How do you sleep after having a hair transplant? Your hair follicles will be delicate for 10 days following the procedure, so it is important to sleep properly after a hair transplant. To avoid damaging your hair transplant when sleeping, sleep on top of 1 pillow with a travel pillow round your neck. By sleeping this way, you are slightly upright, ensuring you don’t worsen swelling or roll over in bed damaging transplanted grafts following your hair transplant.
In this article, we will discuss in detail how to sleep after a hair transplant, including the best position, the healing process, and the dos and don’ts.
When can I sleep normally after a hair transplant?
- Day 0-10: sleep on your back at an incline
- Day 10-14: you can sleep on your side. Please don’t sleep and place pressure directly on the area that has been operated on
- Day 14 onwards: you can sleep in any position
By 10 days following surgery you should be able to sleep normally in any position without significant discomfort. Even so, remember that applying too much pressure on your hair grafts still has the potential to damage them. Our advice is not to sleep face down until 14 days have passed
Sleeping after a hair transplant: the dos & don’ts
Sleeping after a hair transplant: the dos & don’ts
DO:
- Keep your head elevated when sleeping during the first two weeks after a hair transplant
- Use extra pillows to elevate your hair
- You can use a travel pillow to help prevent yourself from turning
DON’T:
- Toss and turn when trying to get to sleep
- Turn your head sideways
- Rub your head against anything
- Take any sleeping pills if at all possible, as you may wake up during the night and feel disorientated- potentially putting yourself at risk of hitting your head
We give patients detailed instructions on how to sleep when they have surgery in our clinic. It can vary from patient to patient dependent on how their surgery has progressed and the area they are having transplanted. The main advice is being extra careful when sleeping for the first 10-14 days after having a hair transplant.
What is the best position to sleep in after a hair transplant?
The best position to sleep in after a hair transplant is on your back, with your head elevated above your heart. This will help reduce swelling but also prevent your head from turning and damaging grafts at night. Sleep on 1 pillow with a travel pillow around your neck to prop your head forwards and up. By sleeping in this position, you can reduce the risk of causing damage to your hair and increasing inflammation of your scalp.
Remember, the purpose of sleeping in this position after hair transplantation is to avoid contact between the recipient (transplant) area and the pillow or bed. Things will get easier! Once your grafts have become secure, around the two-week mark, you will be able to sleep how you wish without posing a risk to your hair.