General aftercare after a hair transplant
The healing process after a hair transplantation is, in most cases, painless and smooth. However, the patient must follow the instructions and advice given by the Nordic Hair Clinic. This is so that the result will be as good as possible, and any risks minimized. See our timeline to get a visual summary of the aftercare instructions.
Wash
72 hours after the procedure you shall rinse your hair gently. 4 days after your surgery you can start washing your hair with a mild shampoo. Be careful when drying your head. Read more about how to wash the transplant area here.
Hat and cap
After 5 days, it is ok to start using a hat or a cap if it is not tight and if its only kept on for shorter periods.
Sauna
Avoid bathing in the sauna for up to 4 weeks after the hair transplant. It is very hot inside a sauna and the heat can damage the newly transplanted hair follicles.
Bath
Pool, jacuzzi and general swimming pools should be avoided for the first 4 weeks. This is because there are a lot of bacteria, chlorine and cleaning agents in those places. Bathing in the sea should also be avoided 4 weeks after the procedure.
Exercise
Wait 14 days to practice and perform activities that greatly increase heart rate and high blood pressure. Also, avoid lifting heavy objects. Calm walks are ok and are even recommended to keep blood circulation going.
Love life
Try to keep the sexual intimacy to a very calm level first week after the hair transplant. The change in blood pressure, similar to exercise, can damage the capillaries in the hair follicles, which causes the hair follicle to die.
Styling products
After 14 days, you can start using styling products in your hair.
Smoking
Smoking has a major impact on the healing process and therefore we urge you to slow down the use of tobacco for at least one week after the hair transplant. For the first 48 hours after the procedure, the patient should not use any tobacco in any form.
Chew tobacco
Chew tobacco does not have as much impact on the body’s healing ability as smoking has. But we still recommend that snus users refrain from using it for at least 48 hours after the procedure.
Alcohol
Alcohol should be avoided up to 48 hours after surgery.
Sun
Strong sunlight should be avoided for 6 months after surgery.
Haircuts
After 4 weeks you can trim the transplanted hair with plastic protection but not shorter than 3 mm. The transplanted area must absolutely not be shaved with a metal razor for the first 6 months. The rest of the hair and the donor area can be cut as desired.