Your Journey

Our dedicated team will discuss your needs and arrange a consultation with one of our plastic surgeons. All your care will be managed by our plastic surgeons, fully trained in the UK and on the plastic surgery specialist register and fellows of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons. Our surgeons will perform a full history and examination. They will discuss your options and the procedures in detail covering the benefits and risks.

Hair restoration is a delicate procedure. Your adherence to the following instructions is essential for optimal results.

• • Ensure you get a good night sleep before your procedure
  • Do have breakfast the morning of procedure
  • Bring an adjustable/loose fitted baseball cap
  • Wear a washable front buttoning shirt
  • Continue to take all current prescriptions unless told to stop by your surgeon.

What to avoid before surgery	How long before
Aspirin	7 days
Vitamin E, Multi-vitamins, Fish/ Fish oil supplements	7 days
Ibuprofen	5 days
Alcoholic drinks	2 days
Caffeine	2 days

By taking these medicines/products you can have increased bleeding.

If you know of any problems you have with bleeding or other medical problems, please contact us and let us know prior to your procedure.

You may feel drowsy after surgery so you must have someone to drive you home.

We will provide you with a light lunch if you are booked for a long procedure. If you have any dietary requirements please inform us.

Wear comfortable clothes. Shirts work better than T-shirts. If you are hair transplant surgery, bring a loose hat. If you are having eye surgery, bring some large dark sunglasses if you want to conceal. Also bring comfortable non slip footwear that you can wear on the day.

Once again, your plastic surgeon will be there to greet you and explain the procedure again. In adherence with good practice guidelines by the General Medical Council and British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, we will ensure that you have a cooling off period of two weeks between the date of the consultation and the date of your procedure.

We do all of our procedures under local anaesthetic, so you will be able to go home the same day. If you require an overnight stay, our concierge service will help in arranging an accommodation in a nearby hotel.

After going home, within 24 hours we will call you to ensure that you are well and have no questions to ask about your aftercare. We will also offer a week review in the clinic, or a virtual review if you cannot travel to us. We will also offer complimentary follow up at 3 months and 1 year to ensure your satisfaction. If you get stuck with anything, just contact the clinic, we are here for you.

Hair restoration is a delicate procedure. Your adherence to the following instructions is essential for optimal results.

What to expect after my Hair transplant

It is normal to feel a slight tenderness in the donor area for the first 2 days. If you experience pain call the clinic right away. It is very rare to have excessive pain in the grafted area. In the event that you experience some bleeding after surgery (approximately 1 in 20 patients) apply saline onto a clean clothe and apply pressure on the area for 15 minutes. This is usually sufficient. If significant bleeding occurs, again apply firm, continuous pressure and call the clinic immediately. This is extremely rare.

It is normal to experience swelling on the second through fifth day if any. It will resolve in approximately 7-10 days. Using a ice pack and elevating your head for the first 72 hours can greatly reduce this.

Be very careful when getting in and out of vehicles that you don’t cause any harm to the area. Hairs in the grafts will fall out in approximately 2-10 weeks. New permanent hair will appear in about 3-4 months after surgery, and take approximately 6-8 months to actually provide some coverage.

You may also experience some ingrown hairs 2-6 months after surgery, which are normal and usually resolve by using  hot compresses, and Benzyl Peroxide 10% ointment. If not, or if the area becomes tender please contact the clinic.

Evening of surgery

Take your medication as directed by your surgeon. For the first 48 hours (including bedtime) it’s very important to elevate your head at all times with your chin up (towards the ceiling). * Do this by visualizing a bag of fluid underneath the grafted area of the scalp. Use gravity to move the fluid backwards, towards the suture area. * If the fluid goes forward , you will experience facial swelling 3-7 days after surgery as fluid makes its way down your face. Apply an ice pack to your forehead for the first 3 days for 15 minutes, at least four times a day.

The day after surgery for the first 5 days

Shampoo twice a day for the first 5 days. Shampoo hair standing upright in the shower; however, if using showerhead, please make sure that the running water pressure is low. Heavy pressure may be too strong for your grafts. Another option is to use a cup or a bowl in the shower and wet your hair by gently pouring cool temperature water over your head until hair is saturated. Lather shampoo in your hand (alcohol free shampoo for 7 days). Gently pat the lather onto the grafted area. Do not rub. Let the shampoo sit on the grafts for 3 minutes and rinse suds using cool/luke warm water. Air dry or gently pat hair dry with a towel, however, do not rub the grafts. If desire, a cool blow dryer can be used after 24 hours to dry the grafted area. Apply antibiotic ointment on the donor area and grafted area twice a day after each hair wash. Sleep with your head slightly elevated (2-3 pillows) for three days after surgery to prevent bleeding and swelling.

5 Days after surgery

After day 5 of your procedure, your grafts are thoroughly rooted. You may begin standing under the showerhead with normal pressure running water. At this time you may begin to help loosen the scabs that have formed around the grafts. Do not use fingernails to pick off the scabs, as this may result in scarring. Simply use the pads of your ringers to gently rub them while you are shampooing. It is important to shampoo every days until all the scabs have fallen off. Once all the scabs are gone (7-14 days), you may resume your normal shampooing routine.

Regaine/Minoxidil 

Some studies indicate that use of Regaine foam following surgery may improve the growth of the grafts. We suggest using 5% Regaine as directed by your surgeon. Because of possible irritation to the scalp, we suggest starting the Regaine 5-7 days after surgery.

Exercise and activity

After 5 days, regular activity can be resumed (too much activity could cause swelling, bleeding and loss of grafts). Squat at the knees instead of bending at the waist. Be careful not to bump your head.

Hair colouring 

Hair colouring should be taken care of 7 days prior to surgery. Please wait 4 weeks after surgery to do follow up colour.

Attire after surgery

Wear a button down shirt for 5 days after surgery. Do not wear a shirt you have to pull on over your head as it may cause the newly placed grafts to loosen. If wearing a baseball cap, carefully place the brim of the hat on your forehead, and then pull back down. When removing the hat, carefully lift it from the back first. Remember to wear loose fitting hats. Hats are not necessary unless you are in direct sunlight. In this case, a hat should be worn to prevent sunburn in the area.

Swimming and Sun

Avoid swimming for 5 days. Avoid direct sun exposure on the grafted area for four weeks. For the next few months, if you are going to be in the sun for an extended period of time (sunbathing, golfing, etc) you must wear a hat and use sun block on the grafted area. Sunburn may result in discoloration of the area.

Alcohol and smoking 

It is not permitted to consume any alcohol while taking any form of pain medication. Alcohol thins the blood and may cause bleeding. The medication we prescribe cannot be consumed with alcohol. Many scientific studies show that smoking impairs wound healing. To ensure the best healing and survival of the transplanted hair we suggest that you stop smoking for at least one month prior to your surgery and not to continue for at least two months after your surgery.