Activity post surgery

[TorontoMan]

For those of you who have had a hair transplant, how were you feeling few days afterwards? I ask because I’m travelling to another city soon to get mine done and I’m wondering if I’ll be able to do any small bit of exploring for the 4 days I’ll be there. 
 

could you wear a hat after 2 day’s? Are you able to go for a walk if you wear a hat or even eat a restaurant ? 
 

Any other information you could pass on would be great. 
 

cheers 

[jimcraig152]

You'll feel fine, but you'll look like an extra from the film "The Hills Have Eyes." You'll look grotesque, in other words. Likely, you'll have a huge welt under your eyes as the fluid they inject into your scalp to stretch the skin to make graft placement easier will sink due to gravity and pool around your eyes. Your head will be mishapen for the first two days post surgery too. You'll need to stay out of the sun. So if you do go outside, that means you'll have to cover your head. But as you cover your head, you will have to ensure what ever head covering does not dislodge any grafts in your head. The survivability of those grafts pretty much means, no hats. So that really means, you should be prepared to be shuttered in for those 4 days. You can't eat at a restaurant these days anyways do to COVID-19, so be prepared to order UBER EATS, Door Dash, etc.

It is a good idea too to not be on the next flight out after the procedure. Bending over in even in the slightest, I could feel a rush of blood through my scalp in the first few das. I can't imagine doing that as I get seated in a plane, bending over to grab luggage, or whatever. In my experience, I felt tons better after I was able to wash the receipient site after the 4th day. And I felt infinitely better after being able to shower putting my head under the shower on the 7th day. At a minimum, I would make lodging arrangements to stay near my clinic for the first 4 days if I was traveling to have a procedure done.

Don't be so quick to resume normal activities. I would say, until you get the scabs out on the 7th, 8th, 9th day, you should just prep yourself to be a hermit. Isolation during the first week will help tons. Keep focused on being relaxed. Be prepared to shutter yourself in; have food, water, things to keep you self entertained (video games, books, movies) during that time. Also, make sure you have acoutrements at where ever you are staying to keep yourself sleeping upright. I've read an account here where someone tied their hands to prevent the scratching reflex from happening during sleep. Sounds extreme, but I wouldn't blame that person one bit for doing it.

Once the scabs are out by the 2nd week, you should be pretty close to normal. Interestingly enough, during the 2nd week, my FUE donor site was at it is most uncomfortable. I am now into my 5th week, so all these things are fresh in my mind. Also, find out if your surgeon will shave your receipient site or will work around your natural hair. If they do shave, honestly, you are better off just having them shave it all off on the day of the procedure.

[Melvin- Admin]

During my last surgery, I went to NYC 3 days after, and I was able to explore, even rode a bike in central park.

[aaron1234]

Sure, you can go out and do a little sight-seeing, you'll just look like a freak.  But who cares?! Enjoy yourself.  If you're getting FUT, know that too much physical exertion will cause the back of your head to throb a little.  FUE is an easier recovery by far.  As far as wearing a hat, I know a loose fitting one will probably be ok.  I'm always a little worried the first few days post-op of dislodging a graft, so I waited a bit to put on a hat.   

[TorontoMan]

8 hours ago, jimcraig152 said:

You'll feel fine, but you'll look like an extra from the film "The Hills Have Eyes." You'll look grotesque, in other words. Likely, you'll have a huge welt under your eyes as the fluid they inject into your scalp to stretch the skin to make graft placement easier will sink due to gravity and pool around your eyes. Your head will be mishapen for the first two days post surgery too. You'll need to stay out of the sun. So if you do go outside, that means you'll have to cover your head. But as you cover your head, you will have to ensure what ever head covering does not dislodge any grafts in your head. The survivability of those grafts pretty much means, no hats. So that really means, you should be prepared to be shuttered in for those 4 days. You can't eat at a restaurant these days anyways do to COVID-19, so be prepared to order UBER EATS, Door Dash, etc.

It is a good idea too to not be on the next flight out after the procedure. Bending over in even in the slightest, I could feel a rush of blood through my scalp in the first few das. I can't imagine doing that as I get seated in a plane, bending over to grab luggage, or whatever. In my experience, I felt tons better after I was able to wash the receipient site after the 4th day. And I felt infinitely better after being able to shower putting my head under the shower on the 7th day. At a minimum, I would make lodging arrangements to stay near my clinic for the first 4 days if I was traveling to have a procedure done.

Don't be so quick to resume normal activities. I would say, until you get the scabs out on the 7th, 8th, 9th day, you should just prep yourself to be a hermit. Isolation during the first week will help tons. Keep focused on being relaxed. Be prepared to shutter yourself in; have food, water, things to keep you self entertained (video games, books, movies) during that time. Also, make sure you have acoutrements at where ever you are staying to keep yourself sleeping upright. I've read an account here where someone tied their hands to prevent the scratching reflex from happening during sleep. Sounds extreme, but I wouldn't blame that person one bit for doing it.

Once the scabs are out by the 2nd week, you should be pretty close to normal. Interestingly enough, during the 2nd week, my FUE donor site was at it is most uncomfortable. I am now into my 5th week, so all these things are fresh in my mind. Also, find out if your surgeon will shave your receipient site or will work around your natural hair. If they do shave, honestly, you are better off just having them shave it all off on the day of the procedure.

Thank you for the thorough response. I’m actually driving up to Ottawa which is only 4-5 hours from toronto so travelling won’t be stressful. I’m heading up with my parents and best friend so I won’t be bored and they’ll help take care of food and all that. I’m going to treat it like a retreat and catch up on sleep that I desperately need anyway. I was mainly asking for small walks just outside of the Airbnb so that I’m not couped up the entire time. I’m certain I won’t want to go anywhere anyways, but good to have the information you’ve provided. 
 

the surgery will be fue fully shaven. What did you do to combat the irritation in your scalp while it was healing ? 

[jimcraig152]

1 hour ago, TorontoMan said:

the surgery will be fue fully shaven. What did you do to combat the irritation in your scalp while it was healing ? 

Surprisingly, there was little scalp irratation for me most of the first week; 2nd week was miserable however. I made sure to adhere to my doctor's prescribed medicine regiment precisely:

1. Anti-infection meds
2. Anti-swelling meds
3. Ointment for donor site
4. Graftcyte shampoo sink wash to donor site each day. By Day 4, I could drip lather onto receipient site and when I was able to do that, felt great

I was also given sleep meds, which I did not use at all. Pain meds that I did use only as needed. I probably didn't need the pain meds but it is always best to use pain meds as the discomfort teeters just before being pain. Best to keep pain at bay than to try to make it subside. I tried aloe vera, but it didn't do much for me. Might do better for you, who knows. Have some on hand. The only thing that really did the trick in remedying any pain, intense itch, or discomfort is a cool/cold shower on and after the 7th day

As for short walks, you'll be fine. Like I said, you'll feel fine. Just you will look like you were in a motorcycle accident or something. Stay out of the sun and away from the UV rays and you'll be fine. Evening and early morning strolls out of the sunlight and you can walk around without the head coverings. I can tell you for much of the first week, my right eye was swollen shut. But there was no pain in the eye area. I knew it was just fluid pooling in my eye lids. Not a real shiner/bruise.

Here are a couple of more tips for you:

1. Ask for extra barrier sheets (7 should do it) and head coverings (10 should do it)
2. You might want to practice sleepingat a 45° incline for a few nights before your procedure. See if you fall off at night. If you do, get some sort of arm-rest-type pillow that will keep you upright. Very important you sleep in the proper position for the first 2 weeks. And really think about fastening your hands while you sleep. Not like a bondage thing. But just enough to keep you from scratching by reflex while sleeping

Edited August 25, 2020 by jimcraig152

[Taken4Granted]

My doc gave explicit instructions to stay out of sunlight for the first couple weeks and to avoid headwear and physical exertion for the first several days. Not only that, I spent a lot of attention using saline to clean up the honey-like “serum” beading up from the recipient so that it wouldn’t dry and become crusty cheese. I had FUT, which was also a limiting factor in my mobility and comfort. In any case, I wouldn’t plan on ANYTHING but rest and post-op care. I’m not saying that’s the only right answer to this question, but I can’t fathom playing it any other way.

Edited August 25, 2020 by Taken4Granted

[Gabreille Nelson Mukhia]

On 8/25/2020 at 2:38 AM, TorontoMan said:

For those of you who have had a hair transplant, how were you feeling few days afterwards? I ask because I’m travelling to another city soon to get mine done and I’m wondering if I’ll be able to do any small bit of exploring for the 4 days I’ll be there. 
 

could you wear a hat after 2 day’s? Are you able to go for a walk if you wear a hat or even eat a restaurant ? 
 

Any other information you could pass on would be great. 
 

cheers 

You might want to be careful for at least a week. You should be very careful not to rub the area or cause any kind of trauma. After your headwash, you can do whatever you like. The little precautionary period adhered to strictly will bear favourable fruits.