Hiding post-transplant redness at the airport

[HairIsLife]

Is it possible to wear some kind of a hat to hide the newly transplanted hair? I am pretty nervous about being seen like that by everyone at the airport.

[HappyMan2021]

I had surgery last month and asked a similar question. I traveled home on Day 2 after surgery. I was given some awkward durag scrub to wear (I am white, which made it even more awkward). Even worse, I needed to take my scrub off every couple of hours to spray saline spray. 

When I got to the airport and was out in public....guess what....literally no one cared or even gave me an awkard look, even tho objectively I looked weird. 

No one cared that I was spraying saline spray either. 

People at the airport will be too wrapped up in their own lives to notice the random dude with the surgical cap. No one likes traveling, everyone is stressed, they can't be bothered with you, etc. 

TLDR: No one will care how strange you perceive yourself at the airport. 

[gillenator]

A loosely fit ball cap works well or a loose bandana.

[Rahal Hair Transplant]

HairisLife,

Honestly, wearing a loose fitting baseball cap would work just fine in concealing the newly transplanted hair, postoperative redness and wouldn’t draw any attention to your head.  I know some clinics give patients a bandanna or some unique looking version thereof.   You can certainly wear that although some might wonder why you’re wearing it unlike a loose fitting baseball cap which is worn by many.  

Best wishes,

Rahal Hair Transplant 

[pkipling]

I agree that a loosely fitted, high brim, snapback hat is your best bet. You can adjust it to make it loose enough so that you can gently place it on your head without it coming into contact with any of the grafts. This is how I got around the days following my procedure, and if done carefully, there's nothing to worry about. 

[RTC]

13 minutes ago, pkipling said:

I agree that a loosely fitted, high brim, snapback hat is your best bet. You can adjust it to make it loose enough so that you can gently place it on your head without it coming into contact with any of the grafts. This is how I got around the days following my procedure, and if done carefully, there's nothing to worry about. 

The whole 'loosely fitted' hat thing seems to be a myth

How can a baseball cap be so loose it doesn't even touch your grafts?

I wore one today and no matter how loose it was it was touching. A bandana is a way better option in the early days

Edited July 9, 2022 by RTC

[TommyLucchese]

12 hours ago, RTC said:

The whole 'loosely fitted' hat thing seems to be a myth

How can a baseball cap be so loose it doesn't even touch your grafts?

I wore one today and no matter how loose it was it was touching. A bandana is a way better option in the early days

Not true.

I wore one to go walking around New York the day after my surgery...and the day after that I flew back to the UK. I even kept the cap on the entire flight because of course I happened to be sat next to a stunning girl and I was embarrassed to take it off. 

No damage to grafts at all. 

 

[Gatsby]

In all honesty I would be wearing what my surgeon suggests. If that means a scrub cap I'll wear a scrub cap. If it means do not put anything on and spray the grafts every two hours then that's what I'll be doing. No disrespect but I go by the policy of not letting people live rent free in my head. I know I will never see these people again and to be honest 99.9% will not even be thinking of your redness. Most people are focused on themselves. This is an investment for the rest of your life. Just see this as another part of the uncomfortable step of having a hair transplant. In a years time you'll have a full head of hair. All the best!

[NARMAK]

I had a surgical little cap thing given to me torn a bit near the ends to loosen it up. You kinda look "weird" but you'll never see these people again and you shouldn't care much what they think in those crucial post-op days. 

Personally i wear a cap now, because in some ways i do care and even though it's about 6 weeks post-op, i want to not only shield the grafts/scalp from sun damage but i use it to maintain my privacy and evade stares. 

Now i know the first part doesn't seem to jive with the second, but for me at least, the way i saw it was that i didn't want to compromise my graft survival etc. by wearing a cap when you're not supposed to for the sake of "privacy" as it were, whereas after a certain time you can wear a cap without issue. 

[pkipling]

On 7/9/2022 at 3:32 PM, RTC said:

The whole 'loosely fitted' hat thing seems to be a myth

How can a baseball cap be so loose it doesn't even touch your grafts?

I wore one today and no matter how loose it was it was touching. A bandana is a way better option in the early days

Definitely not a myth.  Sure, there are some hats that may fit so close to the scalp that they wouldn't be a good option, but a loosely fitted/adjustable hat with a high brim can easily be worn in such a way that it doesn't damage the grafts or come into contact with them at all. I promise, I've done it - as have many other guys on here. 

I also echo what Gatsby said in that doing the mental work to not care what anyone thinks is a very valid approach. It's easier for some people to do that than others, but I know from experience that I could've saved myself a lot of stress if I hadn't been so preoccupied with keeping it top secret. I've also since had friends and other acquaintances get a hair transplant and proudly show up at the gym, work, etc. without a care in the world, and I remember thinking how easy that must be to live life that way.... Easier said than done, but it is something many people are capable of pulling off. 

[HairIsLife]

On 7/8/2022 at 7:59 PM, gillenator said:

A loosely fit ball cap works well or a loose bandana.

 

On 7/10/2022 at 1:21 AM, pkipling said:

I agree that a loosely fitted, high brim, snapback hat is your best bet. You can adjust it to make it loose enough so that you can gently place it on your head without it coming into contact with any of the grafts. This is how I got around the days following my procedure, and if done carefully, there's nothing to worry about. 

Hey, I am planning on getting hair transplanted on my temple peaks. Will wearing a baseball cap damage the grafts in that area? 

[AlexMeister21]

I wore a black surgical cap about 5 days post-op when traveling. The one I used is linked below and it worked pretty well for concealment while not looking too strange. Problem is I had to cut out the stitching of the sweat band in the front because otherwise it may have came in contact with the grafts. A bit extra work, but simple.

https://www.amazon.com/WonderWink-Wonderwork-Unisex-Scrub-Black/dp/B01BV0LM5O/ref=asc_df_B01BV0LM5O/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312701169099&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3719161971036103491&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9008156&hvtargid=pla-434140039146&psc=1

[Ryan Daniel]

Hi, please keep in mind that the people who are lookin at you at the airport are nobody, and most probably don't care. 

Doctor told me it's best to wear something very loose while outside because of sun, pollution and dust. But at the airport you wouldn't need anything. I still wore something (loose surgical cap) because I'm a fool that worries what others think

In all honesty, I would advise people to wear nothing in the first 4 days post surgery 

[Fue3361]

There’s a better way.  Put on sunglasses, and maybe even a covid mask.  You’ll be unrecognizable to anyone.  People will see, but you’re anonymous

[mister_25]

16 minutes ago, Fue3361 said:

There’s a better way.  Put on sunglasses, and maybe even a covid mask.  You’ll be unrecognizable to anyone.  People will see, but you’re anonymous

Doing this when I get my procedure done, would of never thought of that.

[mavigo]

On 7/8/2022 at 12:47 PM, HairIsLife said:

Is it possible to wear some kind of a hat to hide the newly transplanted hair? I am pretty nervous about being seen like that by everyone at the airport.

Wear a loose had with a hood over it, but the hood needs to be loose and lightweight. Make sure it's a "structured" ballcap with the front being that hard material that creates an armored dome for your fresh grafts. Then take it to the next level with Fue3661's suggestion with the sunglasses and mask. 

No one will see your face and no one will see your grafts. 

[mafpe]

imo just get a sunglasses and wear your mask. no one would notice you without your face feature, not to mention that you head might swell, and even if not, a bald shaven head won't let anyone know it's you. people mainly know a face first by the eyes, then mouth, nose, etc. with all those factors covered, you can't tell who people are.

[gillenator]

As long as the cap or bandana is loosely fit and not put any pressure or tension on the temple points, you should be just fine.