Senior Member HarryHonolulu Posted January 22, 2019 Senior Member Share Posted January 22, 2019 hey all it's winter here on the East Coast and I am starting to look like the stay puft marshmallow man. I had my FUE procedure exactly 5 months ago and things are going swimmingly. I have been very diligent about post-op care and the hair is coming in thick and fast now. Yay! I would like to get some sun but there are many differing opinions about when and how one should approach tanning after a hair transplant. specifically: - is 6 months post-op enough time ? - should I cover my transplanted area with a SPF-50 bandana ? if I don't, should I apply sunscreen on the transplanted area? - are sunbeds an absolute no-no? interestingly my primary care doctor has no issue with them- he wrote me back saying "they're generally safe and they make one look better"! haha. I thought I was being trolled, but he is a brilliant doctor and it was a very surprising answer considering 99% of people would agree they're dangerous. I would only go a handful of times but still... it's scary to think that you could go once and walk out with melanoma. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member wheretogo Posted January 22, 2019 Senior Member Share Posted January 22, 2019 Hey mate, in my opinion if everything is looking good don't take unnecessary risks, just wait. my clinic also told me 6 months post op no direct sun, i also bought UPF50 hat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member HarryHonolulu Posted January 22, 2019 Author Senior Member Share Posted January 22, 2019 1 hour ago, wheretogo said: Hey mate, in my opinion if everything is looking good don't take unnecessary risks, just wait. my clinic also told me 6 months post op no direct sun, i also bought UPF50 hat. wait for how long?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member wheretogo Posted January 22, 2019 Senior Member Share Posted January 22, 2019 Everybody i talked to said to wait 6 months, but i waited a lot more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member pkipling Posted January 22, 2019 Senior Member Share Posted January 22, 2019 It's only the sun exposure to the scalp that you need to be concerned about, not the rest of your body. So if you want to get sun on your face, body, etc., just make sure you're keeping your scalp covered with a hat or bandana of some sort. I know they make hats that are marketed as being SPF, but tbh I think a lot of that is a gimmick. If you're wearing something that doesn't have holes in it to allow the sun in, I think you're fine. Personally, I've never gotten sunburned through a t-shirt or any of my clothes, and none of my clothes have ever been "SPF". It's also worth noting that at 5 months, you are well on your way to being in the clear. Not to mention, at this point, you probably have a lot of hair covering your scalp anyway which also minimizes any direct sun exposure to the scalp/grafts. All of that said, it's better to be safe than sorry, and if you're doctor told you 6 months, I would keep it covered for 6 months. Lastly, on a personal note, I would advise in avoiding the tanning beds - or at the very least, avoid making them a habit. They're not all bad, and like anything else, can be used properly and improperly. So be responsible, ease your way into using them, and make sure you're extra cautious not to get burnt. Your skin will thank you in the long run. I am a patient advocate for Dr. Parsa Mohebi in Los Angeles, CA. My views/opinions are my own and don't necessarily reflect the opinions of Dr. Mohebi and his staff. Check out my hair loss website for photos FUE surgery by Dr. Mohebi on 7/31/14 2,001 grafts - Ones: 607; Twos: 925; Threes: 413; Fours: 56 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member bman3082 Posted January 23, 2019 Senior Member Share Posted January 23, 2019 9 hours ago, HarryHonolulu said: hey all it's winter here on the East Coast and I am starting to look like the stay puft marshmallow man. I had my FUE procedure exactly 5 months ago and things are going swimmingly. I have been very diligent about post-op care and the hair is coming in thick and fast now. Yay! I would like to get some sun but there are many differing opinions about when and how one should approach tanning after a hair transplant. specifically: - is 6 months post-op enough time ? - should I cover my transplanted area with a SPF-50 bandana ? if I don't, should I apply sunscreen on the transplanted area? - are sunbeds an absolute no-no? interestingly my primary care doctor has no issue with them- he wrote me back saying "they're generally safe and they make one look better"! haha. I thought I was being trolled, but he is a brilliant doctor and it was a very surprising answer considering 99% of people would agree they're dangerous. I would only go a handful of times but still... it's scary to think that you could go once and walk out with melanoma. hey man, do you think u could pm me some pics? I am at 5 months and so far from where I want to be it's pretty damn deflating. Just wanna see where your at. Glad it's going great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LonelyGraft Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 I would play it safe and follow your doctors instructions. as a side note, how many minutes is it ok to be in direcr sun without harming the grafts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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