Guidelines for Swimming after Hair Transplant

In a hair transplant surgery, the surgeon transplants healthy hair from one part of your head to another to create a fuller and more natural look.  The procedure is generally performed after other options such as medication and topical treatments have been exhausted. However, many people are left wondering if they can go swimming soon after the surgery or not. This post will further talk about the guidelines for swimming after a hair transplant.

We have tried to address the common worries of patients related to swimming in this blog. Read on to find out everything you need to know!

Is it safe to go swimming after a hair transplant?

While many patients tend to pool dive, swim, or go swimming immediately after a hair transplant surgery, it is advised that you wait for at least two weeks before doing so. The reason being is that the scalp area where the hair transplant was done might be inflamed during this period as your body tends to react against a foreign object in the scalp.

Also, once you begin swimming, water may seep between your freshly implanted grafts and not only cause irritation but also may result in loosening of hairs which can give a patchy look. Now that we have mentioned certain precautions for going swimming post-surgery, let us talk about when you should *not* go into chlorinated water:

1) Avoid going into any kind of water where the water is very cold or has been treated with chemicals such as chlorine.

2) Always avoid swimming in hot tubs and baths which are generally not conducive for your health post-hair transplant surgery. Not only do these contain high levels of chlorine but also tend to let out a lot of heat from your body, thus dehydrating you a lot during this critical time when you need to keep yourself hydrated.

3) Try to avoid going into water that may have low salt concentration. This again will increase the chances of losing electrolytes in your system due to excessive sweating it causes – this will make you feel tired easily and tiredness can deter you from returning back to normal activities too soon after surgery.

4) Avoid going into the pool with wet hair as this can make your scalp 'wet' which will lead to breaking of hair roots.

Do I need a swimming cap for swimming after surgery?

It is advised that you wear a swimming cap while going swimming after hair transplant surgery so as to protect all the freshly transplanted follicles in your scalp from exposure to chlorine or any other chemicals present in the water. Also, these caps usually ensure that none of your own natural or newly implanted hairs fall off their roots during your activities underwater. Here are some tips on wearing a swimming cap:

1. Make sure that it fits firmly but not too tightly across your head. This is because caps which fit tightly over the head can put too much pressure and may constrict blood flow.
2. Use a latex or silicon-based swimming cap as it will give your scalp area enough time to breathe while you are under water.
3. Keep the swimming cap on for at least half an hour after you get out of the water, so that any moisture from inside your hair follicles remains in the caps instead of seeping back into them.

While wearing a swimming cap is not mandatory but this will definitely help lengthen the span of your newly implanted hairs.  Wearing a swimming cap when you are going swimming is *not* advised if you have natural hair grafts as it can put pressure on the natural hair follicles which may cause them to loosen.

Is there anything else I need to keep in mind?

• The most important thing after swimming is that you should always towel dry your head well and not shake any water from your hair while doing so, otherwise this may result in loosening of these newly implanted hairs or even breakage.
• Keep yourself well hydrated at all times. This is because even though you might be sweating due to heat while under water, fresh air will eventually enter your scalp area once you get out of the water which will cool you down and will make you sweat even more. This is because your body tends to cool itself from inside initially by causing perspiration, but as the water evaporates, this cooling process changes its direction completely and mainly concentrates on reducing temperature from outside.
• If you are going for swimming soon after surgery ensure that you do not exert yourself too much under water or take any vigorous exercises which may lead to heavy sweating or excessive blood pressure build up due to lack of oxygen supply in vital areas due to excessive weight loss.

Beware the syndrome of loosening of grafted hair that can occur after swimming. If you have just undergone hair transplant surgery, you must be very careful about going into the water as it is a well-known fact that a number of patients lose their newly implanted hairs during or after swimming in water.

Dr. V. S Rathore is the best hair transplant surgeon in India and he has contributed towards the growth and development of Hair Transplantation Surgery for the last 15 years at Kolkata and many parts of India.

His name enjoys legendary status all over the country for his efficient and effective treatment of hair loss problems by performing FUE, FUT & Strip Hair Transplants at a very affordable cost. Visit his website to book a consultation today!

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