The only lasting remedy to hair loss is hair transplant surgery. Men and women lose their hair due to reasons including heredity, autoimmune disorders, illness, drugs, scars, and health issues. Moreover, Androgenic alopecia in men and alopecia areata in women are one of the major causes.
Several procedures go with a hair transplant surgery. Hence, it is essential that you prepare yourself before the big day. Read on to find the ways to prepare for your hair transplant surgery to make the smooth transition from hairless to hairy.
How to Prepare Yourself Before Hair Transplant Surgery?
To ensure you get the best results out of the procedure, you need to prepare yourself before the hair transplant surgery. Here are some of the ways you can achieve this feat.
Consult Your Doctor
To make the best decisions, it is essential to speak with a doctor before making any decisions. To make sure you are in the greatest possible health, your doctor can urge you to have an ECG or conduct a blood test. Doctors want to make sure you’re not under any undue stress since anesthesia can make things complex if you have an underlying condition.
Get a Head Massage
You can have a more effective surgery by getting a massage for your scalp every day for 10 to 20 minutes beginning two weeks before the procedure. Your scalp’s elasticity will improve as a result of stimulating the follicles. This will facilitate the healing process following your surgery and aid in controlling blood flow and level scalp skin tone.
Avoid Sun Exposure
You should stay on the safe side and not let the skin on your head become too cold or too hot before the operation. You need to have healthy, unburnt skin to help the professionals do the surgery efficiently. Stay indoors until the big day is done, and cover up with a hat or umbrella to avoid sun exposure.
No Spicy Food
Spicy food should be avoided in the days leading up to the surgery. These foods might disturb the steady condition of the scalp that is perfect for the process due to how your body reacts to spices. Spicy foods might also potentially hinder the healing process. Additionally, it might make the scalp perspire, raising the risk of infection.
Stop Medications
Your doctor may suggest you stop certain medications that may interfere with the ones that you need to take before the surgery. Certain antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medications, non-prescription drugs, and herbal medicines may impact the procedure. Hence, it is necessary to inform your doctor about the type of medicines you take before getting the procedure done.
Say No to Alcohol Consumption
You should also refrain from drinking alcohol two weeks before your transplant. Alcohol causes the blood vessels to enlarge, which increases edema at the site of the incision. The sooner you can stop drinking, the better for your health. Some doctors may advise you to wait several days before your surgery before stopping alcohol.
Avoid Haircut Before the Surgery
You should avoid trimming your hair before surgery. This is especially crucial if the donor parts on your scalp are already somewhat small. Cutting your hair too short accidentally or intentionally might complicate the process. It is so because your surgeon will trim it throughout the surgery to ensure it is the ideal length for transplantation.
No Blood Thinners
Following a discussion with your doctor, it could be advised to stop using blood thinners and related drugs a few days before the hair transplant procedure. It will reduce the risk of too much bleeding should something unavoidable happen to you during the surgery. Avoiding excessive quantities of vitamin C is crucial before having a hair transplant. It’s possible for vitamin C to thin the blood. These are found in some fruits and certain juices in which more vitamin C may be added.
How to Prepare Yourself for the Day of the Surgery?
Here are some ways in which you can prepare yourself for the day of the surgery.
- You should wash your hair as usual with shampoo and conditioner the night before your hair transplant procedure. No additional hair products, such as gel or wax, should be used because you want to preserve your hair looking natural.
- Your doctor will suggest to you the food and drinks you can consume just before the procedure.
- An average hair transplant procedure lasts four to eight hours. You might have to return for a few hours the following day if you are undergoing a significant hair transplant.
- Most people don’t go to sleep during surgery. They merely need anesthesia to numb their scalp. To make them feel at ease during the surgery, some patients may take a moderate sedative.
What to Expect After the Surgery?
On the day of your procedure, you will get a list of post-surgery instructions to help you heal normally. Your doctor will also let you know that the implanted hair will fall out two to eight weeks following the procedure. However, it is completely normal and part of the treatment. The majority of patients start to improve six to nine months following surgery. It takes a year for some patients to see the results.
Conclusion
Hair transplantation is a minor surgery that generally includes safe procedures and has very few risks and side effects. However, taking proper measures before and after the surgery can help make it easier.
Feeling uncertain before surgery is natural. It is always recommended to visit a healthcare professional who specializes in hair transplants to get detailed information regarding the procedure. The professionals at Derma Circles will guide you through the procedure and make you feel the most comfortable.