#1 - Get Plenty of Sleep

Rest up! At Sharma Skin & Hair Surgery you will start your procedure day at 8:30 am. Most surgeries take a minimum of 8 hours which leads to a long day for you. Throughout the procedure, some patients doze off but the sound and movement in the room prevent deep and restful sleep. This is especially true for larger and therefore, longer surgeries. Whether you are having the F.U.E. or F.U.T. procedure we excise and transplant each hair follicle one at a time, this means that the more grafts being relocated, the longer the surgery. For surgeries nearing 3,000 grafts you can expect to remain at the clinic until late in the evening.

#2 - Stock Up on Groceries & Supplies

Complete any pressing chores around the house that you might not want to be doing with a bandaged and healing head. After surgery, your donor site will require around 5 days of healing before it is safe to resume regular activities. It is important to avoid strenuous activities for roughly 14 days after your transplant. You are also unable to wear a hat for the next 10 days, this means you finally have a legitimate excuse to ask your partner to shovel the driveway in -30° weather.

#3 - Avoid Cigarettes and Alcohol

Stop smoking 1 week prior to your surgery. Smoking inhibits the blood flow to the skin and can interfere with the healing process. In addition, you should refrain from smoking for the first 5 days after your procedure.

3 days prior to your surgery, please refrain from alcohol consumption as this will also inhibit your healing while also causing dehydration.

#4 - Start the Prescribed Medication

During your pre-op appointment Dr. Sharma will likely prescribe medications to prepare you for the surgery day. Prior to the surgery date, take prescribed medication as directed by Doctor Sharma. Some notable vitamins and supplements you should avoid before the procedure are: fish oil, vitamin E, omega 3, and gingko. These may thin the blood causing additional bleeding during your surgery.

Another very helpful tip is to stay hydrated and drink lots of water the day before and morning of surgery.

#5 - Wear Comfortable & Non-Restrictive Clothing

Sweat pants are going to be your best friend on the day of surgery. You will be laying prone for a large portion of the day and being comfortable will be a high priority. You will be supplied with a blue surgery gown to wear throughout the procedure but once complete you will want a shirt that is easy to put on while avoiding the freshly transplanted grafts. A button-up or zip-up shirt is is a must.

To further assist your comfortability, you will be able to listen to music throughout the procedure. During the second portion of the day, you will also be able to watch TV in the surgery suite which will help the time fly by.

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After Your Hair Transplant

Here Dr. Sharma discusses some of the aftercare instructions following the hair transplant procedure. With 50% of the work being done on the day of surgery, the other half takes place during the 1-2 weeks of recovery time.

Looking for something more in-depth? Click this link to read more about hair transplant aftercare.

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Follow Dr. Sharma on Instagram to learn more about the hair transplant process at our clinic here in Edmonton. Send us a message and let us know what you would like to see next.

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