Maintaining Your Hair Transplant, Healthy Tips

Getting a hair graft involves a surgical means of removing hair follicles from a particular body region to another. In a nutshell, the hair follicles are ‘transported’ from a region of abundance to scarcity. Like the ‘Supplying’ concept in crop production, hair grafting follows the same process, albeit a surgical one.

THE Origin of Hair Grafting

The history of hair grafting can be traced back to Japan in the 1930s, with Dr. Okuda widely regarded as the purveyor of this medical procedure in the modern world. The process at that time was aimed at helping burn victims who had their scalps damaged. The subsequent decade witnessed an improvisation by Dr. Tamura, who extracted tissues of hair follicles and split them into independent grafts. Then, it proceeded to re-propagate the new grafts in the affected areas of the burn victims. However, these giant strides in medical history remained obscured to the western world, at least for the next decade, since the role of Japan in the Second World War had tainted it.

However, Dr. Norman Orentreich, an American dermatologist, ushered in a new trend in hair grafting, an entirely different method compared to his Asian predecessors. However, his technique remained dwarfed by the Japanese, especially that of Dr. Tamura, in terms of sophistication. The introduction of the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) method in 2003 marked an immense breakthrough in the hair grafting process. With this method, thousands of individual hair follicles can be transplanted within a short period.

Healthy Tips Required in Maintaining Your Hair Transplant

It is important to note that after getting a hair graft, the role of maintenance cannot be downplayed. Maintenance of hair graft can be achieved in the following ways:

1. Since hair transplanting is done under a heavy dose of anesthesia, it is quite important to have someone pick you up after the procedure. Also, it is advisable to abstain from driving at least for the next 24 hours.
2. Swelling is another inevitable post- hair grafting feature. To reduce this, it is advisable to sleep with a head elevation of 45 degrees angle, especially for the first three days after the hair graft surgery.
3. Medication is also another quintessential aspect of post-hair grafting. A prescription of Vicodin or Percocet is highly advisable, especially the first two nights, in a bid to ensure a blissful night’s rest.
4. In the event of bleeding, which is expected to be mild, it is of huge importance to place gauze on the graft area. However, in applying pressure on the graft area when placing the gauze, care has to be ensured not to disrupt the adjacent and surrounding grafts.
5. Though post-hair graft infections are rare, this can be curbed by ensuring that the hair graft is free from dirt, especially airborne ones. In addition, good hygiene is expected to be ensured, especially when touching the transplanted area. Therefore, these hands are expected to always be in a clean state.
6. Maintaining a good diet is as important as the other healthy tips. Foods rich in protein, vitamins, and Omega-3 fatty acids should be consumed extensively. Such foods include; chicken, fish, eggs, milk, avocado, walnuts, broccoli, spinach, and lettuce. It is also important to avoid spicy foods, as they inhibit the energy required for the healing and tissue repair process. Also, alcohol should be avoided. Alcohol functions as a blood thinner and as a dehydrator, subsequently inhibiting the healing process. Finally, smoking and all forms of nicotine consumption should be avoided at all costs. This is because smoking increases blood pressure, especially at an alarming rate.
7. Within the first week of post-hair grafting, it is important to refrain from sport and other strenuous activities. It may include jogging, weightlifting, cycling, and other activities which may increase the body temperature. This should be ensured to reduce swellings, especially around the forehead region.
8. Having sex is also a big ‘No’ during the post-hair grafting period. Abstinence from sex is highly paramount, especially within the first ten days of post-hair grafting, though the fact that constant sex help in reducing blood pressure cannot be downplayed. However, the heart rate and blood pressure do spike during coitus. The spiking is deemed dangerous for the healing process of the hair graft, especially when sweating is hugely involved. Another reason sex should be avoided during this period is that there is usually a huge involvement of subconscious hair pulling and tugging during sexual intercourse. Such action can lead to damage to the graft area.
9. On the issue of general healthcare, it is advisable not to wash the hair within two days after the hair graft procedure. A gentle wash may be observed on the fourth day, but care should be taken not to allow the direct pressure of the water not to hit the scalp, especially the graft region. Care should also be taken, especially regarding the quality and quantity of hair products applied to the scalp. Excessive shampoo application can undermine the healing process, same as what dyeing the hair within the first four weeks can also cause. Styling the hair with hot tools should also be avoided within two weeks of the hair graft, as the heat will inhibit the repair process.
10. It is highly advisable to avoid swimming within the first few weeks of post-hair grafting. This is due to the abundance of microorganisms and pollutants in the water, undermining the healing process. Also, when swimming, diving directly into the water should be avoided. Diving is prone to messing up the scalp, as the pressure from the water hitting the scalp will ensure strain and may subsequently lead to the scalp being pulled.
11. Finally, a routine qualitative check by a dermatologist is highly essential. Regular appointments with the dermatologist will ensure a routine examination of the scalp to achieve an even healing process. Also, the dermatologist prescribes drugs or medical processes to be followed in the event of complications. The dermatologist will also ensure that the sutures are evenly removed. This removal is usually done within 14-20 days of the post- hair grafting process. You can only get a haircut after the crusts have fallen off in an even manner. The duration of crusting is usually between 10-15 days post-hair grafting. However, this might vary, depending on the skin type.

Conclusion

If you follow all the tips mentioned above, you’ll comfortably maintain hair graft. However, if you have any complications, don’t hesitate to go back to your doctor for diagnosis.