In addition to being concerned about the hair transplant procedure itself, many prospective hair transplant clients also worry about the moment they have to step out in public for the first time after surgery. While it is fully normal to dread the day when leaving the house after a hair transplant is no longer an option but more of a must, there is rarely anything to stress about.
Perhaps the most important thing following hair transplant surgery is to take a couple of days of from work and all other activities. In addition to helping with the healing process this will also allow the client to just take it slow and adjust to the new situation, and determine whether they feel ready to step out in public or not.
The most noticeable part of the hair transplant will be the hundreds or thousands of tiny incisions that will cover parts of the scalp. These incisions sites will be red at first, and will soon after form into small scabs. While these scabs can be visible at first, they will definitely heal in the coming days and weeks, and most likely not be noticeable at all after about two weeks.
While it is fully possible to go out in public without covering up the scalp, most people who have undergone hair transplant surgery feel self conscious. It is ok to wear a hat or a baseball cap to cover up the fact that surgery was done, but there are doctors who believe that hats and caps should be worn as little as possible, as they can restrict air and blood flow to the scalp and slow down the healing process.
Most clients feel comfortable stepping out in public a few days after the hair transplant surgery, but there are those who rather wait up to 10 days. The look of the scalp after hair transplant surgery will also have to do with which hair transplant technique was chosen. Some doctors prefer to shave the hair down before surgery, especially prior to an FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) procedure and this can draw more attention. Other doctors, especially those who perform the Strip procedure, are ok with leaving the hair longer, and this can help in covering the wound that will result from the procedure.
Contrary to common belief, a hair transplant doesn’t immediately restore hair to the scalp, but is a very slow process. After all the scabs have fallen off, which they will about 14 days after surgery, going out in public should be a breeze. There after most of the transplanted hair will shed, but this is a normal process and the root of the hair follicle remains. Over the following couple of months, the new hair will gradually start to grow in, but it is such a slow process that people are not likely to notice that anything was done, and going out in public will feel just like before.
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