Is wearing a hat after hair transplant surgery a bad idea? It is very normal for hair transplant patients to wish for all the benefits of hair transplantation. However, their enthusiasm may start to waver a bit when it comes to planning for their recovery. It is normal to feel somewhat self-conscious about hair loss. And it’s extremely common to want to be private about having undergone hair transplant surgery.
Many patients ask about wearing a hat after hair transplant surgery to hide their new transplants until they’ve grown out. So is wearing a hat after hair transplant surgery a bad idea? The short answer is that no. Wearing a hat after hair transplant surgery is not a good idea in the weeks immediately following your hair transplant. This is because hair transplantation requires proper after-care in order for your surgery to be a success. During hair transplant surgery one of either two techniques will be performed; FUT or FUE.
Wearing a Hat After Hair Transplant Surgery
During FUT the hair follicle grafts are harvested through the removal of a small section of the scalp. Normally they’re taken from the back of the head. This requires the surgeon to make an incision that requires suturing. With FUE, the hair follicle grafts are harvested individually with a mircropunch tool. After surgery, a topical antibiotic is applied to the scalp. Additionally, your transplant doctor may cover your scalp with bandages for a few days.
It’s inadvisable to wear a hat after hair transplant surgery because your surgical wounds need time to heal. It is essential that you take proper measures to prevent infection. If you don’t follow proper aftercare instructions it could impact your new transplants as well as your health. While hair transplantation has a low risk for side effects, there are still some serious complications that can occur if you do not take proper care of your scalp as it is healing. How well you heal from your surgery depends on the expertise of your surgeon. Your body’s natural ability to heal, and your ability to follow aftercare instructions matter as well.
Healing From FUE and FUT Transplant Surgery
It normally takes between 10 days to two weeks for the scalp to heal after hair transplant surgery. During this time your surgeon will advise against wearing any hats or hairpieces. Swim caps, helmets, and other sports-related headgear should also be avoided. Patients will also be instructed to avoid getting a hair cut, exercising, swimming, or engaging in any other activities that could potentially damage the hair transplants or cause infection.
The reason why hats are not advised is that they can expose your healing wounds to dangerous bacteria, especially if the hat has been previously worn. The last thing you want to do is spend thousands of dollars on an unsuccessful transplant, and wearing a hat or other kind of headgear could damage your new hair follicles before they are well established causing them to fail to produce hair.
While the risk of infection is low for most transplant patients, wearing a hat too early would increase those risks. If left untreated, an infection of the scalp could result in necrosis or tissue death. This is a very dangerous condition that would not only cause your transplants to fail but would also require emergency surgery and medical intervention. This could result in visible scarring as well. Needless to say, it is better to be patient and wait until after your post-operative evaluation, so your doctor can clear you to safely wear a hat before proceeding.
Concerned About What People Will Think & Say?
If you are concerned about concealing the fact that you got a hair transplant, you may want to schedule time off of work during your initial recovery. That way you won’t feel self-conscious about your appearance and can focus on resting and letting your body heal. Once you have finished the initial healing phase post-surgery, and been cleared by your doctor, then you can use hats, hairpieces, or wigs to conceal your new transplants while they are growing out. It is still important to discuss with your doctor what type of concealment products you plan to use.
For example, it is not a good idea to use rubber hair systems that require adhesives. These hair systems don’t allow any airflow to the scalp which can create an environment in which it is easy for infection and damage to your new transplanted follicles to occur. Adhesives such as glue and tape can cause damage to your hair as well.
Wearing a Hat After Hair Transplant Surgery is Not Advised
When it comes to hats, it’s really important to make sure that any hats you wear are clean and made with a breathable fabric. If you choose to wear a hat or hairpiece to conceal your hair transplant while you are at work, be sure to take them off as soon as you get home so that there is plenty of airflow on your scalp.
Your doctor can recommend the best hair care products that are gentle and effective for keeping your new hair healthy. They may also recommend low-level laser hair therapy in the form of laser caps. State-of-the-art laser cap products like the CapillusRX 312 are designed to be worn discreetly under a ball cap with no one being the wiser. If you visit clinicaltrials.gov you can read more about the Capillus and how double-blind studies have revealed its ability to increase hair growth while preventing further hair loss.
Follow Your Hair Transplant Doctor’s Instructions
It will take up to a year for your new hair transplants to grow and fill in and thin or balding areas of the scalp. Depending on the severity of your hair loss, you may need to undergo multiple transplants to achieve your desired look. Hair restoration is a process that takes time and patience, but the results are worth it. Hair loss can be emotionally devastating and can have a lasting impact on self-confidence.
While it may feel vulnerable to be open about your experience with hair restoration, your story could be helpful to others who are suffering from hair loss. It is a very common problem that many, many people experience at different stages of life. By sharing your experience you could help someone else who is suffering, see that hair restoration is possible. Finding a good support system to talk to can help you as you go through this transformative journey.
Ultimately, at Best Hair Transplant, we tell our patients that if they want to wear a hat after hair transplant surgery, it can be done safely. However, they must keep the hat from touching the newly-transplanted grafts. As long as this can be accomplished successfully, your transplant should heal properly. On the other hand, if you’re not confident that you can keep your hat from touching the grafts, simply suck it up and let them heal without wearing a hat. It will only take a small fraction of time in the grand scheme of things and soon, you won’t need to wear one any more.
SUFFERING FROM HAIR LOSS?
Best Hair Transplant is the best place to schedule your hair transplant in Los Angeles. We’ve helped both men and women regrow their lost hair. But don’t take our word for it. We suggest learning as much as possible about hair restoration. Do so prior to making a decision on how to address your hair loss. Not every procedure is right for everyone.
At Best Hair Transplant, we’re proud of our results and happy to provide hair restoration services. Additionally, we’re proud to make hair transplants affordable and help you save money on a variety of hair transplants.
To ensure your ease of mind, you can view our customer recommendations HERE. Furthermore, you can also see our Google reviews and Yelp reviews. We can’t wait to help you start restoring your lost hair.
Best Hair Transplant
1970 S. Prospect Ave., Suite 2
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(213) 403-0455
References:
- https://www.hrbr.co.uk/complications-and-risks/
- https://nashvillehairdoctor.com/recovery-after-hair-transplant/dos-and-donts-after-a-hair-transplant/
- https://www.healthline.com/health/hair-transplant
