It’s important to rest for at least 10-14 days before exercising after a hair transplant. After 2 weeks, you can resume light jogging and cardio. Avoid more intense or risky types of exercise (such as weight lifting, long-distance running, and contact sports) for at least 3-4 weeks after a hair transplant to avoid dislodging or damaging your grafts.
Many hair transplant patients lift weights, play sports, or go running regularly. Unfortunately, you’ll need to put all this on hold for a few days after your hair transplant. Working out too soon after a hair transplant can put your results at risk and lead to recovery complications. Find out when you can restart specific types of exercise after your hair transplant here.
Key takeaways
Wimpole Clinic surgeon Dr Peter Thomas shares his expert clinical views on exercising after a hair transplant in this article.
When you invest time and money in a hair transplant, you want to get results. Unfortunately, that means avoiding the gym for a short time following your surgery. Exercise increases blood flow, makes you sweat, and can cause overexertion, all of which can compromise the success of your transplant.
Here’s why you should avoid or limit the amount of exercise you do after your hair transplant:
You need to take some downtime from all types of exercise, with the exception of light walking, for at least 7 days after your hair transplant. However, some exercises are safer to return to sooner than others.
Here’s when you can resume some of the most popular exercises, assuming your healing and recovery has been straightforward:
Please note that these are guidelines only, and it may not be safe for you to restart your exercise routine if you’ve had complications or have certain health conditions. If in doubt, please speak to your surgeon.
If your transplant has healed with no issues, it should be safe to start lifting around 28 days after your hair transplant.
It’s important to wait around a month before lifting weights or doing any substantial strength training because the strain can put pressure on your wounds. In severe cases, this can cause graft dislodgement or make your stitches burst.
If you’re a seasoned runner, you can resume light jogging for short distances around 14 days after your hair transplant, as long as your grafts have completely healed and all the hair transplant scabs have come away safely. Keep distances less than a mile for the first week or so.
Avoid running at all before this point, as even mild cardiovascular activity can make you sweat. Sweat should be minimised as much as possible, as it can increase the risk of infection and irritate your scalp, increasing the chances of scratching and graft dislodgement.
Running can also ramp up your blood pressure, which increases the risk of bleeding and weeping if the grafts aren’t completely healed.
After 21-28 days, you can start running your regular distances at regular speeds, but try to increase activity slowly over several sessions.
It depends what type of activity you want to do. If you’re planning to do light running for short distances on a treadmill, you can go to the gym after 14 days. If you want to lift weights or do more intense cardio, you should wait the full 28 before going to the gym.
Activities that involve stretching or straining the shoulders, neck, and upper back should be limited for a longer period if you’ve had FUT surgery. These actions can stretch your scar, making scarring more visible in the long term. Specific timeframes will vary depending on your scalp laxity, so ask your doctor for their recommendation.
You can start swimming around 28 days after a hair restoration procedure, as long as all the scabs and crusts have been removed.
Exercising too soon can have a long-term impact on the success of your hair transplant, so it’s really important to wait the recommended amount of time before doing any type of physical activity. Here are the risks of too much physical activity too early after your hair transplant.
The biggest risk to your long-term hair transplant success is graft dislodgement. It’s why there are strict hair transplant aftercare requirements for the first 2-4 weeks post-transplant. Dr Thomas explains:
“The timeline for safety comes down to graft security. On days 5 to 7, I would say most grafts are adhered to surrounding tissue securely, but the risk of dislodgement is still there. From day 10 the grafts are more anchored and most normal daily activities are safe. After 14 days the grafts are fully secured and safe so the impact of sweating and raised blood pressure would be OK.”
Hair grafts are at their most vulnerable in the first 2 weeks, so it’s important not to disturb the transplanted area in this time. The impact of running and the strain of lifting weights can increase the risk of graft dislodgement.
Additionally, working with dumbbells and other gym equipment can increase the chances of bumping or knocking your head. Contact sports are also a no-go for at least a month for the same reason.
Dislodged hair grafts tend to present with bleeding at the transplant area. Bleeding will damage the hair follicle roots, so if you do see any blood from the recipient site, seek advice from your clinic.
Sweat can irritate your scalp, making it feel itchy. Post-hair transplant itchiness increases the risk of touching and scratching your scalp, which can make grafts come away in the first 2 weeks post-surgery.
Hot weather, saunas, and steam rooms can also make you sweat, so they should be avoided for at least 14 days. If your forehead does get sweaty, dab it gently with a clean tissue without touching your grafts. Be careful not to wipe, as you could tear out the grafts that are not yet firmly anchored in the scalp.
Strenuous activity can increase pressure on the scalp and even cause grafts to pop out of position if they’re not fully anchored in. This can happen even if you don’t touch the grafts directly.
In the early days of recovery, hair grafts are particularly vulnerable to hair transplant infection. Exercising too early can increase the risk of infection due to:
Infection can progress to more serious problems if left untreated, so get your hair transplant checked if you experience symptoms like fever, unexpected pus and bleeding, or increased scalp pain.
Workouts and exercise raise your heart rate and blood pressure. Heightened blood pressure can increase the risk of bleeding at the donor and recipient sites, delaying healing and possibly leading to graft dislodgement.
Exercise that takes place outside can expose you to environments that are potentially harmful for your hair transplant. For example, intense heat can make you sweat, while exposure to the sun can burn your skin (especially while it’s not advised to use protective measures like a hat or sunscreen). You should also avoid getting your scalp wet in the rain or snow while it’s healing.
Wearing a hat or any kind of headwear (including visors and headbands) can pull out your grafts, which is why patients are advised not to wear a hat after a hair transplant for at least 10 days.
Sports or activities that require a hat, helmet, or headband should therefore be avoided in the healing stages.
In general, you can go for a short walk as soon as you feel comfortable after your hair transplant. Bear in mind you’re likely to feel tired after surgery, and it’s recommended that you get as much rest as possible for the first few days.
For moderate or strenuous exercise, you should wait until all the scabs have detached from the scalp. Even then, there’s no guarantee that the grafts are completely anchored in, so it’s best to wait the recommended amount of time before restarting exercise. Here’s what Dr Thomas generally advises:
“I ask the patient to consider the risks vs benefits and the amount they have invested into having a successful hair transplant. Light activity is fine (a short gentle walk avoiding sweating), but I would be concerned about other things outside of the patient’s control (like sunlight, or trauma to the head). There isn’t a specific sign to know when it’s safe – the changes are internal and at a cellular level.”
If you’re keen to get back to moderate/intense exercise, consider scheduling an appointment with your surgeon 3-4 weeks after your procedure to check if and when you can safely resume your exercise routine.
As a rule, your heart rate and blood pressure shouldn’t be raised much above your resting heart rate for at least a week after your hair transplant. Blood pressure monitors can help you keep your activity levels in check.
Other signs of excessive exercise include sweating and breathlessness, particularly within the first 2 weeks.
If you’ve waited the recommended amount of time, your hair transplant should be healed sufficiently that you don’t need to take any specific hygiene measures, as the risk of infection is low at this stage.
However, good scalp health is also important for hair growth and successful recovery. So make sure to wash sweat towels and headbands regularly, wipe down any equipment before and after use, and wash your hands and hair often.
Many people rely on exercise for its mental health benefits, so having to restrict your physical activity can be difficult. Fortunately, there are some other strategies you can use to manage your mental health without compromising your hair transplant results.
Regular light walking is normally safe immediately after a hair transplant, so you can get out and about if you need to. Find a local green space and go for a walk to get the mental health benefits of light exercise and fresh air.
Regular meditation practice has been shown to help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression [1]. It can also help you deal with the frustration of not being able to exercise. You don’t need any special equipment, and there are lots of free guided meditations online you can follow.
Focusing on the long-term impact of your short withdrawal from exercise can help you get through this period of hair transplant downtime. In 6 months, you should start to see the results come through, and in 12-18 months your full results will be visible.
Take this time to pamper yourself. Spend your downtime doing some of your favourite non-physical activities. Seek comfort in classic TV shows, regular warm baths, or playing video games. Plan ahead so you have something to look forward to each day.
If you’re really itching to start working out again, make an appointment with your surgeon at around the 14-day mark to check your progress. Based on your recovery so far, they can tell you what activity it’s safe for you to start doing and when.
If your regular exercise routine is restricted after a hair transplant, you may feel a little more sluggish than usual. To combat this, make sure you’re eating a healthy, balanced diet while the gym is off-limits. If you’re eating a calorie-restricted diet, make sure you’re still getting enough nutrients to feed your follicles.
Dr Thomas recommends following the standard advice to avoid alcohol and caffeine after your hair transplant:
“Good nutrition and hydration is important for wound healing and reducing inflammation after hair transplants in the same way it would be for any type of surgery. Two litres of fluid a day is recommended for adults and I would stick with that. This will help tissue perfusion, ensuring the grafts receive good blood supply.
“Avoid alcohol (due to the bleeding risk and impaired healing) and caffeine (because they can cause the blood vessels to constrict). I would go with usual healthy eating advice (i.e. following the Mediterranean diet) to get essential vitamins and minerals that may improve healing, support the immune system, and promote tissue repair.”
Not only does the right diet give follicles the nutrients they need to promote healthy hair growth, but it can also make you feel fitter and more energised.
Not necessarily — if you’ve waited the right amount of time and your scalp looks healthy, it should be safe to go back to the gym.
If you want to return sooner, it’s best to get a physical examination at the clinic to be on the safe side.
It can be frustrating to put your fitness routine on hold. But a year or so after your hair transplant, you should be on your way to a fantastic new head of hair. And not just that, you’ll have almost a year of workouts under your belt. It’s a winning combination that’s sure to boost your confidence, self-esteem, and emotional wellbeing.
At the Wimpole Clinic, we consider all your concerns when advising you on the right course of action for hair restoration. We encourage you to discuss all your concerns with our friendly patient advisors, including questions you have about working out after your FUE or FUT procedure.
Book a free consultation at your nearest Wimpole Clinic location to get started.
Learn more about post-hair transplant exercise in these frequently asked questions.
In general, you should avoid exercise for the same amount of time, regardless of whether you’ve had FUE or FUT. The hair transplant technique only affects the donor area, not the recipient site, so the risk to your newly transplanted grafts is the same.
The FUT donor area may be more sensitive to strenuous exercise, so you may be advised to wait longer to lift heavy weights if you’ve had FUT surgery. Dr Thomas discusses the differences between FUE and FUT healing:
“It’s important to allow time for healing and ensuring scalp hygiene. This is where FUE and FUT scar healing is different — FUE will heal quicker, while for FUT you should avoid neck stretching and other activities that could affect the neck.“Smaller surgeries and younger/fitter patients may heal quicker. An older patient with relevant medical problems (such as diabetes, vascular disease, connective tissue disorders, and heavy smoking) would have slower impaired healing. I simplify things and say 2 weeks minimum to all FUE patients, but some medical conditions need extra care, and FUT wound management is different.”
“It’s important to allow time for healing and ensuring scalp hygiene. This is where FUE and FUT scar healing is different — FUE will heal quicker, while for FUT you should avoid neck stretching and other activities that could affect the neck.
“Smaller surgeries and younger/fitter patients may heal quicker. An older patient with relevant medical problems (such as diabetes, vascular disease, connective tissue disorders, and heavy smoking) would have slower impaired healing. I simplify things and say 2 weeks minimum to all FUE patients, but some medical conditions need extra care, and FUT wound management is different.”
If you’ve had FUE surgery, there are no long-term exercises you need to avoid. After a few weeks, you can go back to all your normal activities.
After FUT, don’t stretch, straighten, or overexert your neck and shoulder muscles for 3-6 months, as this can leave you with an enlarged scar.
You can exercise outside as soon as you’re cleared to work out post-transplant. Wear a hat or sunscreen to protect your scalp from burning.
There are several proven techniques for managing frustration, including meditation, breathwork, creative activities, and spending time in nature. Experiment with different techniques until you find one that works for you.
Wimpole Clinic Services:
Hair Transplants, Beard Transplants & Eyebrow Transplants.
Talk to a specialist
Dr Peter Thomas (GMC 7554440) specialises in FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) hair transplants and has trained with our internationally recognised surgeons at the Wimpole and Mayfair Hair Clinic. His strong artistic background and breadth of surgical experience enable Dr Thomas to excel in combining a keen sense of aesthetics with meticulous attention to detail.
After graduating from St George’s University of London with a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, and also earning a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences, Dr Thomas continued his career as a general practitioner. He is a member of the Royal College of General Practitioners, General Medical Council, and an associate member of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS). Dr Thomas gained valuable surgical experience in the NHS, working across general surgery and trauma and orthopaedics. His experience in general practice also provides expertise in women’s health and dermatology.
Focused on achieving natural results, Dr Thomas strives for harmonious designs that complement his patients’ facial features and age. He uses a sapphire blade to create closely packed and precise incisions, achieving high-density, and seamless hair direction and angulation. Additionally, he practices non-surgical hair restoration techniques including platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy.
Dr Thomas understands the significant impact of hair loss on an individual’s self-confidence and well-being, taking the time to listen to his patients’ concerns and aesthetic goals. He is one of the lead surgeons at our prestigious Birmingham clinic and contributes his expertise and experience to the benefit of Wimpole clientele.
