The ultimate 2024 guide to post-hair transplant care!
Congratulations! Here you are with a freshly transplanted head of hair or beard following your operation. However, bear in mind that this is only the beginning of your journey towards full recovery and the revelation of your final results. It's crucial that you leave nothing to chance to preserve the quality of your transplant.
To help you through this crucial stage, we have put together this comprehensive guide to post-transplant care.
Designed to be exhaustive, it aims to guide you step by step, avoiding mistakes that could compromise the success of your transplant. You'll find practical advice and a detailed description of the steps to follow for optimal recovery, whether for your hair or your beard.
Although this guide complements your surgeon's tailor-made recommendations, it provides a reminder of the essential principles to follow and highlights their importance for the success of your transplant.
Immediate advice for after a hair transplant
Immediately after your procedure, it is crucial to follow these recommendations rigorously to guarantee excellent hair results.
Protecting grafts
Think of your grafts as masterpieces that have just been created. In the first few moments following the graft, they remain fragile and liable to detach at the slightest touch or impact. A simple bump against the ceiling of a car could compromise them (a scenario already encountered and dealt with on several occasions by the Klineva clinic! We stress the importance of being vigilant about the space between your head and the ceiling when travelling).
As a general rule, avoid contact with the grafts for the first 3 days. We also advise you to resist the urge to touch or scratch the donor area to promote optimal healing and avoid the risk of infection.
For a good night's sleep, use a neck cushion. This will be your best ally in maintaining the right position while you sleep (for more information, see our article on the ideal posture after a hair transplant). The aim is to sleep on your back to avoid any accidental contact with the treated areas.
Guide to post-hair transplant care
Post-hair transplant essentials
- Refrain from smoking: put your cigarettes away for at least 5 days.
- Alcohol break: avoid alcohol during your antibiotic treatment.
- Hydration: drink plenty of water, at least 3 litres a day, especially during the first few days. Good hydration is key to effective recovery and also contributes to radiant skin.
Physical activities to be limited
- Post-operative rest: avoid any intimate activity for the first 5 days to allow your scalp to rest.
- Limit physical exertion: avoid strenuous exercise such as running or brisk walking for at least 15 days. Don't lean forward too much during the first few days and take a break from all sporting activities, swimming and going to the gym for a month.
Post-hair transplant hair care
- Protecting the grafted area: the grafted area must remain intact. You can cover it gently after 7 days with a soft hat, often supplied by your clinic.
- Haircuts: wait a month before cutting your hair with scissors and wait 6 months before using clippers. Especially if you get the urge to do a Jason Statham-style 0-ball or a Peaky Blinder-style fade-out with a razor. Don't shave or dye your hair before 6 months.
Post-hair transplant accessories
- Headgear: avoid tight-fitting helmets or caps that could touch the grafted area during the first month.
Environment and weather conditions
- Be careful with hammams, saunas and solariums: avoid these activities for the next 3 months.
- Protection from the elements: keep your new implants protected from the sun, wind, rain and snow for at least 2 months.
Water activities
- Back to the pool: wait a month before resuming swimming, and prefer to swim in the shade.
What can you expect after the operation? The post-transplant process :
1st night
You'll be sporting a war bandage over the donor area, sometimes a stylish blindfold, some itching and in very rare cases some mild pain included - that's the welcome package. (Klineva provides painkillers if required).
For swelling? Ice and drink water. Any itching? Ignore them (no scratching, please: grafts are very fragile at first). These side effects disappear faster than the last packet of crisps in the evening. Read our article on instructions for sleeping after the transplant here.
Day 1
Depending on the clinic, your donor and recipient areas will be cleaned during the procedure. Your bandages will normally be removed at the same time.
In addition, you will usually be offered a post-operative treatment (as is the case at Klineva, with a choice of laser session, PRP or ozone treatment).
Day 3
The time has come when you can start washing your hair yourself. After the first professional wash at the Klineva clinic, you will be the conductor of your own cleansing. Use the mousse/lotion and shampoo supplied by the clinic for this first wash. Follow the instructions below religiously for 15 days, eliminating scabs and facilitating the healing process.
From 5th to 7th day
Your grafts, like capillary heroes, will become more resistant and will no longer fall out when you touch them (although you should avoid scratching yourself). You may experience itching during this period. Rest assured, this is a sign that the healing process is under way.
From 15th to 30th day
15 days after the operation, all your scabs will have fallen off and the implanted hair will begin to fall out.
From 1st to 3rd month
The phase of anxiety and hair loss continues. This is a period during which you may feel as if you're going back to 0. But don't panic, at the end of the 3rd month the transplanted hair will start to grow again. (Find out what shock loss is... here)
From 3rd to 6th month
The fourth month marks an acceleration in hair growth. By the sixth month, you will have achieved a partial but already remarkable result. And above all, it will be undetectable, so that your loved ones will no longer be able to detect any traces of the hair transplant.
From the 6th to the 12th month
The magic works! Your transplanted hair will continue to grow, becoming denser and fuller every day.
From the 12th to the 18th month
After a busy year, you'll reach the near-final result of your hair transplant. Longer, thicker and denser, your scalp will be the star of the evening.
As far as the frontal area is concerned, the final results will be visible after 1 ½ years. For the back of the skull (the vertex), they will be visible after just under 2 years.
Some Klineva hair transplant results
Hair washing instructions
Frequency question
You should wash your hair once a day for the first month - a sort of hair ceremony. After that, swap the daily routine for a more relaxed one, with recommended washes 3 to 4 times a week.
What type of shampoo for post-hair transplant care?
Pamper your hair with ultra-gentle shampoos that contain no parabens or chemicals, and take care of your scalp. Clinics will provide you with a lotion or mousse to help break down the scabs in the first few weeks. We recommend the following brand Growth-factormd care and the Mossi
Follow these steps seriously
Step 1:
Applying the mousse: Apply a small dab of mousse to your hand. Gently apply to the implanted area, tapping with your fingertips, and leave on for 15-20 minutes - this minimum time should be respected for the good of your hair implants.
Step 2:
Step 3:
Step 4:
Step 5:
IMPORTANT
Don't give up, because all the crusts should give way to a flawless scalp surface within 15 days. If this doesn't happen, you'll need to continue washing with the mousse and shampoo in the same way and notify your follow-up.
One month post-operatively, the "risk" period ends like a gripping thriller. You can return to your usual lifestyle.
Consequences of not following hair transplant care recommendations to the letter
Ignoring this advice means taking a big risk. The consequences? Delayed regrowth, compromised results, and maybe even a return to where you started. Don't turn your mane into a hair tragedy, follow each recommendation as the key to rejuvenated hair.
Similar questions
Can I dye my post-transplant hair?
Of course, but wait patiently for 6 sacred months. The grafts need time to recover.
When can I resume my sporting activities?
Be happy after the first month, but always ask your medical team for permission if in doubt. Please don't be rash.
Is post-transplant hair loss normal?
Nature takes its course. Regrowth will begin after a few months, so be prepared. Above all, follow the post-hair transplant care. To find out more about shock loss, go to here ( and this does not mean that the graft has failed )
Is it normal to feel itchy after the operation?
That's the sign that it's working! Resist the temptation to scratch and your hair will be reborn.
Can I use ordinary hair products after the initial wash?
After the first phase, choose products worthy of your new crown. Avoid chemical products - your scalp will thank you. We recommend using products that contain no parabens or harsh chemicals.