So, you have your hair transplant with KSL Clinic booked and organised. Amongst the excitement and potential apprehension, you should begin prepping for the recovery process. One thing you’ll need to be clued up on before your treatment: sleeping!
Sleeping is a major part of the recovery process for any medical procedure, but even more so for hair transplants. In order to protect your results and prevent any delicate hair grafts from being dislodged, you’ll need to slightly modify how you sleep for the first 5 nights. Read on to find out how to sleep after a hair transplant, so you can prepare for any modifications you should be making.
Sleep at an elevated angle
One of the most important parts of the recovery process is the immediate 48 hours following your hair transplant procedure. This is the period where your hair grafts are their most sensitive and delicate, so there are a number of precautions you should take to ensure that your grafts stay in place.
One piece of advice that we urge all patients to take is the following: try to sleep at an elevated angle for the first 5 nights following your hair transplant. While this might be difficult, it’s incredibly important that your hair grafts aren’t dislodged during the night. Following your procedure with us at KSL, you’ll find more finer details regarding your recovery in your after-care programme.
Friction of any kind can cause the hair grafts to potentially weaken and dislodge. We will provide products that can be used for the first five nights post-treatment, which will help keep all the hair grafts in place and protect the outcome of your procedure.
Friction can also cause irritation on the treated transplant area, so sleeping in an upright position (or angled position) will help your recovery process run smoothly without any delays.
Sleep on fresh sheets
Aside from dislodging hair grafts, the worst thing you can do for your hair transplant is sleep on dirty sheets. Bedsheets are notorious when it comes to the accumulation of bacteria and dead skin cells.
Prepare in advance and have your bed made with fresh sheets for the night. If you’re going to be sleeping on a recliner or sofa, cover the sleeping area with fresh sheets or a fresh duvet.
When can I sleep in my normal position again?
After 5 days, it will be fine to sleep in your normal sleeping position again.
That being said, we’d still advise you to use soft linens and avoid any friction when it comes to your scalp. Avoid all friction and abrasive materials – such as pillows with sequins, raised designs or raised textures.