When Can I Wash My Hair After Hair Transplant Surgery?
Hair transplant surgery can help you have a full head of hair again. This innovative procedure takes follicles from the back of your head and places them in the needed areas. Because the hair on the back of your head always grows, when our team at Aesthetic Scalp in Chicago, IL transplants it to the bald spots, you can start to see new growth. Our team specializes in follicular unit transplantation (FUT) and follicular unit extraction (FUE) transplant techniques, so you can feel more confident in the appearance of your hair. We encourage you to learn more about the post-operative instructions to use after your hair transplant surgery or schedule a consultation with our hair restoration Chicago, IL doctors.
What is FUT and FUE hair transplant in Chicago, IL?
Depending on the type of alopecia you experience, FUT and FUE hair transplant methods help you start to regrow hair. Our doctors can diagnose the reason for your hair loss and determine if this procedure works well for you. Generally, we do not recommend FUT or FUE for patients with autoimmune disorders that cause hair loss, like alopecia areata or lupus. At your consultation, our hair transplant experts will go over your needs, diagnose the reason for hair loss, and determine if either procedure works well for you. If right for you, we will create a personalized treatment plan, outline the costs, and schedule your surgery.
FUE and FUT take grafts from the back part of your head, but both have different techniques. We cut a thin strip of hair from the back of your head during FUT and place it where the hair is needed. This process leaves a linear scar on the back of your scalp. To reduce the appearance of your scar, our doctors will bevel the incision and remove tension, so the spot matches the natural pattern of your hair, makes it easier to conceal, and prevents it from becoming wider.
During FUE, our team uses ARTAS® Robotic Hair Transplant to remove healthy grafts from the back of your scalp and place them in the needed areas. The specific technique depends on several factors, including the baldness pattern, how much hair loss you have, and your hair type. Generally, African American, Caucasian, or Asian patients require considerably different methods, which we can discuss at the consultation.
When can I wash my hair after hair transplant surgery?
Following your treatment, it’s crucial to ensure you protect the new follicles. They will be extremely fragile at this point, so you should wait at least 24 hours before washing your hair. However, please be advised that our doctors may recommend waiting longer, and it depends entirely on their discretion. Without waiting the proper amount of time, you run the risk of damaging and moving your transplants, which can greatly impact your final results.
What to expect during your first wash after hair transplant?
Closely following your FUE or FUT hair transplant recovery instructions will ensure that your new grafts remain healthy and implanted. For the first five days, you want to be extremely gentle when washing your hair. If you scrub too hard, you run the risk of dislodging an implant. Additionally, you don’t want your head to go right under the water, especially if you have high water pressure. If you have any concerns about the pressure amount, please use a cup with warm water and gently pour it on top of your head to rinse.
Wash away your worries
During your FUT and FUE hair transplant recovery process, our team will be with you every step of the way. We want you to feel comfortable about the next steps and what to expect during the healing process. If you have questions or you want to learn more about the process, please schedule an appointment at Aesthetic Scalp with one of our hair transplant Chicago, IL specialists.
We look forward to helping men and women regain their confidence about the appearance of their hair.