Sleeping Advice

[OtHt]

Hey,

I am currently 7 days post my hair transplant and struggling to sleep properly.

Two days ago I started having neck pain from sleeping with a neck pillow for the past week (I tried using different neck pillows and took painkillers) so when I try to sleep in the recommended position I just can't fall asleep because of the discomfort.

I can only getabout 3 hours of sleep (spread throughout the night) and it just gets too hard. I feel really bad. I guess it affects my recovery as well.

I'm 99% sure I could sleep in my normal position without touching the grafts at all.

So, at 7 days post op, what do you think I should do?

[AB2000]

When I've had hair implanted to the crown, I was told to keep using the neck pillow for months.  Find out from your doctor how long to stick with it.  Something that might help is a leg elevation pillow, which will raise the lower part of your body, possibly changing the angle of pressure on your neck and relieving it.

 

[Chetman2112]

I’m 10 days out and have been taking Benadryl to help, works like a charm and it also helps with any itching 

[Chetman2112]

You can sleep on your back at 7 days post opp with out any issues. 

[OtHt]

13 minutes ago, AB2000 said:

When I've had hair implanted to the crown, I was told to keep using the neck pillow for months.  Find out from your doctor how long to stick with it.  Something that might help is a leg elevation pillow, which will raise the lower part of your body, possibly changing the angle of pressure on your neck and relieving it.

 

Thanks for the advice!

Also, months with neck pillow sounds like an overkill, no?

[OtHt]

9 minutes ago, Chetman2112 said:

I’m 10 days out and have been taking Benadryl to help, works like a charm and it also helps with any itching 

Thanks! I'll find out where can i get these in my country.

[GoliGoliGoli]

40 minutes ago, AB2000 said:

When I've had hair implanted to the crown, I was told to keep using the neck pillow for months.  Find out from your doctor how long to stick with it.  Something that might help is a leg elevation pillow, which will raise the lower part of your body, possibly changing the angle of pressure on your neck and relieving it.

 

Hm did they say why? I had work done on my crown and started sleeping in my usual position the first night which is on my stomach. But instead of using a pillow I used my arm and no part of my recipient area was in contact with anything. 

Also not sure on elevating the legs post op, if anything you want to sleep with your upper body elevated to reduce swelling. 

[ray35]

Man I get i,t it's a drag, if you can use that U pillow and maybe cushion some around it with more pillows? I bet you've tried everything, but the thing is just gotta get through best you can, only a few more days. Hang in there, it'll be worth it long run!

[Rahal Hair Transplant]

Othk,

Did you undergo FUT or FUE?  at seven days postop, I am surprised to hear you’re still having a hard time sleeping.  Are you in any discomfort or pain during the day? Since the newly transplanted hair is fully secured between 7 to 10 days you should be able to adjust the way you sleep to be more comfortable now.   I don’t see any reason why you need to continue to use a neck pillow at this point, maybe you go back to sleeping with a regular pillow and sleep normally… So unless you’re experiencing any discomfort or pain from the surgery still, you should be able to sleep normal. If you are still experiencing pain, i encourage you to contact your clinic.

Best wishes,

Rahal Hair Transplant 

 

[OtHt]

2 hours ago, Rahal Hair Transplant said:

Othk,

Did you undergo FUT or FUE?  at seven days postop, I am surprised to hear you’re still having a hard time sleeping.  Are you in any discomfort or pain during the day? Since the newly transplanted hair is fully secured between 7 to 10 days you should be able to adjust the way you sleep to be more comfortable now.   I don’t see any reason why you need to continue to use a neck pillow at this point, maybe you go back to sleeping with a regular pillow and sleep normally… So unless you’re experiencing any discomfort or pain from the surgery still, you should be able to sleep normal. If you are still experiencing pain, i encourage you to contact your clinic.

Best wishes,

Rahal Hair Transplant 

 

Thank you both for the response!
I did an FUE and just wanted to do the best I can protecting the grafts while I sleep. I Will adjust the position into a more comfortable one.
Regarding Pain, I do have pain in my donor area that is causing me a bit of a headache but the main thing was the position I tried to maintain.

thanks again!

[A Fue Good Men]

On 11/23/2022 at 7:40 PM, AB2000 said:

When I've had hair implanted to the crown, I was told to keep using the neck pillow for months.  Find out from your doctor how long to stick with it.  Something that might help is a leg elevation pillow, which will raise the lower part of your body, possibly changing the angle of pressure on your neck and relieving it.

 

Months?! I think that’s overly conservative. Grafts are permanently set by about 9-10 days post op per the rassman/Bernstein graft anchoring study.

[AB2000]

5 hours ago, 5BetaReductase said:

Months?! I think that’s overly conservative. Grafts are permanently set by about 9-10 days post op per the rassman/Bernstein graft anchoring study.

 The only reason I can think of for that advice would be how the new grafts grow out in the crown, and ensuring their angles are maintained when they come out for the first time, months after the surgery.

[A Fue Good Men]

3 hours ago, AB2000 said:

 The only reason I can think of for that advice would be how the new grafts grow out in the crown, and ensuring their angles are maintained when they come out for the first time, months after the surgery.

Angles are determined by incisions

[pkipling]

It's 10 days since you posted this, and the grafts are definitely secure by now. I don't know what your doctor said, but I think you're ready to sleep normally at this point in whichever way is comfortable for you. And perhaps try a sleeping pill or something over the counter that will make you drowsy and hopefully allow you to sleep through any discomfort... Benadryl, melatonin, etc. 

[AB2000]

4 hours ago, 5BetaReductase said:

Angles are determined by incisions

I'll take the advice of a hair surgeon who suggested otherwise.  If sleeping patterns can alter the results to some degree, then I'll put up with a neck pillow, which I've done after having work done on the crown.

Edited November 26, 2022 by AB2000

[OtHt]

Thanks for everyone's advice!
My clinic (Dr Bicer) told me to sleep on the side/back until 1 month so that's what I'm doing, but with way less fear of damaging the grafts.
Found a comfortable position when Lying on the side (instead of lying on my back with 45 degree angle). the recipient area is not touching anything and and my sleep is good.
Thanks again! 

[Popeyee]

For what it’s worth, I also had HT on my top/crown and I had the same troubles getting solid sleep each night and I’d wake up ever 1-2 hours using a neck pillow but I persisted. I started sleeping “normally” on my back and side after 2 weeks and it has been comfortable for me.

 

[shadowcast]

I've had my entire scalp transplanted (not all at once). I've never slept with a neck pillow, as I find them to be extremely uncomfortable. Just sleep on your side, head on the edge of the pillow, angled on the front of your face/cheek. Give it a try, you can do this without touching any recipient area (unless you've had temple work, that's a different story). I've never lost a graft. You WILL have longer facial swelling with this method, though.

Edited November 27, 2022 by shadowcast

[witty]

Is it really necessary to sleep 10 days on the back? Or this it only important in first 3-5 days and afterward you can sleep on sides as well, changing position and to not press all the time on the back of your head, because this makes a lot of pain. I notice that normally i have no pain in a donor area but if i sleep all the time on my back the pain comes and i wake up.

[pkipling]

On 11/26/2022 at 3:40 PM, AB2000 said:

I'll take the advice of a hair surgeon who suggested otherwise.  If sleeping patterns can alter the results to some degree, then I'll put up with a neck pillow, which I've done after having work done on the crown.

Both of these statements are fairly accurate, as the angles of the hair are first and foremost dictated by the angles of the incisions. It's one of the things that separates good surgeons from great ones, in that they're able to design the hairlines and angle them in such a way that they accurately mimic natural growth. Of course, they also have to be positioned correctly in the recipient sites, but I assure you that research shows that after the first 72 hours, those grafts get much more difficult to move around/dislodge. 

Many surgeons are extremely conservative with their post-op care guidelines, often to the point of ignoring research. So while it's always good to follow your surgeon's guidelines, I can't think of any logical reason to be careful with how you sleep longer than two weeks post-op at the most. The grafts simply aren't moving by that point, and I don't know what they're basing those guidelines on. 

[Esper]

I have recently done a hair transplant. My sleep problem wasn't that bad but instead I had severe back pain. Why so? Has anyone experienced back pain after hair transplant? If yes, how have you dealed with it?

[Bucky O Hair]

9 hours ago, Esper said:

I have recently done a hair transplant. My sleep problem wasn't that bad but instead I had severe back pain. Why so? Has anyone experienced back pain after hair transplant? If yes, how have you dealed with it?

Are you sleeping with a neck pillow or in an elevated position?

Sometimes sleeping in an elevated position can aggravate your lower back.  After 10 days you should be fine to sleep how you normally do.  

 

 

[Bucky O Hair]

On 11/27/2022 at 3:03 AM, OtHt said:

Thanks for everyone's advice!
My clinic (Dr Bicer) told me to sleep on the side/back until 1 month so that's what I'm doing, but with way less fear of damaging the grafts.
Found a comfortable position when Lying on the side (instead of lying on my back with 45 degree angle). the recipient area is not touching anything and and my sleep is good.
Thanks again! 

One month is nonsense.

After 10 days, you are fine to sleep however you like.