• POST OPERATION

• Pre Operation
• Back

Swelling

To help prevent swelling sleep with your head elevated at a 45 degree angle for at least the first night. For the first 2 days after the transplant, apply ice packs or a bag of frozen peas around the forehead and temples (not the grafts) as frequently as possible to help minimize swelling. Some swelling is quite normal and may occur despite these preventative measures. On occasion, swelling can be severe enough to cause a large amount of puffiness around the eyes. Generally the swelling begins 2-3 days after the procedure, and is most noticeable after the first session. With subsequent treatments, it usually occurs in a milder form or not at all. The swelling usually lasts for 2-4 days.

Sutures

Sutures will be removed in our office approximately 10 days after the surgery. You may want to take Extra Strength Tylenol one hour prior to suture removal.

Activity

For the first 3 days following surgery, refrain from heavy work or sports related activities. Weight lifting or any heavy lifting should be avoided for 7 days following the surgery.

Numbness

Many nerve endings are cut during each procedure, sometimes resulting in temporarily decreased sensitivity or numbness in both the donor and recipient areas. These nerve endings will begin to regenerate themselves immediately and feeling will be restored over the next few months.

Hair Care

Starting on the 1st day after the surgery wash your hair once a day in the following manner:

1. Standing in the shower, using only a light spray, let water run over the stitched area soaking and massaging it for 10 minutes
2. Wet rest of your hair with a bowl or cup. Shampoo your whole head using the Neutrogena shampoo. Do not be afraid to get a good lather on grafted area as well.

   Conditioners may be used with every second washing. Other hair products (gels, mousse, etc.) are best avoided for the first week.
   Day 0	surgery day.
   Day 1	wash hair once that day, in shower as described above (light spray).
   Day 2	wash hair twice a day, in shower as described above (light spray).
   Day 3	repeat Day 2 and begin to wash grafted area more aggressively with pads of fingers to encourage scabs to heal and fall off.
   Day 4 & until suture removal	wash your hair as you normally would under the shower twice a day using the Neutrogena shampoo.

3. To encourage the crusts to fall off, we recommend that you apply pure Vitamin E oil to the grafts and Fucidin/Bactin ointment to the stitches twice daily after each hair wash.
4. When combing you hair, do so carefully to avoid dislodging the grafts. A soft brush or just your fingers is preferable to a comb

SUTURES

Stitches will be removed in our office approximately 10 days after the surgery. The morning of suture removal, soak incision line/donor area during shampooing and DO NOT USE Fucidin/Bacitin ointment that day. You may want to take Extra Strength Tylenol one hour prior to suture removal.

ACTIVITY

For the first 3 days following surgery, refrain from heavy work or sports related activities. Weight lifting or any heavy lifting should be avoided for 5 - 7 days following surgery.

NUMBNESS

Many fine nerve endings are cut during each procedure, sometimes resulting in temporarily decreased sensitivity or numbness in both the donor and recipient areas. These nerve endings will begin to regenerate themselves immediately and feeling will be restored gradually over the coming year.

Healing

1. Leave the transplanted area open to the air as mush as possible. However, it is fine to wear a hat or hairpiece in public if you feel more comfortable.
2. The scabs on the grafts will begin to fall off in 7 - 10 days. It is normal to see a hair fall off with the scab, but the follicle remains in the scalp.
3. If desired, an oil-free, water-based cover-up makeup can be applied to camouflage the grafted areas. You must shampoo off the "cover-up" as soon as possible.
4. Do not expect any hair growth for 3 months.
5. It is normal to feel less alert the day after surgery due to the pre-operative medications.
6. It is normal for a mild case of "pimples" to develop in the recipient area 6 weeks to 6 months post-op. If the problem persists or worsens, please call our office as an antibiotic prescription may be warranted.
7. In the summer, 15-20 minutes of sun is encouraged then cover up (NO SUNBURN).

* PLEASE CALL OUR OFFICE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING MEDICATIONS OR POST OP. CARE.