The First 14 Days After a Hair Transplant: Day-by-Day Dos and Don’ts

The First 14 Days After a Hair Transplant: Day-by-Day Dos and Don’ts

The first two weeks after a hair transplant are the most delicate period, as the grafts settle into their new positions and the transplant area heals. Small mistakes during this time can affect the result, but the steps you need to follow are not complicated. In this guide, we divide the first 14 days into four stages and explain what you will see and what you need to watch out for at each stage.

An important note before we begin: the written instructions your clinic gives you always take priority over this guide. The technique, products used and your health may mean that instructions vary. What follows is a general outline.

Days 0–1: The night of surgery and the next morning

In the first few hours after surgery, you will see small spots of dried blood in the transplant area and a dressing over the donor area. A little blood-stained fluid leaking through the dressing is normal at this stage. As the anaesthetic wears off, you may feel tightness and mild pain in the donor area; the painkillers prescribed by your doctor are usually enough.

The most important rule during these two days is not to touch the transplant area. Keep your hands, pillow and clothing away from it. Sleep on your back with your head slightly elevated at night; using a neck pillow helps prevent you from turning over. You can find more details in our article on the correct sleeping position.

You will usually return to the clinic the next day for a check-up and to have the donor-area dressing removed. Some clinics also carry out the first wash during this visit.

Days 2–3: The first wash and swelling

The first wash usually takes place on days 1–3, according to your clinic’s instructions. When washing, do not direct a pressurised stream of water onto the transplant area or rub it; gently spread the lotion and shampoo with your fingertips, then rinse by letting lukewarm water flow over the area. Do not dry it by pressing with a towel; let it air-dry or use gentle dabbing motions. We explain the process step by step in our article on the first wash.

Swelling may begin on the forehead during these days and can sometimes extend down to the area around the eyes. It is usually temporary and subsides within a few days. Avoiding bending forwards and heavy lifting, and keeping your head elevated, can help reduce swelling. If your clinic recommends it, you can apply a cold compress to your forehead, but not to the transplant area.

Days 4–7: Scabs and your daily routine

Swelling subsides during this stage. Small scabs form around each graft in the transplant area, and the area may look red. Continue washing daily or at the intervals specified by your clinic; regular washing helps soften the scabs.

Itching may start during this stage. Rather than scratching, use the lotion recommended by your clinic or consult your doctor; scratching with your nails can damage the grafts.

Many people with desk jobs return to work during this stage. The main deciding factor here is appearance rather than healing: scabs and redness will remain visible for a few more days. We cover returning to work in detail in this article.

Days 8–10: Scabs falling off

During this stage, the scabs softened by regular washing begin to fall off on their own. Do not pick them off with your nails or try to force them off; your clinic may recommend gentle fingertip movements during washing. It is normal for fine hair strands to come away with the scabs; the graft containing the root stays in place.

How long scabs remain in the transplant area varies from person to person. Do not decide for yourself to “leave the scabs for a week” or “remove them early”; follow your clinic’s instructions. You can find details of the scabbing process in this article.

Days 11–14: The last scabs and the next stage

By the end of the second week, most of the scabs will have fallen off. The transplant area may look pink for a while; its colour will gradually return to normal. The small wounds in the donor area will also have largely healed.

A new stage begins from this point onwards. Shock loss usually occurs between weeks 2 and 6 and is temporary; some or all of the transplanted hairs falling out is a normal part of the process. We explain why this happens in our article on shock loss. New hairs usually begin to grow in months 3–4.

When can you resume activities?

The timings below are a general framework. If your clinic’s instructions differ, follow those instead.

Call the clinic immediately

The following are not part of the expected healing process, and you should contact your clinic without delay: redness or pain that increases rather than subsides as the days pass, pus draining from the transplant or donor area, fever, bleeding that does not stop with pressure, or one or more grafts becoming dislodged with bleeding. This is why it is important to obtain a number you can also call at night before leaving the clinic on the day of surgery; you can find the surgery-day checklist in this article.

If you would like dietary recommendations, you can take a look at our food list for the first 10 days.