163 Days since FUE - Sun exposure at beach

[hello208]

It's been 163 days since my FUE surgery and i'd like to finally go out under the sun and have some proper exposure to sun.

 

Any general thoughts or perhaps concerns regarding this? Or am i good to go?

[Coach]

You'll probably be fine, but just incase buy a UV protection hat. They're like $15, thats what i did.

[hello208]

how do you apply it to your scalp? knock on wood, i have a pretty good amount of hair at my hairline(the main area the surgery was performed on) area, and i just don't want it be greasy throughout the day. Also, will it wash off if i go into the water?

[Coach]

It's not lotion it's just a hat that blocks UV rays, you can get them

Off amazon

[mattj]

You should be fine in the sun at this stage, especially if your hair is providing good coverage. Would you say that the skin at your recipient area has returned to normal and shows no signs of being extra sensitive?

[pkipling]

I would say you're fine as well. We tell our patients to wait 6 months and you're pretty much there - especially since you say your hair is covering the donor area anyway. The main thing is you don't want your scalp to get burned. For extra precaution (and if it were me), you could either wear a hat and/or get a waterproof spray sunscreen and massage it into your scalp every hour or so. If nothing else, this will help alleviate any stress/anxiety you have about potentially causing damage.

[JohnCasper]

I absolutely agree with "pkipling". I recommend always wearing a hat outdoors if your head is going to be exposed for a significant period of time. Your head is healed but your hair is still probably thin in areas. Just be safe and wear a hat to avoid sun exposure.

[Arminius]

Are you able to go into the sun for ten minutes a day? I always wonder about this when walking downtown because the sun hits my head for about 10 minutes during my walk and I am not wearing a hat any longer.

[pkipling]

Are you able to go into the sun for ten minutes a day? I always wonder about this when walking downtown because the sun hits my head for about 10 minutes during my walk and I am not wearing a hat any longer.

 

The answer to this would depend on a lot of different factors, mainly, how many months out you are from your procedure. How long your hair is and how much coverage it gives your recipient area plays a role also, as well as individual factors like how prone you are to burning and how sensitive your skin is. While you may be fine with those quick 10 minutes, as a general rule, I would wait 6 months before you have any sun exposure, and would wear a hat and/or sunscreen to help avoid any sunburn in the meantime. I was pretty extreme with how often I wore my hat and sunscreen the first 6 months, but it was worth it to avoid any stress about potentially damaging the grafts.