By day 10 after a hair transplant, your scalp will have mostly healed. Most of the scabs will have come off, and you can start to resume many of your regular activities. However, some grafts may still be fragile, so it’s important to exercise caution at this point in the hair transplant recovery process.
Whether you’re eager to get back to your regular routine or you want to know if your scalp looks healthy at this stage, many patients are keen to know more about what to expect on day 10 after a hair transplant. Here, you’ll learn which activities are safe, what your scalp should look and feel like at this stage, and how to care for your hair transplant 10 days after the procedure.
Key takeaways
Dr Peter Thomas, Dr Umear Ahmad, and Dr Michael May have contributed clinical insights for this article.
By day 10 your hair transplant should be pretty much healed, with very few lingering scabs and virtually no soreness or swelling. Apart from some redness and late-stage scabbing, your transplanted and donor areas should look more or less the same as the rest of your scalp. Dr Ahmad explains what to expect visually by day 10 post-hair transplant:
“Normally, we would expect to still be able to see the grafts. The hairs should still be there because most shedding won’t happen by day 10. Some of them might have shed, but most of them should still be there. So what we’re expecting to see is just lots and lots of little hairs. If it looks like a graft is sort of half in, half out, that’s not a good sign because then obviously it hasn’t really anchored in.
If it looks like there’s the odd hair or graft missing, that’s not normally anything to be overly concerned about, because there may have been some odd little hairs that have already shed by day 10. So what we’re looking for is just lots and lots of little hairs that are a similar sort of length, with no obvious grafts hanging out of the scalp.”
While the pain should be completely gone, you may still feel some itching, numbness or tingling at day 10. As long as these are getting better rather than worse, they’re probably not a cause for concern. But if the itchiness is getting worse, or your scalp is starting to feel painful again, it’s best to go in for a checkup.
Around 10 days after your hair transplant:
FUE and FUT results in the recipient area look similar after 10 days, though there are some differences in the donor region. FUT patients will find that dissolvable stitches start to fall out around the 10 day mark. Alternatively, you can schedule for your stitches to be removed at the clinic around this point.
For FUE patients, the donor area should be almost fully healed, with some lingering scabs. These are normally removed naturally by following the hair washing instructions from your clinic.
In most cases, hair transplant grafts are secure after 10-14 days. However, some people still see some substantial scabbing at this point. If you still have a lot of hair transplant scabs, you should still take extra care not to knock or dislodge your head until they’ve all come off.
Wimpole Clinic surgeon Dr Peter Thomas explains:
“The grafts become more secure as time passes. I wouldn’t say they are ‘fully anchored’ until after 2 weeks. However, they are secure enough from day 10 that most daily activities would not be harmful. But it depends what a patient’s daily activities entail. If it’s heavy sweating, intensive activity, or wearing tight fitting hats, then there is still a risk of graft damage and we should remain cautious and say wait 2 weeks.”
It’s not normally possible to tell if your hair transplant is a success after just 10 days, but if your scalp has healed without complications by day 10, that’s a good sign. Complications don’t always result in failure, but may lower your overall graft survival rates.
Scab shedding between days 3 and 14 is normal and necessary, but it needs to be done safely while washing your hair to avoid infection and promote healing. You should never pick at your scabs or remove them when your skin is dry, even if you think they’ve all healed. You may accidentally dislodge grafts that haven’t fully anchored in, putting your hair transplant success at risk.
It’s really normal to feel nervous about hair transplant success in the early days post-procedure. Unfortunately, getting results is a waiting game, and it’s not normally possible to tell exactly how your transplant will grow for another few months. Dr Ahmad explains:
“I’ll occasionally get patients saying, ‘Oh, I’ve knocked a graft,’ or ‘Is this when the scabs come away?’ or ‘The area looks a bit bald now,’ or asking if the graft’s actually taken. It’s natural, because once the hair starts shedding it does start looking like it would have done before, so you might be left with areas where there’s absolutely no hair.
This is what we expect to see at this stage. And it’ll take a few weeks before you’ll start seeing hairs come through. So just bear with it and give it time. Sometimes it can be hard to allay some of those concerns that patients might have, but it’s just trying to provide as much reassurance as possible.”
In the meantime, distractions can help take your mind off your hair growth. For the first couple of weeks, focus purely on recovery — relax, sleep as much as you can, and catch up on your favourite TV shows. When you’re cleared for normal activities, get back to the more active things you enjoy. Time will fly, and before you know it you’ll start seeing new growth.
In most cases, day 10 is the final day you’ll need to take special aftercare precautions. And while your hair and scalp should be more or less back to normal, it’s important to finish the aftercare course to get the best possible results from your hair transplant.
That means on day 10, you should:
When washing your hair on day 10, you don’t need to be quite as careful with your hair and scalp as you did for the first few washes. The aim now is to remove the majority of the remaining scabs, so here’s what to do:
By day 10, the majority of your scabs should have come away, but don’t worry if some are lingering. While this isn’t a cause for concern yet, it is really important that all the scabs are removed. Scabs that remain after 10-14 days can increase the risk of graft dislodgement [2].
Dr May explains why following your clinic’s aftercare advice is so important for scab removal:
“High adherence [to post-op scab care protocols] is linked to better cosmetic outcomes, faster healing, reduced risk of folliculitis, more predictable graft survival and smaller scars. Poor adherence (such as aggressive scratching, skipping washes, or over-drying the scalp) is associated with graft loss, uneven density, and prolonged redness or scabbing. Overall, compliance is one of the strongest predictors of smooth recovery.”
The following tactics can encourage scabs to fall off more easily at the 10 day mark, without risking dislodgement:
Find out more about dealing with hair transplant scabs in these videos from our patient advisors.
Caj explains why scab formation and management is important after a hair transplant.
Learn how long scabs should last after FUE and FUT surgery from our patient advisor Sophie.
Adam explains how and when to soften up your hair transplant scabs with a daily hair wash.
Avoid touching your hair except for during a hair wash. While the risk of infection is much lower than in the first few days post-transplant, it’s still possible while your grafts haven’t fully healed. Additionally, the more you touch your scalp, the greater the chances of dislodging grafts, even at this late stage. So it’s best to avoid it as much as you can.
If your grafts have mostly healed by day 10, you can start wearing a cap or sunhat after your hair transplant to protect your scalp from the sun. It’s best to avoid applying sunscreen until your scabs have all come away and your transplant is fully healed.
Shock hair loss in the recipient area is very common and affects most patients, but it doesn’t usually start until 2-6 weeks after a hair transplant [3]. Onset at day 10 is uncommon, but it is possible.
Hair transplant shedding happens when your new grafts start to shed their existing hair following transplantation. This response is linked with the hair growth cycle and is completely normal. It isn’t normally linked with graft failure.
Early shedding can lead to concerns around graft dislodgement, but some key differences can help you tell them apart. Dr Thomas explains:
“The transplanted graft contains a hair that enters into a resting phase at the time of surgery. After this phase the hairs are shed, which is part of the normal hair cycle, but the trauma of surgery triggers it to move into these phases. We expect to see the shedding phase 2 weeks onwards after surgery. Graft dislodgement would occur earlier when they are not fully secured and would present differently. For example, you could see bleeding, or the whole follicular unit would be visible, not just the hair.”
The stitches used to close FUT wounds are normally dissolvable and will fall out by themselves within a few days. Alternatively, your clinic may offer to remove them for you around day 10. But this isn’t necessary unless you have concerns around healing in the donor region, or the stitches aren’t dissolvable.
By day 10 post-hair transplant, you can resume most of your normal activities. But you should still take extra care, especially around exercise and activities that may dislodge your grafts:
If you have a desk job that requires minimal movement, you should be fine to go back to work by day 10. But if your job is more strenuous, it’s best to get advice from your clinic on whether you’re cleared to go back to work after your hair transplant.
Physical activity can interfere with wound healing and put you at greater risk of dislodgement, but it’s not the only potential issue you need to be mindful of. It’s best to seek advice if your job involves:
On day 10, most people are safe to continue with gentle exercise, but should continue to avoid rigorous exercise. Too much physical exertion too early can cause problems with healing, especially if you’ve had FUT surgery, as it can cause the wound to re-open [3]. Additionally, it puts you at greater risk of graft dislodgement.
Yes, but you should proceed with caution and take things slowly. Any grafts that haven’t fully anchored may be at risk during sex, so you still need to be mindful of your approach.
A good rule of thumb is that it’s safe to have sex after your hair transplant as soon as you’ve been cleared to return to rigorous exercise.
No, you should abstain from smoking for at least 2 weeks after your hair transplant. If it’s not possible to stop completely, you should cut down as much as you can. Smoking before and after a hair transplant can have serious consequences, such as necrosis (tissue death resulting from lack of blood flow to the area) [4].
The longer you can stop smoking before and after your hair transplant, the less likely it is to compromise your results. The American Association of Plastic Surgeons recommends abstaining from smoking 3-6 weeks before and 3-6 weeks after cosmetic surgery. This isn’t realistic for everyone, but it is important to cut down on cigarettes as much as you can before and after a hair transplant.
If you’re struggling to cut down or stop smoking on day 10, the NHS offers lots of services to help people quit smoking.
You can return to moderate alcohol intake from day 10 post-transplant. Limit this to no more than 3-4 units per day for men, or 2-3 units per day for women (as per NHS advice).
Alcohol can thin your blood and negatively affect clotting, which is necessary when healing from a hair transplant. That’s why it’s essential to avoid alcohol for at least the first week after surgery.
The first 10 days post-transplant are the most important for ensuring straightforward recovery and great long-term results. So it’s really important to keep a close eye on your donor and recipient areas while they’re healing. Here’s how to monitor your hair transplant effectively for the first 10 days:
It’s normal to feel anxious or worried about how your hair transplant will progress, especially in the initial healing stages. But your clinic should support you through the process by staying in touch and checking your scalp often (whether physically or via regular photo updates). As well as providing medical assistance if there is an issue, they can also offer reassurance that you’re healing well.
If you have concerns on day 10 or any time in the first 2 weeks after a hair transplant, it’s important to get in touch with your clinic. All good clinics will encourage you to come back as many times as you need to make sure your hair transplant is healing well. It’s in everyone’s interests to make sure you get a good result, so don’t hesitate to contact your clinic.
The Wimpole Clinic has been named the UK’s best hair transplant clinic for four years running. While our surgical expertise and precision is second-to-none, we’re also known for our attention to aftercare. Good aftercare is proven to have a significant impact on hair transplant outcomes, and we want you to be in the best possible position by day 10 post-procedure.
Book a consultation to find out more about how we can support you to get fantastic results from your hair transplant.
Learn more about initial hair transplant recovery in these frequently asked questions about the first 10 days post-transplant.
Your beard transplant should be mostly healed by day 10. A beard transplant follows the same process as a hair transplant in the initial recovery. After 10 days, you should see minimal scabbing with some lingering redness. You should also abstain from the same activities. Get any unexpected bleeding, pus, or increased pain at the 10-day mark checked out at your clinic.
Like other hair transplants, an eyebrow transplant should be mostly healed by day 10 post-procedure. Because of the smaller affected area, it’s unusual to see many lingering scabs at this point. If you’re concerned about excessive or extended crusting, check in with your clinic.
In most cases, no. You can return to a flat sleeping position around 7 days after a hair transplant, provided your grafts and donor area have healed well. If you’re unsure if it’s safe to sleep lying down at this point, ask your clinic for advice. Learn more about sleeping after a hair transplant.
If all your scabs have completely healed, you can use a high-factor sunscreen on your scalp. This should be at least 30 SPF, but ideally 50+ SPF.
If possible, we recommend keeping your hair transplant out of the sun for at least 2 weeks after your procedure.
Wimpole Clinic Services:
Hair Transplants, Beard Transplants & Eyebrow Transplants.
Talk to a specialist
Dr. Michael May (GMC No: 1642315) is the Medical Director and Principal Surgeon of the Wimpole Clinic. He has 25 years experience in the field of hair transplant surgery has completed over 10,000 hair transplant procedures, accumulating an unmatched breadth and depth of experience that is exclusively available to Wimpole Clinic patients.
Dr. May entered private practice in 1982 when he first became involved with hair surgery, since then, he has dedicated his career exclusively to the science and practice of hair transplant surgery and hair restoration.
He qualified at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London after which he trained and registered as a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. Dr. May was instrumental in developing the revolutionary technique of follicular unit transplant (FUT), and subsequently he also presented papers and lectures in the UK and Europe to professional colleagues. He quickly became recognised by his peers and colleagues as a leader in the field of follicular unit hair transplantation. He specialises in hair restoration surgery covering; FUE, FUT lateral slit, eyebrow, eyelashes, beards, side burns, burns, repairs
As a leading authority in his field, Dr. May became a founder member and past President of the BAHRS and is the current president of the European Society of Hair Restoration Surgeons. In addition, Dr. May is a registered member of The Trichological Society and a Diplomat of Hair Restoration Surgery (ABHRS) in 2002. Dr. Michael May full list of associations are as follows:
Dr. May is available to prospective Wimpole Clinic patients during their consultation and carries out many of the hair transplant procedures at the clinic.
