The first week at home after a hair transplant is calmest when it is simple. Some rest, some patience, and a few routines that repeat. Here we go through it day by day, from coming home until the scabs start to loosen. Your clinic has given you its own instructions, and those always come first. This is the practical background.
Day 1 and 2: rest and elevated sleep
The first two days are about leaving the scalp alone. Sleep elevated, around 45 degrees, to keep the swelling down. A neck pillow is a simple trick. It keeps your head steady and makes it harder to turn toward the pillow in your sleep.
Do not touch the area. Avoid scratching, picking or stroking it, even when it feels tempting. Take it easy otherwise too. No heavy lifting, nothing that raises your pulse more than necessary.
Day 3: the first wash
Around day three the first gentle wash usually happens, according to your clinic's instruction. The timing can vary, so follow what you were sent home with. When the time comes: lukewarm water, a soft stream and slow movements. Never rub.
The shampoo should cleanse without drying out. Lather Me Up is made for exactly that, a soft lather that you rinse out thoroughly. Read more about how the first wash works in the article When can I wash my hair?
Day 4 to 6: the swelling moves
In the middle of the week the swelling can move. What sat high up on the scalp can shift toward the forehead and sometimes around the eyes. It often looks worse than it is, and it settles on its own.
Many people find lymphatic massage comfortable during these days. NEXO Borste is a lymphatic massage brush. Use light, soft strokes from the centre of the face out toward the ears, never on the transplanted area itself. It takes about a minute. You can read more about the method in Swelling and lymphatic massage.
Keep sleeping elevated if you feel the swelling is lingering. The simplest thing often helps the most.
Day 7: the scabs loosen
Toward the end of the week the scabs start to loosen on their own. That is a good sign, but the urge to help them along should be resisted. Never pick off scabs with your fingers. They come off when they are ready, often during the wash.
If a scab is still there after washing, let it stay. The next day it will most likely come off by itself.
When the week is over
After seven days the scalp usually feels calmer and everyday life slowly returns to normal. Keep up the gentle routine and listen to the clinic's advice on when you can go back to exercise, sauna and the rest. Week by week you will find it in our article The aftercare week by week.