Keep the angle (when sleeping)

Follically Challenged

Experienced Member
Reaction score
0
When I got hair transplants last year my neck was pretty messed up. I tried to keep the angle when I was sleeping but eventually decided to just sleep normally. Well my face was all swollen the next day and days to come.

But what's worse is I wonder how many hairs I lost by not keeping the angle and letting the blood drain down. I'm sure I was supposed to have more hairs then what I have right now.

I am definitely going to need another procedure.
 

s.a.f

Senior Member
Reaction score
67
Follically Challenged said:
But what's worse is I wonder how many hairs I lost by not keeping the angle and letting the blood drain down.

What are you talking about?
You dont lose any hairs by sleeping at the wrong angle after a procedure. The only reason to sleep at an angle post op is to help the saline drain away faster to reduce swelling time.
 
G

Guest

Guest
The reason patients are encouraged to sleep at an angle of 45 degrees, is to prevent increased blood flow and pressure running to the scalp. The tissue of the grafts are adhering and mending with the scalp tissue in the recipient sites. It's the following 72 hours (three days) post-op when patients are at the highest risk of losing or popping grafts. Nobody retains 100% of what was placed anyway. Everyone loses a few here and there. After the three day period, enough mending and healing has taken place to the level that it becomes very difficult to lose your grafts, and one can resume sleeping flat on the bed.

If your foot was injured from something falling on it, causing swelling, etc., the docs often advise you to keep your leg elevated above on a pillow or something so the blood flow has less pressure going to your injured foot. It helps with swelling and pain.

The forehead and even facial selling was not a result of the angle you slept at. Rather, it is the direct result of the injected liquids like saline being pulled down from the effects of gravity. For most hair transplant patients, the swelling shows up three days following surgery, and then lingers for another three days. The 3/3 rule.

You'll be fine. One more thing. How do you know when you have lost a graft post-op? There will be a resulting small stream of blood that flowed from the recipient site where the graft was imbedded. Hopefully, you have not seen this happening. Best to you with your healing.
 
Top