Grooming and Styling After NeoGraft

For many people, it's not just having hair on the scalp that's important, it's their ability to style their hair in the way they like that matters. Hairstyles play a big role in people's identities. Try to think of Rachel from Friends without that haircut, Billy Idol without his platinum blond spikes, or Audrey Hepburn without the pixie cut. It's difficult to do.

Once you've undergone NeoGraft Incisionless Hair Restoration at Clevens Face and Body Specialists to restore your lost hair, your next big question might be, when will I see new growth and when can I start styling my hair again? It can be a few weeks or months before you're ready to start using products and heat tools to create your hair's style.

Washing Your Hair

Right after NeoGraft hair restoration surgery, Dr. Clevens will most likely advise you to hold off on shampooing your hair. Shampoo tends to contain detergents and other harsh ingredients, which can irritate the healing grafts and even interfere with the growth of the transplanted hair. Most likely, your surgeon will recommend waiting a few days before you try to wash your hair. If your scalp is bothering you or the hair feels greasy in the meantime, you can gently rinse the area with plain water, being careful not to use too much pressure or force.

Once you get the go-ahead from Dr. Clevens to start shampooing again, you’ll start with a gentle shampoo, such as a baby's shampoo, to avoid any irritation. If you usually use a special or prescription strength shampoo, talk to Dr. Clevens during your consultation about continuing to use the product after the hair transplant or if you should wait for a bit longer.

Cut, Color and Heat Styling

If you usually keep your hair cropped short, it's often a good idea to get a haircut right before your procedure, as you'll need to wait until several weeks afterwards to have your hair cut again. Once your surgeon says getting a haircut is OK, you might consider going really short or even shaving off most of it. That way, when the newly transplanted hair grows in, it will be growing at about the same pace as the rest of the hair on your scalp.

You might also want to go in for one final hair coloring or dye in the weeks leading up to your hair transplant. After your procedure, it will be about four weeks before it's OK to dye your  hair again. If you usually color your hair to cover up any gray, you'll want to make sure that you'll be sufficiently covered for the weeks after surgery.

Along with avoiding hair dye for about a month after surgery, you'll want to avoid any type of harsh chemicals or heat treatments. That includes permanents, hair relaxers and even hair dryers. It's particularly important to skip using heat styling tools, such as hair dryers or straightening irons immediately after your transplant. Your scalp will still be somewhat numb for a few hours after surgery. If you use a dryer or iron, you might not be able to feel the  heat from the tool, and can risk burning your scalp.

At-Home Styling

You'll most likely be able to return to the basics of hair care about two weeks after your transplant. Dr. Clevens will most likely give you the all clear to start using standard hair grooming products, from conditioner to hair gel and from hair spray to mousse at that time. You can also start using a comb or brush style your hair.

Since it can take several months for your new hair to grow in after the transplant, you  might want to think of creative ways to style your existing hair until the new growth is long enough to work with. You can accomplish a lot when it comes to concealing patchy or bald using a comb or brush. If you feel particularly self-conscious waiting for the transplanted hair to grow in, you can always try wearing a hat to make a style statement while covering up your growing hair.

To learn more about NeoGraft Incisionless Hair Restoration and what you can expect after permanent hair restoration, contact Ross A Clevens, MD, FACS today. Dr. Clevens is Central Florida's only practicing, board certified facial plastic surgeon. Trained at Yale, Harvard Medical School, and the University of Michigan, Dr. Clevens has practiced for more than 20 years and has performed thousands of procedures. If you're tired of dealing with hair loss or thinning hair, and are ready for a solution, call (321) 727-3223 for a consultation.