Long Distance Air Travel

[ray35]

Question for folks who have traveled far for HT... Looking at folks who did USA to India and or Turkey or that general distance.

So for India, fly in 20 hours for me 1 stop is the best I can make it from my location. Then pre op appt, then surgery next day... then say 2 days  chill rest. Then fly back that same 1 stop 20 hour flight?

Is that nuts 3 days out?  It's 10 hours in the air a couple hour layover then 10 more. 

Turkey is appealing becase its just one non stop 10 hour shot. And that seems less daunting to me.

I wish I could stay longer like to day 7, then I'd not fret so much. Just that 20 hours in air post op... I'm 6'3 so flying isn't the most comfortable and sitting and sleeping seems risky. 10 hours I'd just push through but also risky.

So I know folks fly post op and that's not a concern so much but I'm wondering about folks who have experience flying back a couple or few days post on a long haul 10-20 hour flight and their experience with that.

Thoughts?

[g8n2h9k3u7]

20 hours including 1 stop will be exhausting. You should plan it so that on the day you land, and also on the entire day after, you have nothing planned. That allows for you to be fully rested and have your wits about you on the day you have surgery. It also gives you some leeway in case there are any flight delays. I have a 15-hour no-stop flight to India for Eugenix and that is my planned schedule. 

I think at least two full days rest post-op is enough to be rested for the fly back. 

Also, the best way IMO to get through a long flight is sleeping pills. Watching movies or reading just makes time drag.

[HappyMan2021]

Next month ill be flying from the US to Belgium for surgery with Dr. Mwamba. 

I thinks its a 12 hr journey there (including layover.)

I get in Belgium very early Wednesday morning. Surgery Fri and Sat. Flying home Monday. I believe the flight home will also be 12 hrs including layover. 

Im setting my expectations that the whole week regardless ill be feeling off and sleep deprived no matter what i do. It is what it is. 

The one thing I may do to assist is see if my primary care doc can prescribe me some valium for the long flights so I can relax. Will make the journey much better. 

I suppose i can ask Mwamba as well but not sure if thats something he would do. 

[ray35]

Thanks @g8n2h9k3u7 definitely a long haul, look forward to hearing hearing about your experience. Yeah Eugenix is on my short list and would be the India travel... really like their operation. That's a great point about giving a full day after the flight to just allow for any hiccup in travel. 

[ray35]

Right @HappyMan2021that's actually not a bad idea.... I may do the same. A light valuim to just knock off the edge and help it all pass by easy breezy. Kinda same boat with the long hauls, that'll be a fun post to read of yours when it gets under way.. Thanks for that suggestion!

[BaldingEagle1]

I did that and I highly recommend NOT doing that lol. 
 

it gets way too tiring. 
I advise staying there for 7 days get that wash and leave. 

[civic]

Flying is definitely under accounted factor in ht. i am aware that distance should not be a deciding factor, however there are valid concerns that arise. As for me, i chose to drive 13 hours from my state to get surgery instead of flying.  Reason being, i get severe motion sickness, am ashamed to admit it , but i was only on plane 2 time in my life, last one in 2004 & it definitely was my last, never again-)

Edited December 5, 2022 by civic

[Gatsby]

@ray35 I flew the day after six days straight of surgery. My flight was 14 hours. To be honest after that much surgery the flight mitigated by the fact that the surgery was finally over. I was pretty cramped but still sprayed my recipient area every two hours. The air steward picked up that I had had a hair transplant and we got talking. It turned out he was on topical dutasteride! Anyway long story short a couple of hours he bumped me up to business class! That said, I'll be returning to India in five weeks again for my next procedure and the thought of improving my hair overrides the small inconvenience compared to rest of my life.

[HappyMan2021]

2 hours ago, Gatsby said:

six days straight of surgery

curious to know why your surgery was so long? ive never read of a 6 day surgery before.

[Gatsby]

1 minute ago, HappyMan2021 said:

curious to know why your surgery was so long? ive never read of a 6 day surgery before.

I was a pretty challenging case. Poor donor, poor beard, scars from previous work in the back and scars along the hairline from previous plastic surgery to correct and remove 1980's punch grafts.

[user2022]

9 hours ago, ray35 said:

Question for folks who have traveled far for HT... Looking at folks who did USA to India and or Turkey or that general distance.

So for India, fly in 20 hours for me 1 stop is the best I can make it from my location. Then pre op appt, then surgery next day... then say 2 days  chill rest. Then fly back that same 1 stop 20 hour flight?

Is that nuts 3 days out?  It's 10 hours in the air a couple hour layover then 10 more. 

Turkey is appealing becase its just one non stop 10 hour shot. And that seems less daunting to me.

I wish I could stay longer like to day 7, then I'd not fret so much. Just that 20 hours in air post op... I'm 6'3 so flying isn't the most comfortable and sitting and sleeping seems risky. 10 hours I'd just push through but also risky.

So I know folks fly post op and that's not a concern so much but I'm wondering about folks who have experience flying back a couple or few days post on a long haul 10-20 hour flight and their experience with that.

Thoughts?

I took a 3 hour flight on day 6 and even that was extremely uncomfortable as my head was pretty itchy & i only had a limited amount of saline water so I needed to use it sparingly. Also as I couldn't put headphones over my head I was also extremely bored. 

Best to stay until the 7th day, and jump on the place straight after the 1st head wash. 

[NARMAK]

If you are going to have a flight that's not direct or its a slightly longer flight time, i would personally recommend staying 4-7 days post-op if possible to let the grafts anchor in and have a better survival chance should anything unfortunate occur like a bump on the head etc. And at 7 days some do the head wash. 

[Rahal Hair Transplant]

@ray35,

For two of my four hair transplant procedures, I flew 13 hours with one stop each direction. I flew in the day before the procedure and left the morning after. So I essentially did what you’re talking about doing and frankly, it was fine. Ideally of course, it’s better to stay a couple days if possible in the event that have any concerns that require in person assistance. But that’s uncommon and it’s not always possible for individuals to stay more than one or two nights for a procedure.

My advice… Get one of those travel/neck pillows for the flight as it will help you with comfort especially on the way home.  Long story short, there’s nothing wrong with doing what you’re suggesting so if that’s really your only option, you should be fine. A lot of patients do it and I myself have as well.

Best wishes,

Rahal Hair Transplant 

 

[ray35]

16 hours ago, Gatsby said:

@ray35 I flew the day after six days straight of surgery. My flight was 14 hours. To be honest after that much surgery the flight mitigated by the fact that the surgery was finally over. I was pretty cramped but still sprayed my recipient area every two hours. The air steward picked up that I had had a hair transplant and we got talking. It turned out he was on topical dutasteride! Anyway long story short a couple of hours he bumped me up to business class! That said, I'll be returning to India in five weeks again for my next procedure and the thought of improving my hair overrides the small inconvenience compared to rest of my life.

Holy smokes that's some major event of surgery. So getting the spray past "tsa" how was that?

You totally lucked out with that upgrade, I imagine I'd not be so lucky. So did you sport that little blue cap they offer? 

Pretty sure I'm just going to power through and deal with it. It would be 10 hours hour layover then another 10. And I'll get to see India, never been and hear great things!

[ray35]

Thanks @Rahal Hair Transplantfor the insight, yeah I'll try to stay 2 days post op. But may be only able to manage one day. GOod to kow it's not an issue, I'll just be careful,  work on the keeping the grafts moist. and have that travel pillow with.

[ray35]

@NARMAKyeah I'd love to arrange the longer stay. Best I think I can manage is gonna be like 2 extra days post op. So I'll just have to be careful. I agree it would definitely be ideal resting up those 7 days before flying.

[NARMAK]

21 minutes ago, ray35 said:

@NARMAKyeah I'd love to arrange the longer stay. Best I think I can manage is gonna be like 2 extra days post op. So I'll just have to be careful. I agree it would definitely be ideal resting up those 7 days before flying.

I personally couldn't stay that long either, but i wanted to allow at least 2 full days post-op to let the grafts anchor in before travelling. 

Ideally i would take off a week till the 1st head wash and then probably travel back and take a further week off or working remotely if possible to recover. 

[WhereIsMyMind]

I guess im lucky living in west EU I have literally top5 surgeons always 1hr away max? But for me a 10hr long flight back would be a huge no no for me unless im flying bussiness and literally laying down or something... to each its own I guess

[Gatsby]

I live in Australia and if it came down to having surgery here or flying I'd be happy to stow myself away in the undercarriage just before take off! 😊

[Boomerang]

I flew back from Eugenix to Australia on the 2nd day after the procedure. 
I felt comfortable sitting at the window seat so no one accidentally bumps or drops anything on my head. Eugenix also gives you a travel spray bottle, I just kept spraying every 2 hours, didn’t have to get off my seat unless really needed to use toilet.

But I totally agree with the advise that more days you can allow is better.

all the best!

[Capt.hair]

22 hours ago, Boomerang said:

I flew back from Eugenix to Australia on the 2nd day after the procedure. 
I felt comfortable sitting at the window seat so no one accidentally bumps or drops anything on my head. Eugenix also gives you a travel spray bottle, I just kept spraying every 2 hours, didn’t have to get off my seat unless really needed to use toilet.

But I totally agree with the advise that more days you can allow is better.

all the best!

So you were spraying your head with saline just like that, with people sitting next to you? 🤣

[Boomerang]

1 minute ago, Capt.hair said:

So you were spraying your head with saline just like that, with people sitting next to you? 🤣

Yeah… I made sure it’s not flying on other passengers 😀. I had to do what’s best for me… and I have never seen them again so all good 😌 

I told the person sitting next to me that I will be doing this and if he’s ok, he was fine.

[Gatsby]

On 12/7/2022 at 12:55 PM, Capt.hair said:

So you were spraying your head with saline just like that, with people sitting next to you? 🤣

I did. Both times. First time resulted in me being bumped up to business class!

[Turkhair]

Stay a week. Ez

[TheGreatPretender]

I had one day flight in before the surgery date. Out at 9:00 in Birmingham and arrived at local 17:00 in Valencia after doing a two hour pitstop in Amsterdam. 

Flew back right the day after surgery waking up at 7:00 flying out at 9:00. This time staid for 6 hours waiting in the Amsterdam airport before flying at around 16:00 local and arriving at 17:00 local. These were two hour flights in which I did "win" an hour extra. 

Got home at 17:30. 

0 bumps, scratches or anything else. I was on my guard the whole time and I didn't let anything happen to my head during this time. 

Edited September 14, 2023 by TheGreatPretender