When can I return to work?

The patients who would like to obtain information about the hair transplant treatment for hair loss are trying to obtain information about when can I return to work? by searching both hair transplant centers and the internet. In this article, we would like to share information on when can you return to work after a hair transplant.

How is the hair transplant healing process?

The healing process of hair transplant treatment for hair loss, when all development stages of the healing process are taken into account, encompasses a period of 12 months. Transplanted hairs start to grow before this process, yet; as the growing hair is thin, curly, and weak it takes some time for them to turn into normal hair.

The hair transplant healing process might not be the same for every patient. While newly transplanted hairs appear after the second month in some patients, this might happen in the later months for some.

How is the hair transplant healing process day by day?

The healing process of hair transplant operation occurs as follows.

-1st Day: It is the day of the hair transplant operation. The transplant area is marked and shaved on the first day. Hair follicles are plucked from the donor area under local anesthesia and transplanted to hairless areas.

The patients who are tried because of the hair transplant are sent home. Thanks to local anesthesia, the first day is painless. It helps to use a chair to sleep on the first night. While it is not recommended to smoke on the first day, if you still need to some, it is recommended to smoke less and avoid intoxicating beverages.

-2nd Day: Effects of the local anesthesia fades the day after the hair transplant operation. A small pain might be felt in the hair transplant area. Pain killers and antibiotics prescribed by the doctor helps to ease this pain.

For the out-of-town patients, washing of the transplanted hair is done on the second day. As the first washing cannot be done alone, it is necessary to visit the hair transplant center for the first wash. The first wash of the newly transplanted hair is done in the hair transplant center by a transplant doctor or related personnel.

Another pain that could be felt on the second day is the pain that is felt with the removal of the bandages on the nape.

The bleedings that occur at the nape and transplant area clots in this area and cause those to dry. The majority of these are washed at the first wash.

-3rd Day: If the hair has not washed on the second day, this is the wash day. If the wash took place on the second day, the pain felt because of the injuries is lessened to a great extent on this day. The transplant area must be taken care of in this period and the patient should not sleep on the transplant area. Patients are required to lay on their backs these days.

A hat must be worn outside and the scalp should not be exposed to the sunlight without a hat for the first two months, otherwise, there will be rashes on the nape and transplant area and those will not go away for months.

-1st Week: Some of the subdermal medicines applied for local anesthesia in the hair transplant operation might cause some swelling in the forehead and around the eyes. These swellings go away within a week. In this week newly transplanted hair follicles adapt to the transplanted area. The care to the transplant area must be maintained.

Generally, after the first week, you may return to your daily life or work. Yet there will be some marks left after a hair transplant. People might ask questions regarding that.

Experts recommend sleeping carefully this week. If smoking is a must, it is allowed.

There are no visible changes in the newly transplanted hairs this week. The head might be cleared of blood this week.

-2nd Week: The changes on the hair becomes visible this week. This period is the most important and critical period in hair transplant.

The initial stage of the shock loss is experienced in the second week after the hair transplant. In this event, all of the transplanted hairs are suddenly lost. It is unnecessary to be frightened or panicked by this situation. Shock loss means that the process after hair transplant continues normally. This process could take as long as a month.

The bad appearance of this area is lessened this week as the hair on the nape area is grown partially. The clots and crusts on the transplant area are also cleaned this week.

As the newly transplanted hairs are adapted to the transplant area by this week, there are no more concerns regarding the situation and it is possible to return to the long-awaited sleeping positions and relaxed sleep.

-1st Month: A great deal of change is observed in this period on the transplanted hair. The pimples that occur after a hair transplant might persist in this month. If the pimples cause extreme pain, ache, or itching, a hair transplant expert must be consulted.

-2nd Month: The hair transplant operation starts to show its benefits this month. The incubated hair follicles start to grow out of the scalp by coming to life slowly in this month First hair stands are weak, thin, and curly. In time, these follicles will get stronger and become more thick and healthy.
Normal life is completely resumed in this month and there are no more problems. Nutrition is important after this month. It is beneficial to massage the transplant area with fingers in free time

-3rd Month: Hair growth of some patients might take up to 3 months. In a normal process, all of the transplanted hair is grown by this month. The hair is also weak and unshapely in this moth. It will take longer for the hair to get into its normal form. The hair can be shaped by cutting the transplanted hair.
-4th Month: The hair of the patient must have grown by this month. Yet, the desired density and thickness might not be reached. There is also newly grown hair among the hair grown.

-5th Month: New hair after hair transplant grows for a few centimeters. The hair transplant is generally complete. Hairs continue to develop for a month or two.

The thin-looking hair will grow dense and thick in this month. If you had a successful hair transplant, your new acquaintances will not even realize that you had a hair transplant.

-6th Month: This is the period where newly transplanted hair fully grows and takes its final shape. Even if the hair transplant healing process is completed this month, these hairs will continue to thicken and take better form.

-12th Month: The development of hair is complete this month. Hairs take their final shape this month.

When can I return to work after a hair transplant?

This is among the most wondered questions of the hair transplant patients, generally, hair transplant centers say that the patient might return to work in a few days. Yet at least 2 or 3 weeks are required to return to work without drawing the attention of people. Civil servants who would like to have hair transplants might have it on their yearly holidays and the teachers could have it on their summer breaks.

What to if the hair transplant healing is not processing normally?

As the hair transplant healing process could vary from person to person, it is impossible to say what will happen on which day, week, or month.

It should not be panicked in these differences, yet if you experience abnormal process you should contact to hair transplant expert. The doctors at the hair transplant centers do not only transplant hair, they also help the patients by following their process after a hair transplant and support them.