Planning
AHD Clinic will supply all the medications, lotions and shampoo you will require during the post operative period.
First 3 days (the day of surgery is Day 0):
You can expect to feel completely normal immediately following the procedure, due to the advances in local anesthesia techniques.
A light dressing (bandage) will be placed over the donor area of your head (backside). Recipient hair transplant area will be left uncovered. We will put a cap on your head as camouflage. Please take this cap off when you arrive at your hotel or home, and leave your head uncovered. Do not let anything touch the recipient hair transplant areas, even the cap, during the first 24 hours after surgery.
On the first night, it is critically important that the recipient areas do not touch anything (even the cap) and that the head is slightly elevated to prevent an edema (swelling) around the eyes. The best sleeping position would be to lie on your back, the donor back areas of your head propped up by pillows. You may find another position preferable. However, please remember that any sleeping position you choose that first night should elevate your head and prevent the recipient areas from coming in contact with anything.
The light dressing over the donor area will be removed on the day following the intervention (Day 1). No extra care or treatment will be necessary for the donor back areas of the scalp. The tiny holes on your scalp will have already closed when we remove the bandage that day.
On Days 1, 2 and later – if you so wish, you can either wear a hat or leave your head uncovered when you go outside.
We will provide any required prescriptions and/or drugs you may need during the post operative recovery. Should you experience any discomfort, you may take a mild pain-killer pills 3 times a day. If you are taking any medications prior to the surgery, you can continue to take them following the surgery.
Some patients may experience a slight edema (swelling) around the eyes following the surgery. This will improve in 2-3 days.
You will be able to resume your normal daily activities the day after the MikroFUE transplant intervention. You may travel by plane or by other transportation the next day.
Please avoid any sexual activity during the first 2 days.
Rigorous physical exercise or sports activities in general may be started or resumed 30 days after the hair transplantation intervention.
Do not wash your hair during the first 2 days after your transplant.
Local anesthesia
Local anesthesia
He head is cooled and numbed with narcotic ether. As a result the skin will be less sensitive, to allow a local anesthesia to be administered fairly painlessly. The effect of the local anesthesia lasts about 12-14 hours.Depending upon the number of grafts, the intervention will take approximately 4-7 hours. During the extraction of the grafts, you will lie on your stomach or side. During the transplantation period, you will lie on your back or assume a half-seated position.
Instructions for washing your hair and transplanted hairs on Day 3 through Day 14:
You may wash your hair on Day 3 after surgery. The goal of the washing is to clean the clots and crusts in the hair transplant (recipient) areas of the scalp. Shampooing is important to prevent scabs from occurring around the hair shaft. Scabs adhere to the hair shaft and increase the risk of losing newly transplanted hair follicles during the first 7 to 10 days of the post operative recovery.
Washing your hair is a two step process involving moisturizing, and then gently shampooing the scalp. You will want to give yourself at least an hour to achieve the best results. Approximately 45 minutes prior to washing the scalp, apply our softening and hydrating lotion over the recipient areas. Then, relax for 45 minutes while the moisturizer penetrates your scalp. After 45 minutes, and before rinsing, apply our neutral shampoo to your moisturized scalp and gently shampoo the entire scalp.Moisturizing lotion: Bepanthol lotion or Excipial hydro lotion.Neutral shampoo: Sebamed everyday shampoo or any baby shampoo.
Use warm water while showering and adjust the shower pressure to low.
During the first week following your hair transplantation, you will follow the above regime before each shower: apply moisturizung lotion on the recipient hair transplanted areas, wait 45 minutes and then shampoo using a neutral shampoo. Please shower at least once a day but no more than 2 times a day during this period.
On Day 5 after the hair transplant intervention (and after 3 days of normal gentle shampooing), we would like you to softly massage the recipient areas with your fingertips (no nails) while shampooing. This will begin to clean crusts and scabs in the recipient hair transplanted areas. Over the next few days (Days 6 -10), you can incrementally increase the pressure of your fingertip massage.
Within 7-10 days after you have begun washing your hair, all clots and scabs should have been removed from the recipient hair transplanted areas.
Should there be any crusts still on the scalp after Day 10, do not remove them. Allow them to detach spontaneously. This usually occurs within 2 weeks.
The back (donor) areas of your scalp can be shampooed normally beginning with the first shampoo. You may wish to rub a hydrating or moisurizing cream on these areas after washing.
After all the clots and scabs have been removed from the recipient areas, usually between Days 10 and 14, you can wash your scalp with a shampoo of your own preference.
During the first month after your hair transplantation, protect your scalp from direct sun exposure and from overheating (sauna).
A hat or other head covering is recommended but not required so long as exposure is limited.
What to expect during the first three months, six months, nine months?
During the first month, virtually all of the transplanted hairs, traumatized by their relocation, will, as expected, fall out (“shock loss”). Do not be alarmed. During this first month, the transplanted hair follicle cells are taking root and are living under the skin in the recipient areas.
After 2 to 3 months, new hair will begin to grow from the transplanted follicles.
Your new hair will grow normally (1-2 cm per month) and continue to thicken over the next six to nine months.
At first, the new growing hairs may be thin and curly. As they lengthen, the hairs will become thicker and straighter.
İf you wish, you may style your new hair with a precision scissor haircut. During the first year, be sure to advise your stylist or barber to use only scissors – no razors or other hair cutting instruments should be used in year 1 of your hair transplantation.
Sometime after the 9 month anniversary of your surgery, we would be pleased if you would schedule a follow-up visit to check up on your results (complimentary). Should you not be able to visit us, we look forward to receiving the photos of your new hair makeover.
Your new hairs will be lenthening and thickening over a period of six to nine months. The final overall result of the hair transplantation will be evident after approximately 9 months.
Additional medical treatment after hair transplantation:
The result of the mikroFUE hair transplantation is permanent and lifelong. Any subsequent hair loss is likely to be only from untreated areas. Some patients elect to use medications to retard such loss, while others plan a subsequent transplant procedure to deal with this eventuality.
For some patients, Our Doctors may recommend using Minoxidil 5% solution after a hair transplantation procedure to augment the overall result. Some patients may decide independently to continue treatment with Minoxidil.
Minoxidil use is not absolutely necessary following hair transplantation. However, in select cases, it may increase the thickness of both the original and transplanted hairs, and encourage the lengthening of new hair growth which may help obtain a denser result faster.
When used, Minoxidil is extensively applied over the treated areas and beyond. Initially, It is used 2 times a day for a minimum of 6 months. Then, it is used periodically (intermittently) for a lifetime, as needed.
You can find detailed information about the use of this medicine in the section “Medical Treatments”.
