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Patient reference

Post-Operative Care Instructions

Everything you need after your procedure with Dr. Khorsandi — your medications, how to wash, a day-by-day healing timeline, and what to expect as your new hair grows in. Bookmark this page; it’s yours to come back to any time.

Which procedure did you have? Select it above and this page will show exactly your instructions. Until then, both versions are shown and labeled.

Questions or concerns at any point?

Call or text Lee Millard any time: (702) 994-2133. Your post-op packet also includes direct emergency numbers for our medical team.

Medications

Your prescriptions

You’ll pick up your prescriptions from Lee at the clinic, or Lee will drop them off at the Walgreens one block from our office. Bring all of them with you on the day of your procedure — the doctor or nurse will tell you when to take each one, so hold off until then.

Never take these medications on an empty stomach, and finish the entire prescription.

Diazepam (Valium)

Anxiety

The doctor or nurse will tell you when to take it.

Cephalexin or Clindamycin

Antibiotic

1 pill 4 times a day for five days until gone (20 pills) — or 2 pills twice a day until gone.

Hydrocodone

Pain

1 or 2 tablets every 4 hours as needed for pain (5 pills).

Medrol Dosepak

Swelling

Use as directed on the box.

Skip anything containing aspirin for the first 3 days after surgery. If you’d rather not take the prescription pain medication, an aspirin-free option like Extra Strength Tylenol works fine.

Your recovery, day by day

The healing timeline

  1. Surgery day

    Rest easy. You can wash your body, but keep the shower water pressure away from your grafts. Wear a button-down or zip-up shirt today and for the next 5 days.

  2. Days 1–4

    Spray H2Ocean on the transplanted area 3–4 times a day while you’re awake. Sleep at a 30–45 degree angle for the first 3–4 nights and keep your head above your heart at all times — if you need to bend down, bend at the knees. Swelling typically shows up on day 2 or 3 and is gone by day 5 or 6. It’s temporary and will not alter your results.

  3. Day 6

    First gentle wash, using the cup method — see How to wash your hair. (Don’t count the day of surgery when counting days.) Detangler is fine; hold off on conditioner until one week. A hair dryer on a low setting is OK.

  4. Day 7 FUE patients

    Exercise and weight lifting can resume.

  5. Day 8

    Normal shower pressure on the grafts is OK from today. Resume washing and rinsing as usual.

  6. Day 14 FUT (Strip) patients

    Suture removal — call or text Lee at (702) 994-2133 to schedule a time. Exercise and weight lifting can also resume today.

  7. One week

    The small scabs start falling off. Many will have a hair in them — this is normal. If you still have scabs after one week, you can get more aggressive when shampooing; the grafts are not going to come out.

  8. Week 4

    Haircuts and any hair processing can resume.

  9. One month

    The grafted area can see the sun again.

  10. Month 4

    We’ll call you to schedule your first follow-up appointment. If you haven’t heard from us by 4 months, call the office.

  11. Months 1–12

    Your new hair grows in — see what to expect in the months ahead.

The quick rules

Do & don’t

Do

  • Go about your normal activities.
  • Wear a hat to go out in public — just put it on and take it off carefully, without rubbing the grafts.
  • Wear a button-down or zip-up shirt for 5 days after surgery.
  • Resume haircuts and any hair processing after 4 weeks.
  • Call if you’re not sure about anything or have any questions.

Don’t — yet

  • Exercise (as in running) — wait 7 days (FUE) / 14 days (FUT · Strip).
  • Lift weights or anything strenuous — wait 7 days (FUE) / 14 days (FUT · Strip).
  • Bend over — wait 5 days (bend at the knees instead).
  • Alcohol, aspirin, sex — wait 5 days.
  • Hats and hairpieces beyond quick public outings — leave the transplanted area open to the air as much as possible.
  • Sun on the grafted area — wait one month.

Graft care spray

H2Ocean spray

We send you home with 2 cans of H2Ocean Nutrient Spray for Hair and Scalp — a sterile, hypoallergenic, fragrance-free saline spray with lysozyme that soothes the scalp and supports healing.

Directions: spray directly on the transplanted area 3 times per day, or every 4 hours. For best results, let the solution absorb into the skin — don’t wipe it off.

What it does for hair transplant patients:

  • Promotes cell growth, wound healing, and cleansing
  • Reduces redness
  • Decreases pain and inflammation
  • Alleviates itching
  • Cools and soothes

Good to know

Swelling, scabs & healing

Swelling

Swelling typically occurs the second or third day after surgery and is gone by day five or six. Sleep at a 30–45 degree angle for the first 3–4 nights, keep your head elevated above your heart at all times, and bend at the knees if you need to bend down. Swelling is a temporary side effect and will not alter your results.

Scabs

The scabs are very small and start falling off by one week post-op. Many of these scabs will have a hair in them — this is normal. If you still have scabs after one week, you can get more aggressive when shampooing; the grafts are not going to come out.

Healing

Leave the transplanted area open to the air as much as possible and save hats and hairpieces for when you really need them. Keep the grafted area out of the sun for one month.

Washing

How to wash your hair

Don’t wash your hair for the first 5 days after your procedure — the H2Ocean spray does the work during that stretch. Beginning day 6 (don’t count the day of surgery), you can gently wash your hair. You can wash your body right away — just don’t let the shower water pressure hit your grafts.

The cup method, until one week post-op:

  1. Wet your hair by gently pouring water over your head with a large plastic cup.
  2. Work shampoo into a lather in your hands.
  3. Gently dab the shampoo onto the grafted area — do not rub.
  4. Let it sit on the grafts for 3–5 minutes.
  5. Rinse with the cup of water.

Keep high-pressure shower water off your grafts until day 8. After that, resume washing and rinsing as usual. FUT (Strip) patients: Shampoo the suture line as vigorously as you can comfortably tolerate. Wash the rest of your scalp as normal. Pat dry gently with a towel or let your hair air-dry. Detangler is fine; wait one week before using conditioner. A hair dryer on a low setting is OK.

Donor area

Caring for your donor area

FUE patients

Your donor area heals on its own. The tiny sites on the back and sides of your head close up within days — there are no sutures to remove and no removal appointment to schedule. Keep the area clean with regular gentle washing and let it breathe.

FUT (Strip) patients

Your donor area is closed with sutures along a thin line at the back of your head. Shampoo the suture line as vigorously as you can comfortably tolerate — keeping it clean helps it heal. We remove the sutures two weeks after your procedure: call or text Lee at (702) 994-2133 to schedule a time.

The months ahead

What to expect as your hair grows in

The transplanted hairs will fall out within the first 30 days — that’s the follicle resetting, and it’s part of the plan. New growth starts in 3–4 months. You’ll see a noticeable change at 6 months, a significant change by 9 months, and the process is complete by 12 months.

Month 1

Transplanted hairs shed — expected and temporary.

Months 3–4

New growth begins.

Months 6–9

Noticeable change at 6, significant by 9.

Month 12

Your result is complete.

Not sure about something?

That’s what we’re here for. Call or text Lee Millard: (702) 994-2133.

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