HT recovery timeline

[H.K]

HI ,

  i've been reading different estimations about time needed for HT recovery , so i appreciate if members who did had HT before to share their experience .. 

specifically i'm asking about below points :

- When redness can disappear .

- donor area recovery . 

- what time is safe to return to sport , specifically :  gym , swimming , cycling 

- what time to start using hair loss serums after the procedure ..  

- after what time it's safe to be subjected to direct Sun light . 

- what time after which new grafts can be considered secured in place . 

- after what time there's no sign that you had a HT , 

[Gokuhairline]

53 minutes ago, H.K said:

- When redness can disappear . 1-6 weeks depending on many factors

- donor area recovery . 1-4 weeks 

- what time is safe to return to sport , specifically :  gym , swimming , cycling answer varies between 1-3 weeks

- what time to start using hair loss serums after the procedure ..  not sure

- after what time it's safe to be subjected to direct Sun light . probably after 2 weeks

- what time after which new grafts can be considered secured in place . 10 days +

- after what time there's no sign that you had a HT ,3 -4 months

 

[LaserCaps]

1 hour ago, H.K said:

HI ,

  i've been reading different estimations about time needed for HT recovery , so i appreciate if members who did had HT before to share their experience .. 

specifically i'm asking about below points :

- When redness can disappear .

- donor area recovery . 

- what time is safe to return to sport , specifically :  gym , swimming , cycling 

- what time to start using hair loss serums after the procedure ..  

- after what time it's safe to be subjected to direct Sun light . 

- what time after which new grafts can be considered secured in place . 

- after what time there's no sign that you had a HT , 

Redness, it depends.  If you have pale, light skin, it will last a bit longer.  If you are tanned, this will help blend.  The range? 2-6 weeks

Donor, will depend on the technique.  IF FUE, 3-7 days. IF FUT, it will depend on the length of hair.  Sutures are typically removed 10-14 days post-op. (

You can pretty much return to normal after 7 days.  If FUT, it is advisable to avoid weightlifting exercises that involve the neck for at least 6 months to avoid widening the scar.  

Typically no restrictions after 7 days

Avoid direct sun exposure for 3 months.  Otherwise, you can freckle permanently.  You can put sunscreen and a cap after 7 days.

Typically after 3 days all is secure.  Most clinics, however, are very conservative and will suggest 7 days.  

It will again, depend on the color of the skin, what length hair you keep, etc.  A month?

[H.K]

my skin is light brown , so i believe redness will not stay long .. it's sunny where i live so sunlight exposure will be an issue .. 

I read that chromatophores cells responsible for pigmentation dies after HT and it takes months to regenerate , so i guess even if redness is gone , i still have to avoid sun light , right ? 

so what i meant by the duration it takes for HT to be undetectable , is marks like "redness , donor healing"  aside from transplanted area regrowth part which may take longer time .. 

[Rahal Hair Transplant]

@H.K,

below, I’ll share my personal opinion and experience to each of your questions.

when redness can disappear

This is literally different for everybody. Some individuals never experience postoperative redness and others experience it for months.  It has a lot to do with patient physiology. Typically, Individuals with pale skin experience more redness than those with darker skin.  It also depends on trauma to the scalp. Those who receive more density may be at risk for additional inflammation.  This is the same for patients if a surgeon uses bigger blades/needles to make recipient incisions   In my experience, I didn’t really have a problem with postoperative redness for my first, third and fourth hair transplant procedures. However, I did experience a good bit of inflammation and redness after my second procedure.  I had to use various ointments and solutions to reduce the redness which started probably 10 weeks or so after surgery and began to dissipate around four months after the procedure   

Donor area recovery

Again this is different for everybody however, typically it takes about six months to a year to fully recover. And it also depends on the type of procedure whether it’s FUT or FUE.  FUE donor areas typically heal a lot faster because it’s less invasive.  I’ve only underwent FUT but it took a couple of months in order for my donor to feel pretty normal. After the third procedure which was much larger than my others, it took about a year for any numbness in the back of my scalp to fully disappear.

what time is safe to return to sports, specifically gym, swimming, cycling

I personally went back to the gym and started lifting weights four days after my FUT hair transplant procedures. That said, I did very light weight work and didn’t do certain exercises. For example, I didn’t do benchpress I only worked with dumbbells.  As far as cardio, you can pretty much do light cardiovascular exercises a couple days after surgery as long as you don’t strain anything. But it’s probably safer to wait a week or so 

Continued on next post..

best,

Rahal Hair Transplant 

Edited February 4, 2022 by Rahal Hair Transplant

[Rahal Hair Transplant]

What time does start using hair loss serums after the procedure?

i’m not sure I understand this question. Are you talking about nonsurgical solutions such as minoxidil? Most surgeons have their own postop instructions so I suggest checking with your doctor. But, most people wait between a week to a month to use any topical solutions after surgery. Personally, I didn’t really use minoxidil after surgery and only started using it a little bit 1 year after my third procedure just to see if it would help thicken any existing remaining native hair. But it really didn’t do much for me.

after what time it’s safe to be subjected to direct sunlight

Technically, direct sunlight won’t impact growth unless you get severe sunburn. However, to prevent any extended postoperative redness, it’s best to wait at least a month before exposing your scalp to the sun. Even then, I suggest using sunscreen if possible or something to cover your head.

what time after which new grafts can be considered secured in place

New transplanted hair is typically secure after only a few days however, most people say a week to be safe.

after what time there’s no sign that you had a HT

This depends on the number of factors. For starters, if the recipient area was shaved and you typically wear your hair longer, people will certainly notice the difference in hair length. Short, cropped hair will not hide the scabs and evidence that you’ve had a hair transplant. In such case, it takes a couple weeks for the scabs to come off and it might take longer for the postoperative redness to go away if there is any.

Also, you have to deal with the shedding and possible shock loss. The truth is, there is likely going to be evidence that something was done for several months in many patients.

And then you have the donor area. With FUT, it will take longer to conceal a scar unless you’re wearing your hair on the sides and back of your scalp longer.  With FUE, the area is typically shaved.

so all in all, it could take anywhere from a couple weeks to a couple months to minimize the appearance that anything such as hair transplant surgery was performed on your head. It takes a good year to 18 months for the hair to grow in and completely mature.

Rahal Hair Transplant 

Edited February 4, 2022 by Rahal Hair Transplant