the crusting during the first shower. Repeat the showering and gentle shampooing three (3) times the day following surgery.
On the second day after the procedure, shower and shampoo twice daily and continue this regime for 10 days. If the scalp becomes too dry, you should switch to Baby Shampoo on the fourth day and continue showering using only the Baby Shampoo for the remainder of the 10 days. Resume your normal shampoo after 10 days and/or when the GraftCyte shampoo runs out.
If the grafts are soaked too long, they may swell and rise above the skin surface and appear as little white bumps immediately after showering. This is a problem more likely encountered the first few days after the procedure. It is not harmful to grafts, but indicates that you are soaking too much. As soon as you allow your scalp to dry, they will disappear.
It is important when shampooing, or rinsing the transplanted area, that you are gentle for the first 10 days following surgery. DO NOT RUB, PICK, OR SCRATCH, as this may dislodge grafts.
From one to four weeks post-op you can expect that some transplanted hair will begin to shed. This is a normal process and should not be a concern. The healthy hair follicles are firmly in place at TEN days post-op and can not be dislodged. If there is still any residual crusting at this time, you may scrub them off in the shower. First, soften the crusts by soaking them in the shower under direct running water and then, using regular shampoo, scrub them all off. If this is not done, the crusts will eventually fall off naturally as the hairs are shed.
Please note that when hairs are shed, there may be a crust at the top and a bulb at the bottom. Remember the bulb is not the root (the growth part of the hair follicle). It is normal for the hair, bulb and associated crust to be shed and this does not represent a lost graft. If a graft is actually lost (something that may occur the first few days following the procedure) there will be bleeding at the site of the lost graft. Therefore, if you don’t see any bleeding, don’t be concerned.
Do not use tar shampoo (a dark-colored, medicated shampoo used for psoriasis) on the transplanted area for 10 days following your procedure, as this may interfere with the growth of the grafts.
2. Care of Sutured or Stapled Area (and non-transplanted parts of scalp)
Gently wash the donor (sutured) area with your hand using GraftCyte shampoo. The shower water may hit the sutured area in the back of your scalp directly. If this is uncomfortable for you, turn down the water pressure or partially block the water with your hand.
The purpose is to soak off the crusts from the suture line so that it will heal well, and to remove crusting from the hair in the non-transplanted area. This may take 15 minutes or more in the shower. You will not hurt the sutured area by using directly running water or by rubbing or washing the area gently.
After the shower, pat the area dry. If the physician has given you Bacitracin Ointment, you should apply a very THIN LAYER so that it LIGHTLY covers the entire suture line. You should reapply sparingly throughout the day if the area feels like it is drying out. You should continue applying the ointment until the staples or sutures are removed. It is not necessary to use ointment after that.
If at any time there is bleeding in either area, do not be concerned. Apply direct pressure with a dry, clean cloth until the bleeding stops. This may take several minutes in the transplanted area and up to 20 minutes in the sutured area. If you have any concerns or questions about bleeding during your hair transplant recovery, please contact us.
When staples are used, there is often slightly more bleeding in the donor area than with sutures. This is expected and should not be a cause for concern. It you have staples, the night of your hair restoration surgery, please place a towel over your pillow to keep it clean. Bleeding can be controlled with direct pressure using a dry, clean cloth.
You may dry your hair with a warm, NOT HOT, hair dryer. Hair spray should NOT be used for the first week.
3. Medications You May Need
Sleeping Medication: You have been given Valium 5mg (generically known as Diazepam) or Xanax 0.5mg (Aprazolam) tablets to help you sleep. If the pills are strong, you can break the tablets in half.
The most important medication to use when trying to sleep is the pain medication; be certain that the pain in under control before using any additional sleeping medication, as the additional pill will often not be necessary. DO NOT DRIVE under the influence of Valium or Xanax. DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL WHILE TAKING ANY MEDICATIONS GIVEN TO YOU FOR SLEEP, PAIN or HICCUPS.
Pain Pills: You have been given Vicodin (generically known as Hydrocodone) for pain. Take 1-2 tablets every 4-6 hours as needed for the first 72 hours. After 3 days, you may take Aleve, Extra Strength Tylenol, Aspirin, Motrin, Naprosyn or Advil, during the day and save the Vicodin for bedtime. Vicodin may cause drowsiness, therefore driving under the influence of Vicodin is not recommended.
Hiccups: Do not drink carbonated beverages (such as beer, Coke, Pepsi, or any other diet or non-diet soda) the day of and the day following your procedure, as this increases the occurrence of hiccups during the hair transplant recovery period. If hiccups occur and do not resolve quickly, call the doctor with the phone number of a local pharmacy so that he may prescribe Chlorpromazine 25mg (Thorazine). Take two Chlorpromazine when you get the medication and then one tablet every four hours until the hiccups stop. DO NOT TAKE VALIUM AT THE SAME TIME AS THE THORAZINE AND DO NOT DRIVE, AS IT MAY MAKE YOU SLEEPY.
Itching: You may experience some itching either in the transplanted area or in the sutured area following your procedure. In general, itching is part of the healing process and should not be a cause for concern. A common contributing factor may be dryness. You may also experience itching as the new hairs grow in. If the itching is bothersome to you, purchase Hydrocortisone Ointment 1% in 30 gram tubes which may be bought over the counter (it must be in Ointment form, not a cream). This may be applied locally to the areas that itch, as needed, up to four times a day. It is also possible that you may be using too much shampoo or shampooing too long which can dry the scalp. If you feel that this is a factor, please cut back on the shampooing. DO NOT SCRATCH THE SCALP as this may dislodge grafts.
Less commonly, itching may be a sign of a skin infection or an allergy to the Bacitracin ointment or the shampoo. In the transplanted area, this may present as small pustules and/or redness. If you suspect that the itching is due to either of these caused, or if the itching is persistent, please contact the office, as this may require specific treatment.
Minoxidil (Rogaine): Rogaine may cause severe irritation to the scalp. If this occurs after a hair transplant, it can interfere with hair growth. If you choose to use Rogaine after your procedure, you should wait a minimum of one week after surgery. If any sign of redness, irritation, itching, or burning occurs, stop the medication and call our office.
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