Is Sweating Bad After Hair Transplant?

Everybody sweats, and it doesn’t take a huge workout or 100-degree heat to start dripping!

But, when you are on the path to recovery after a hair transplant, it’s common wisdom to keep perspiration to a minimum.

Should you stay inside with the A/C blasting to optimize your recovery from a hair transplant? How long until you can start going all-out on the court or golf course once again?

Let’s find out if sweat is truly the aftercare saboteur it’s perceived to be.

Don’t sweat too hard.

For the fitness freaks and health nuts out there, sweating is much more than a physiological function, it’s a lifestyle! Cycling, jogging, and hitting the basketball court are all great ways to burn calories and pump up endorphins, but following a hair transplant, you’ll want to pump the brakes instead.

Strenuous physical activity is way more of a threat to your transplant success than sweat alone. They go hand in hand, so some folks tend to conflate the two and deem them all bad. 

You should wait at least 10 days after your surgery to get back to exercising, and you should resume your activity with caution at first. Too much blood-pumping action can dislodge your grafts and rewind the clock on your progress. 

Getting one good workout simply isn’t worth the hassle of performing another surgery.

If you’re just relaxing outdoors, some sweat isn’t the end of the world. You can be hanging out on the patio or couch and still start sweating if the temperature rises. It is a function of internal body heat, not necessarily your heart rate or metabolic output.

The reason hair transplant surgeons warn against sweating is due to the bacterial buildup that can occur on the scalp and lead to infection, which can result in losing precious grafts.

Make the distinction very clear in your mind: Heavy exercise and physical strain is always a no-go in the recovery stage, but a little bit of sweat is not a huge deal, as long as you wash it off as soon as you can.

Remember that bacteria is the culprit as you navigate your recovery phase, and if you follow the simple instructions we lay out, a bit of sweat can quickly be scrubbed away.

Keep it clean.

If you do find yourself breaking a sweat at any point during the recovery period, don’t freak out. 

The sweat itself isn’t going to ruin your gains, but allowing bacteria buildup on the scalp will. That’s why you should hit the showers as fast as possible when you feel a sweat coming on, or at the very least run some warm soapy water through your hair to clear things out.

You need to get used to being extra cautious about cleaning your hair, especially in the first couple of weeks. It’s better to overdo it and wash too much versus risking bacterial infection.

Regular soap and shampoo should do the trick, but your clinic may suggest you use a specific type of hygiene product to minimize irritation in the first phase of recovery. Depending on the scope of your surgery, your doctor may also have other unique instructions to ensure you heal properly and avoid infection.

It’s important that you select competent and communicative doctors who will be as helpful after the surgery as they were during your first consultation.

Use protection.

The best way to avoid excessive sweating is to simply stay out of the sun and don’t get into heart-pumping scenarios!

With that said, the heat can be overwhelming in the summer months, and you need to take some precautions to ensure you don’t sabotage your grafts with sweat.

Try to stick to the shade as much as possible when navigating outdoor spaces, and if you want to chill by the pool or ocean, make sure you stay under that umbrella.

While you shouldn’t wear head coverings of ANY types in the first week of recovery, you can seek refuge under a loose sun cap or visor once your transplant takes hold. As things continue to heal up, you can start sporting tighter-fitting baseball caps and other headwear that suits your style.

Your best bet is to just play it safe for the first week or so following hair transplant surgery. That means staying inside most of the time with your head elevated and body temperature at an even level.

Try to sleep in a position that doesn’t put pressure on your recipient area, and avoid tossing and turning during the night if you can.

If you want to work from home on the couch or just enjoy a low-key staycation, we’re not complaining! Read up on testimonials to see how hundreds of other folks recovered successfully.

So what if you pack on a couple pounds while your head heals up? Once you are fully recovered, you can hit the pavement once again and get back in peak physical condition.

Just make sure you get the green light from your doctor before you go do any major feats of strength or gear up for a triathlon.

Keep stress low.

Speaking of taking it easy, you want to relax as much as you can to promote full recovery after your hair transplant.

It’s vital to stay mentally cool as well as physically cool. When bouncing back from a hair transplant, it is extra important to not “sweat” the small stuff–literally and figuratively!

Many folks choose to take a week off work so they can focus on ensuring proper recovery, but if this isn’t an option, at least try to lighten your load. Work from home if you can or try to get a few extra shifts covered if you have to show up and punch the clock.

Kick back with your favorite TV series or curl up with a book on your deck in the shade. Any way you can feel more relaxed and at ease, your body has an easier time fighting infection and inflammation, making the whole process much smoother.

The body has a visceral reaction to stress of all kinds, and scientists know that too much fretting can get in the way of our ability to recover from injury and surgery.

Let your friends and family know that you are laying low, so they don’t spring anything unexpected or ask you to get too involved. Treat this recovery period as a mini-vacation from the stresses and strains of life. 

You’ve earned it!

Conclusion

There’s nothing wrong with a bit of sweat here and there, even as you recover from a hair transplant. For those of us in hot climates, it is sometimes unavoidable.

What matters is how you manage the perspiration, and cleaning up quickly after you do break a sweat. Frequent gentle showers in low-temp water are the best way to avoid complications.

As your hair becomes more steadfast and you get more comfortable moving around, you can start to work out harder and get back to living life. 

Most importantly, you’ll want to minimize stress and strain in all areas of your life, so you can recover physically as well as mentally.

From sweat to sanitation and everything in between, we’ve got the insider scoop on everything hair-loss related. Check out our blog for regular updates, and don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter, too so you don’t miss a thing!

Sources:

1. https://www.drfarole.com/taking-care-hair-scalp-hair-restoration/ 
2. https://www.fueclinics.com/life-after-hair-transplant-what-can-and-cant-i-do/#:~:text=You%20should%20avoid%20excessive%20sweating,you%20to%20sweat%2C%20especially%20profusely 
3. https://nashvillehairdoctor.com/recovery-after-hair-transplant/dos-and-donts-after-a-hair-transplant/