How to Sleep After a Hair Transplant

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man sleeping in an elevated position after a hair transplant

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After a hair transplant procedure, you must follow your aftercare instructions closely. It is vital to sleep with your head elevated to not damage your newly transplanted hair follicles. In this article, you’ll find everything you need to know about sleeping after a hair transplant and what you can do to have a seamless recovery process.

Overview

  • After a hair transplant, sleeping positions are crucial to preventing issues in the recovery process. Proper sleeping positions are crucial to preventing swelling, protecting grafts, and promoting healing.
  • Sleeping arrangements and a travel pillow are always provided to a patient after a hair transplant. Make sure you read your hair transplant aftercare instructions to guide you through the initial recovery process.
  • If you do not adopt the correct position to sleep after a hair transplant, you run the risk of many post-surgical complications. These include swelling, shock hair loss, and infection.

How to Sleep After a Hair Transplant Procedure

A hair transplant can be a difficult and testing time for any patient. The first couple of weeks after a procedure are often the most important for healing and for the grafts to “bed in”. The initial recovery period (IRP) is a critical part of the hair transplant process.

The IRP refers to the initial 14 days after a hair transplant and requires the patient to adopt a new sleeping, washing, and hygiene routine while the head heals and the newly transplanted hair follicles bed into the scalp.

Changing how you sleep after a hair transplant is critical as this ensures the scalp healing process can occur. To sleep after a hair transplant, patients are required to keep their heads in an elevated position (30-45 degree angle). This is to avoid placing pressure on the donor area or recipient area and damaging the final result of your surgery.

Days 0-7: Adopting an Elevated Position

man sleeping in an elevated position after a hair transplantAfter a hair transplant, the patient should sleep with the back of their head elevated to help reduce swelling and protect the new hair grafts. Ideally, patients should keep their heads at a 30-45-degree angle for the first few nights.

Many hair transplant clinics will provide patients with a neck pillow as part of the hair transplant aftercare package. This can help prevent unnecessary contact between a patient’s donor area and other surfaces.

Patients should also avoid sleeping on their stomachs or sides to prevent any contact with the transplanted area. The last thing a patient should do is put undue stress on their transplanted hair grafts. This could jeopardise the final result.

Choosing a silk or satin pillowcase can also be beneficial for patients in the first week after surgery. Silk and satin can help minimise friction between the head and pillow’s surface, making these fibres more preferable than cotton.

Days 8-14: Returning to a Normal Position

Seven to fourteen days after a hair transplant, a patient can gradually transition into a more natural sleeping position, but it’s still important to be cautious. By this stage, most of the patient’s grafts are securely in place, but it’s essential to minimise discomfort and pressure on the scalp.

While keeping the head slightly elevated is still preferable to sleeping completely flat, if you are struggling to sleep, there are several things you can do.

You can begin lowering your head to a flatter position, though keeping it slightly elevated can help with any lingering swelling. If you’re used to sleeping on your back, continuing to do so is ideal, but side sleeping becomes safer, providing there’s no direct pressure on the transplanted area.

If you have bought (or been provided with) a silk/satin pillowcase, continue using it. This will reduce friction and prevent irritation. If any scabbing or mild discomfort remains, ensure your scalp doesn’t rub against your bedding. This helps avoid unnecessary disturbance to the healing process.

How long to Sleep with a Neck Pillow after a Hair Transplant?

Generally, our patients report that the first 5-7 days (sometimes as long as day 10) are the days where sleeping with a neck pillow are the most important in order to protect the newly transplanted grafts and help with the donor area healing.

After this time has passed, the grafts should be more secure and “bedded in” so you can gradually return to your normal sleeping position.

Why do I need to follow the Aftercare Instructions after a Hair Transplant?

After a hair transplant, you must follow your aftercare instructions for the next two weeks. Straight after your surgery, you are at a high risk of contracting surgical complications. These may not only affect your final result but expose you to infections, like folliculitis.

By following your aftercare instructions (specifically around sleeping positions) you will ensure the best possible result and a smooth recovery. Your surgeon’s guidelines are designed to protect the newly transplanted grafts, reduce the risk of complications, and promote optimal healing.

Ignoring aftercare instructions can lead to several problems, such as:

  • infection
  • excessive swelling
  • graft displacement
  • poor hair growth (perhaps even permanent graft failure)

Furthermore, if you have spent between £4,000 and £10,000 to restore your hairline, it is wise to ensure you do everything possible to maximise your result. The last thing anyone wants after a hair transplant surgery is a poor result.

What else can I do to Aid my Recovery after a Hair Transplant Procedure?

Sleep isn’t the only part of your aftercare routine. In fact, sleep after a hair transplant only accounts for a small portion of your aftercare routine. If you take a look at your detailed instructions, you will find guidelines on the following aftercare topics:

  • Washing Your Hair – for the first 7 days after a hair transplant, a clean scalp is vital if you want a good result. Contactless washing ensures your scalp is clean and minimises the risk of damaging hair follicles.
  • Avoid Scratching – itching and scratching is never good news during the IRP. If you feel the urge to itch, rub, or scratch, apply a salt-water spray. Do not apply pressure to the scalp as this could damage the final result.
  • Avoid Direct Sunlight – as well as sleep and hygiene, ensure your scalp is not exposed to direct sunlight for extended periods. If your scalp gets hot and sweaty, then this increases your chances of contracting an infection.
  • Avoid Strenuous Exercise – for the same reason as avoiding direct sun, you should avoid strenuous exercise.
  • Avoid Smoking and Drinking Alcohol – smoking reduces blood supply on the scalp and alcohol acts as a blood thinner, which increases the risk of excessive bleeding. It’s recommended to avoid smoking and alcohol for at least a few weeks after the procedure, allowing the scalp to heal properly and the grafts to establish themselves securely.

Something to consider when it comes to the recovery process is making sure you keep a balanced diet and stay hydrated. Proper hydration and nutrition helps reduce swelling in the first couple of days after surgery. As swelling can often be sore, keeping on top of this can help a patient get to sleep comfortably and quickly.

What happens if I do not Sleep in the Correct Position after Hair Transplant Surgery?

If you don’t adopt the correct head position when sleeping after a hair transplant, you may risk several complications that could affect both the healing process and the final results. This is why you must listen to your surgeon’s directions and aftercare instructions!

One of the most common issues is increased swelling, especially around the forehead and eyes, which can become uncomfortable and prolong recovery. During a hair transplant, patients are given a local anaesthetic to numb pain during surgery. This dissipates around the body in the first days and weeks after surgery.

Adopting a normal sleeping position too quickly can put excess pressure on the scalp area during the initial recovery period. In turn, this can prevent the anaesthesia from quickly dissipating around the body. Additionally, improper head positioning can lead to increased bleeding or fluid buildup in the scalp, further delaying healing. All of these issues can damage the final result of your hair transplant.

Sleeping in the wrong position may also lead to accidental contact with the transplanted area, causing friction or pressure that could dislodge grafts in the first few days when they are most vulnerable. This can result in uneven hair growth, poor graft survival, or even permanent loss of some transplanted follicles.

Conclusion

In the first couple of weeks after hair restoration surgery, transplanted hair follicles are incredibly delicate and fragile. As such, a patient must follow their aftercare instructions to quicken the healing process and maximise the final result. This is why sleep after a hair transplant procedure is vital. Keep your head in an elevated position to stop too much pressure from being placed on the donor area or recipient site.

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