Hair transplantation is an operation that is becoming more and more popular and requires little preparation. However, there are a few guidelines to follow in order for your hair implantation to be successful.
Although a hair transplant session is performed without hospitalization, it must be done under local anesthesia. However, in order for the operation to go smoothly, it is necessary to take certain precautions before the hair transplant. In this article, you will learn about the different things that must be respected and what must be avoided.
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What should you do before your hair transplant?
Your hair surgery is fast approaching. Although a specific date for your transplant has been set, the actions to prepare for it start beforehand:
15 days before: perform pre-operative examinations
Pre-operative examinations are mandatory 15 days before the hair transplant. Indeed, a blood sample and a blood test must be taken and provided to the clinic. This assessment allows us to anticipate any problem and therefore to decide if the operation is feasible or not.
4 days before: focus on good hygiene
4 days before your hair transplant, it is necessary to pay particular attention to your lifestyle. In order to facilitate the operation and to accelerate the results, make sure you maintain the healthiest lifestyle possible: hydrate properly, eat a balanced diet, get enough sleep…
1 day before: shampoo your hair
The scalp must be stimulated in order to guarantee a good regrowth of the hair implants. It is therefore necessary to shampoo the scalp with a “gentle” product in order not to damage it.
D-Day: choosing the right outfit
When the day of the operation comes, it is highly recommended to choose an outfit that avoids contact between your head and the clothing. This is why it is advisable to choose a shirt or T-shirt with a very wide collar. This will prevent the freshly implanted grafts from touching the clothing you wish to remove or put on.
It is also important to choose clothes that allow you to lie comfortably. You will be in a lying position for the duration of the operation, which lasts at least 3 hours. It is therefore best to be dressed as comfortably as possible.
Carry out a blood test
An important step before hair transplantation, a blood test is essential to determine if the patient has any postoperative and operative complications. In principle, you should perform a blood extraction, either in a laboratory of your choice or with your attending physician. Before submitting a patient to hair transplantation, knowing his or her general condition will both protect him or her and avoid infection of medical equipment. In short, the blood test is a precaution that will help assess the patient’s ability to withstand the operation.
Before the procedure, it is important to have some blood tests done. Generally, you are required to perform:
- An HIV test;
- A coagulation test;
- A hepatitis B and C test;
- A CBC blood count;
- A blood sugar test if you are diabetic.
Since these different analyses can be performed in less than 15 minutes, it is even possible to perform them a few hours before the operation. However, the ideal is to do them in advance. For your information, these various tests are included in the price of the hair transplant. Therefore, no payment will be required if you wish to take a blood sample.
What to do and eat on the day of the operation?
On the day of the operation, start by eating your breakfast. It is not necessary to fast on the day of the operation. On the other hand, eating a full meal is recommended for diabetic patients, an important precaution to take.
As for the shaving, it will be an assistant who will do this operation. It should be noted that the hair at the back will not matter if you opt for the FUE technique. But in the case where the procedure used is the strip method, the hair in the donor area must measure between 1 and 2 centimeters.
Hotel accommodation
Also, if you come from far away or from abroad, it is advisable to arrive the day before the operation; that is to say to leave the next morning, even if you are accompanied. It is important to have a good night’s rest before the operation and to rest before taking the road.
What should you avoid doing before your hair transplant?
We have just seen the things to do before your hair transplant. But what about the things to avoid before going to the clinic? Before a hair transplant, alcohol and cigarettes do not mix well. You should also avoid blood-thinning medications.
Avoid alcohol consumption
It is necessary to avoid consuming alcoholic beverages at least 4 days before your surgery. This is because alcohol can alter the effectiveness of local anesthetics. The best option is to focus on drinking water.
Avoid smoking
If you are a smoker, you must also stop smoking at least 4 days before your hair surgery. Why? The direct consequence of smoking is to reduce the quantity of blood brought to the scalp. Indeed, smoking will cause the loss of blood vessels and consequently limit the development of the implanted hair.
In addition, smoking also increases the risk of necrosis. As this term refers to a premature death of the cells, a necrosis of the scalp would automatically lead to a failure of the operation.
Medications to bring and to avoid
It is important not to forget to bring the medication that the practitioner has prescribed. In general, this includes a sleeping pill, corticosteroid and Betadine Scrub, a painkiller of the same type as paracetamol. If you use Minoxidil in your daily treatment, it is recommended that you stop using it ten days before the hair transplant session.
Once the operation is performed, you can resume these medications within 15 days. The same applies to anti-inflammatory drugs, vitamins B and E, and aspirin. You should also avoid drinking alcoholic beverages 48 hours before the transplant session.
