Sun Exposure after Hair Transplant

[J_B_Davis]

I am trying to schedule a hair transplant during my vacation time toward the end of the year and I was wondering how long after the hair transplant do I have to wait to go out in the sun without my head being covered? Would it be more than two weeks?

Thanks.

[SpencerKobren]

I am trying to schedule a hair transplant during my vacation time toward the end of the year and I was wondering how long after the hair transplant do I have to wait to go out in the sun without my head being covered? Would it be more than two weeks?

Thanks.

Hey JB,

I wouldn’t suggest getting any direct sunlight on the recipient area for at least four to six months after a hair transplant procedure. If it were me, I would avoid getting any sun on my scalp until the transplant reached full maturity.

Some complain of scalp hypersensitivity to the sun for many months after their hair transplant. I have been in contact with a couple guys who believe that they caused permanent discoloration of their scalps because they exposed their heads to direct sunlight too soon after their procedure.

I don't think getting a sun tan is worth risking the financial or emotional investment it takes to undergo surgical hair restoration.

Hope this helps!

[Dr. Feller]

I usually tell my patients to avoid direct sunlight for a minimum of 4 months. There are a few very good reasons for this:

1. The first is that ANYTIME the skin is cut it may become more sensitive to light, particularly ultraviolet.

2. The second is that while the native skin around the transplant is capable of protecting itself from over-exposure to sunlight in the first few months after surgery, the newly implanted transplants are NOT.

I had a patient who received a sunburn within a month after his transplant. He visited the office because of the swelling and asked me to treat it. What I noticed was that while the skin around the transplants became VERY red, the sites where the grafts were implanted were totally WHITE. This meant that the skin could darken to somewhat protect itself, but the skin of the grafts had not regained this protective ability yet.

The skin contains chromatophores that will darken the skin when exposed to too much sun as a form of protection. However, these chromatophores either become inactive or die during transplantation and it takes time for them to either recover or regenerate within the grafts.

I treated this pateint with steroids successfully and he made a full recovery. Eight months later he visited for a follow up and experience thick growth as if nothing had happened. I wrote the case up and it was published in our industry journal around 1995.

In the end, the scalp is VERY resilient, but it is best NOT to test it. I can think of no vacation venue that takes place in the sun where a hat or bandana couldn't be worn to protect your new hair.

[gillenator]

I am trying to schedule a hair transplant during my vacation time toward the end of the year and I was wondering how long after the hair transplant do I have to wait to go out in the sun without my head being covered? Would it be more than two weeks?

Thanks.

JB,

Glad to see you received some helpful, practical replies. This question comes up quite a bit.

I just wanted to make a distinction. It's not that you can never expose your head to sunlight post-op, it's more how and the duration. I think it's a good idea to cover one's head if one decides to be in the direct sunlight for more than momentary, say five minutes or so. It's a good idea to cover your head whether you have HT surgery or not. That's why you hear the medical professionals state to never allow ANY skin to direct exposure to harmful UV rays without using adequate sun block products or in the case of the scalp, a hat.

Let's say it's a bright sunny day in July and you decide to step out your front door to get your mail at the end of the driveway (100 feet) and come right back. Do you need to cover your head? Not really IMHO. But let's say you are going to cut your grass which is obviously going to expose your scalp much longer. WEAR A HAT.

Dr. Feller, I have also heard that immdediate over-exposure to UV rays can prevent the transplanted follicles from establishing to their new blood supply and they can subsequently perish from this. Do you agree?

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

I get this question several times a week. Probably because I live and practice medicine in Florida. In the past I have always told patients not to allow any direct sun exposure to the scalpt until they can look in the mirror and not see any redness or discoloration from the procedure. Any time you expose already abnormally pigmented skin to direct sunlight you taking a risk that permanant changes will occur. Meaning there is a chance that there could be some degree of permanant redness. However, after having a similar experience with a patient that Dr. Feller had I now suggest to patients that they wait an additional 1-2 months to insure that the pigment of the skin immediatly surrounding the newly grafted tissue will repond in a similar fashion to the adjacent tissue.

[Dr. Feller]

"Dr. Feller, I have also heard that immdediate over-exposure to UV rays can prevent the transplanted follicles from establishing to their new blood supply and they can subsequently perish from this. Do you agree?"

I've never heard that Gil.
I doubt it's true.

Dr. F

[bigmac]

Good informative post and very helpful.

Dr Feller you said that what you noticed was that while the skin around the transplants became VERY red, the sites where the grafts were implanted were totally WHITE. This meant that the skin could darken to somewhat protect itself, but the skin of the grafts had not regained this protective ability yet.

Could this be due to the skin where the grafts are placed is scar tissue however small and this tissue reacts differently to sun exposure.I may be totally wrong of course.

Thanks bm.

[Paul Straub, MD]

You should not get excessive sun on it until the hair grows. You don't have to bother for short intervals such as walking across the parking lot to your car but if you are going to sit out at a ball game or work in the yard or polish the car it must be protected. A serious sun burn may stop the new hair from growing. A suntan on the scalp may not look good. You won't be able to see the grafts but if you get a suntan there are tiny pieces of skin around the grafts which have never been exposed to sunlight, they sit in the skin on the to of your head which has probably had more sunlight than any other part of your body. When you get a suntan you will be able to see the grafts. the grafted area will take a mottled appearance. Later as time goes on the new skin will become used to the sunlight and this will not happen.

You can protect the grafted area in several ways. Of course you can wear a cap. Many people have hair that they can comb over the grafts to protect from the sun. Or you can use sunscreen. You should be putting sunscreen on your face; just continue it over your head if you don't want to wear a cap. For example, if you go to the beach and want to go in the water, put a heavy coating of waterproof sunscreen on your face and head.

[J_B_Davis]

Thank you Dr. Feller, Dr. Charles, Gillenator, Dr. Straub and Spencer!

I appreciate all of you taking time to provide your thoughtful answers.

[Dr. Feller]

You're welcome, JB.

Big Mac,
No. The white areas were not in the surrounding skin, they were confined solely to the grafts.

As the dermis of the graft and the dermis of the skin in the recipient area heal together chromataphores will either migrate to the transplanted tissue, or, new chromataphores will be generated.

I suspect the very tiny scar tissue created around true follicular units will also be invaded by chromataphores from the surrounding dermis and therefore change to red upon sun exposure like normal skin.

[bigmac]

Thanks Dr Feller for explaining that,maybe this thread should be a sticky as its very informative.

[gillenator]

"Dr. Feller, I have also heard that immdediate over-exposure to UV rays can prevent the transplanted follicles from establishing to their new blood supply and they can subsequently perish from this. Do you agree?"

I've never heard that Gil.
I doubt it's true.

Dr. F

Thanks, I received an e-mail from a guy who went to S. Florida immediately post-op from a 2300 strip and went out on a launch for four hours without his head covered, bad sunburn throughout recipient area and subsequently had virtually no yield. He went to a well known reputable surgeon so it was not a question of the surgeon's skills, and this was his second HT. The first he had was 1500 grafts with good re-growth.

He did not have the pics from when he first got sunburn, he did not contact me until 15 months post-op. He thinks it was from the sunburn because he said he had some blistering on his scalp the next day and lots of pain. He said he had some existing hair in the recipient area so he did not know he had that intense suburn until they came into shore and he went inside.

I don't know what else it could be other than his newly transplanted follicles were damaged, his exisitng hair and the hair from his first HT are still there. He says he feels looks the same if not a little worse than his pre-op pics which he did e-maill to me along with his 15 month post-op pics and I have to agree with him that he did not gain anything in visual coverage.

When I saw this thread, it reminded me of his case.

[Skeptic1st]

I am fortunate I found this particular thread,and Im a little upset because my HT doctor didnt mention a single thing about sun exposure in both his verbal and written post op instructions,and considering that I work outdoors for a living,I would think that information should of been provided.Im only a month and a half post op now so I dont think I was careless enough in the sun to do any damage yet, but there were several days I was outdoors with no hat.I only wore a hat most of those past days because of the cold weather here in NJ so I guess I lucked out.I would like to pose a little more specific question for everyone.. you,ve all agreed that no "direct sun" on the scalp is good,except for short periods like 10 minutes or less.What about days that are overcast with no sun, or rainy days?There are still UV rays present through clouds correct?and sometimes it can be very bright outdoors even without the sun. And what about when Im driving in my car, or work truck, too risky?If I go in the pool with my kids,Ill probably use sun screen although I hate any creams, or gels in my hair. What level SPF would be safe?
Thank you again guys for raising this topic and answering it thoroughly, you saved me a lot of grief in an area I was completely ingnorant.

[Dr. Feller]

Gil,
His grafts failed to grow not because the UV radiation somehow prevented re-vascularization of the new grafts, but rather because the grafts themselves were burned and destroyed at the time he over-exposed them to the sun. If not this, then they were destroyed by his skin's response to the burn.

If you prick the skin of even a severely sunburned patient, the skin will still bleed significantly, so sabotage of the vascularity is not the culprit.

Had he been treated with steroids immediately after he returned to shore he might have been able to save his new grafts.

Dr. F

[Jeffrey Epstein, MD]

I may have a different assessment of this whole sun exposure issue. Practicing in south Florida (and NYC) for the past 15 years, I often encourage patients to obtain a bit of sun exposure once 8 weeks has transpired. I think it is a matter of how much sun, and discretion needs to be followed in terms of avoiding a sunburn which I agree can theoretically interfere with hair growth, although I must admit I have seen very little of this, unless the sunburn is associated with scarring due to prolonged (years, not months) of exposure. This approach is consistent with my less restrictive regimen on exercise and hair washing- two activities that I allow patients to resume in as soon as 6 days post-procedure, for they do not seem to interfere with the final outcome.
A greater obstacle to hair growth is the wearing of hair pieces- for this is clearly associated with delayed and perhaps permanently impaired growth. There are changes to the scalp skin architecture that occurs with the wearing of a hairpiece- thinning and almost a shineyness to the skin- that is associated with poorer growth. In fact, in those patients who have worn a hairpiece for years, after their hair transplant I recommend not only that they minimize the amount of time the hairpiece is worn, but I also advise that they take some sun to promote circulation.

Jeffrey Epstein, MD, FACS
www.foundhair.com
Miami and NYC

[gillenator]

Thank you Dr. Feller, that was very helpful information and there are too many who are unaware it. Thanks Dr. Epstein for addressing stifled growth from wearing hair systems. I used to wear them myself.

[gillenator]

[QUOTE=Skeptic1st;2355]I am fortunate I found this particular thread,and Im a little upset because my HT doctor didnt mention a single thing about sun exposure in both his verbal and written post op instructions,and considering that I work outdoors for a living,I would think that information should of been provided.Im only a month and a half post op now so I dont think I was careless enough in the sun to do any damage yet, but there were several days I was outdoors with no hat.I only wore a hat most of those past days because of the cold weather here in NJ so I guess I lucked out.I would like to pose a little more specific question for everyone.. you,ve all agreed that no "direct sun" on the scalp is good,except for short periods like 10 minutes or less.What about days that are overcast with no sun, or rainy days?There are still UV rays present through clouds correct?and sometimes it can be very bright outdoors even without the sun. And what about when Im driving in my car, or work truck, too risky?If I go in the pool with my kids,Ill probably use sun screen although I hate any creams, or gels in my hair. What level SPF would be safe?

Skeptic1st,

Yes indeed there can still be strong UV present even with a cloud covering, and you'll hear weather people and derms warn about it. I am not sure what you are referring to about being in the car or truck because you are under cover when you are driving right? Lastly, use the sunblock with the highest block rating because the higher rating, the more protection. If you're in the pool, you will need to reapply it more often. Read the labeling of the product before you buy it and use it.

[Skeptic1st]

Thanks for the clarification Gil, your advice..."Post op...wear a hat or sunblock anytime outdoors regardless if its full sun or cloudy and overcast.
The reason I was curious about protection even when in a vehicle because I thought of in-direct sunlight and direct sunlight or UV rays through your drivers window(but I agree with you,not often on top of your head).Like I said, Im am outdoors or in a vehicle at least 10 hours everyday.

I know it sounds anal and maybe Im over concerned,but I really dont want to do any thing that could jeapordize the new growth, and Im someone who will play it way safe for this short period until my new hair comes in.
Dale

[gillenator]

I cannot say that I completely agree with Dr. Straub. The problem with wearing sunscreen on the scalp and no hat is that you never know if you have enough coverage and adequate levels of block. In addition, our scalps tend to sweat with constant sun on them and the perspiration washes or diminishes the protection. With a hat, you are covered.

IMHO, spending periods in direct sun post-op beyond 5-7 minutes is taking a risk without wearing a hat. The sunscreen/block is great for other parts of the body, and even then, the consumer is advised to re-apply when in the sun for extended periods.

[Scorpian]

I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately, I was a victim of a sunburn and lost grafts as a result. After my sunburn 4 months post op, I noticed my new grafts start to shed. I thought maybe this was shock loss. I was away on vacation and when I came back home roughly 5 1/2 months post op, I was shocked by how thin my recipient area was, compared to when I left for my trip and when my new hairs were growing out. Things never really improved after that. I wasn't fully made aware of the damage sun could do to my scalp and my grafts. Temperatures in the 100+ degree range with extremely high UV are hair killers. I learned it the hard way and had to make up for it with another procedure, which ate up more of my donor :(

[Tsakalos]

interesting post. what happens for people who live in warm sunny climates and who do not work in an office like me ? for example i am going to have a surgery soon. of course after the surgery i will wear a hat or something. when i go to work i go to my customers of my company, meaning i go with the car but i might spen 30-40 minutes in the sun.

whould that be a problem ?

[Scorpian]

Well I would still wear a hat when you go to work. The sun hitting you from the car isn't that bad. But if you're out in the sun for 30-40 minutes (outdoors walking)... especially if you're in Greece as your profile states.. you should cover up in my opinion. It's just not worth irisking the hairs.

[Tsakalos]

cant wear a hat there i have to wear a suit. yes in greece. i guess i will be trying to park the car in the shade lol

[Paul Straub, MD]

I agree with gil that the easiest and most effective way to protect against the sun is to wear a hat. I also agree that using sunscreen requires the patient to use repeated applications and some judgment relative to the time of exposure and the strength of the sunblock. Wearing a hat does not require this judgment. However I do not like to prohibit my patients from going into the pool or the ocean throughout a long hot summer. I have recommended heavy application of a strong waterproof sun block to my California surfers and frequent reapplication. I have never known of a growth problem among those who followed my advice.

[gillenator]

I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately, I was a victim of a sunburn and lost grafts as a result. After my sunburn 4 months post op, I noticed my new grafts start to shed. I thought maybe this was shock loss. I was away on vacation and when I came back home roughly 5 1/2 months post op, I was shocked by how thin my recipient area was, compared to when I left for my trip and when my new hairs were growing out. Things never really improved after that. I wasn't fully made aware of the damage sun could do to my scalp and my grafts. Temperatures in the 100+ degree range with extremely high UV are hair killers. I learned it the hard way and had to make up for it with another procedure, which ate up more of my donor :(

Scorpian,

Has your new procedure grown out yet?

[Chrissy]

I also have this white dots after sun exposure, how do I get rid of them?

I use some cream or laser?

Thanx in advance

[gillenator]

I also have this white dots after sun exposure, how do I get rid of them?

I use some cream or laser?

Thanx in advance

Chrissy,

You really can't get rid of the white dots however the issue is the darker tanned skin between the dots. You have to wait until the scalp surface loses it's tan and then not expose your scalp to the sun.

The white dots are scar tissue that have little to no blood flow in them. That's why they appear white compared to the pinker tissue that has blood flow.

[Lefty76]

I had a HT about 3 months ago and due to the timing it has been very difficult to stay out of the sun. I have been wearing a hat almost daily but this isn't a huge adjustment because I've been wearing a hat almost daily for 10 years now since I started thinning.

I do notice that after wearing a hat, the recipient area does turn a pink color and I'm not sure if it's because of the heat, perspiration or if it's receiving UV rays through my hat. My scalp is definitely sensitive and still is 3 months post operation. At night I do apply vitamin E oil and by morning it seems to settle the pink coloration considerably.

I am planning a vacation to a sunny destination in a few months and I'm just hopeful that my scalp can handle the sun.

Hope this helps.

[Dr. Lindsey]

There is a lot of good advice already on this thread. Common sense can help significantly decrease sun complications and hyperpigmentation. Meaning, if you are going on vacation shortly after a procedure (hair, face, extremity) first wear a zinc oxide containing sun block and replenish it frequently. Second, wear a hat, not a visor, but something to keep direct light off of your procedure site. Third, sit in the shade..beach umbrella or cabana. Fourth, take breaks from the sun. Don't try to get "bronze" the first day (in fact you shouldn't at all) but use moderation in your out door exposure.

I have done more than 3000 face lifts on folks, many who have either gone on vacation shortly after the procedure, or simply had the procedure in the summer and continued their normal routine. With RARE exception, I have not had much in the way of hyperpigmentation issues if folks will just exercise a bit of common sense.

In fact, we have had a number of men get hair work done and then take off to the beach for a week. Now up here in VA, its not as bright as Florida, but so far, we have had no problems as the men did what I mentioned above. Ask your doctor what his particular instructions are and follow them.

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

[gillenator]

And any patients having larger FUE sessions done wiill need to further recognize that they are more susceptable to the "white dot" syndrome and may not be able to shave their scalps in the summer months. And I am referring specifically to the donor zones (occipital areas) of the scalp when there is a much wider contrasts between tanned areas and the obvious circular extraction sites. Many FUE patients who's surgeon utilized 1mm plus sized punches can appreciate what I am saying.

And be careful to those former open-donor patients who had many of the former punch-out grafts done from the 70's through the 90's era. Some docs are suggesting to extract from the parietal areas when there is little to no donor left in the occipital area. And although much of that hair is still classified as terminal hair, meaning that it is DHT resistant, be careful in that area. That area has a higher visual impact than the back of one's head so you ceratinly would not want the "white dot" dilemma showing around your ears!

There's much to consider when deciding where to retrieve one's donor sources and to what extent as it is all limited and not an endless supply.

I always and I mean always feel the most for the repair patients who send me their pics and have obviously over-depleted donor zones back-to-sides. There's not much if any that can be done when you run out of donor.

Hope I am not getting too off topic on this thread!

[CIT]

Hi Chrissy,

May I ask if you are seeing the white dotting in the donor area, recipient area, or is the dotting also on the body? Depending on your response, you may want to have medical treatment, use a treatment that you can do own your own, or do nothing at all. There are quite a few options that may be very effective in solving this problem.

[TennisPlayer]

I was exposed to sun light walking in the city after two months and two weekas after my HT, no sun burn though but some additional redness maybe. Should I get steroid shots in my case? Thanks.

[vjchamp]

You have to wait at least 6 months after hair transplantation before exposing your scalp to the sun. ]

In my opinion however, it is always best to wear sunblock as too much sun (especially the ultra violet rays) on any part of the skin is bad for you.

One of my friend hair transplant was over a year ago and his hair is still thinner and sun can get through to his scalp, He always wear a hat when out in the sun for longer periods of time.

Proceed with caution.

[TennisPlayer]

I often encourage patients to obtain a bit of sun exposure once 8 weeks has transpired.

Is there a reason why you do that? Will sun exposure facilitate blood circulation?

[gillenator]

There are other good threads here on this subject

[CIT]

Hey TennisPlayer,

You should probably do nothing at all. The only way to determine how severe the sun's effects on you would be to evaluate the fully matured results at a later time in the future. A sunburn could easily kill the grafts, so you can only hope that the UVB rays didn't adversely affect your scalp. Keep a white hat and a thick sunblock on stand-by so you don't find yourself in a not-so-good situation. Keep'em covered until they grow because they are your investment and a trophy to show someone's hard work.:cool:






This advice is not medical advice

[thejack]

I experienced a thermal burn on my head a year ago. The skin was red, oozing puss, and irritable for a couple months. I used bio oil and still do occasionally which has healed it. The pigment has returned but from time to time it feels slightly itchy and a bit dry. Do you think this would affect the results if I were to have a hair transplant? The hair around seems to be in good order..

[nt2008]

I have discovered a new hat after hair loss and found it to be great and want to recommend it all who need to cover their head or provide protection from sun.
The hat is made of organic cotton so it is super soft and comfortable. It is also antibacterial and hypoallergenic. It is also stylish with embroidery and comes is adjustable sizes. It is called recovercap and you can find it on line at recovercap.com.

[gallovolador]

And what about the exposure to very low temperatures?, typically found in non tropical latitudes during winter.
There is a lot of advice about avoiding sun exposure after surgery for several months from all doctors but i still didnt find a single recomendation about being exposed to freezeing temperatures (below OºC) during postop. And i write and ask about this because these tempertures also burn the skin, and the recipient skin is even much more sensible and unprotected which probably means that could be burnt with a lower time of exposure and not so low temperature than the rest of skin will need to be burnt. Correct me please if im wrong.
I had the situation that 25 days after my transplant i had a walk of about 10 minutes from my office to my car (without hat because i always try to avoid it unless there is sun), the outside temperature was -2ºC, was windy and i could realised that i had some light disconfort in my recepient area and that inmidiatly after my skin seems to be lightly more red, all this was gone after a couple of hours so i thought that because the symptons were very temporary and light most probably nothing wrong had happened, and decided not to search for medical advise. Am i right with my considerations?, any suggestions?. It would be useful for all of us to have some clear advice also about exposure to low temperatures which are not exclusive from North Pole.
Thanks a lot before hand for your attention and best regrowth to all!.

[Dexter]

Hi, I am in the UK and the sunlight here in the mornings like about 9am -10am is very mild. I walk about 30 mins everyday to my work and most of the time its rainy and cold but sometimes sunny but I never feel any heat of sun on my head.
So, do i still need to cover my head from sun?
This is my 4th week of surgery and i have some redness on my head, i am so much worried if its due to this sunlight. I researched on internet a week ago, about this redness after surgery, and people discussed it as a normal thing. What would u guys say? please guide me i am so worried.

Thanks

[Dexter]

Hi, I am in the UK and the sunlight here in the mornings like about 9am -10am is very mild. I walk about 30 mins everyday to my work and most of the time its rainy and cold but sometimes sunny but I never feel any heat of sun on my head.
So, do i still need to cover my head from sun?
This is my 4th week of surgery and i have some redness on my head, i am so much worried if its due to this sunlight. I researched on internet a week ago, about this redness after surgery, and people discussed it as a normal thing. What would u guys say? please guide me i am so worried.

Thanks

[gillenator]

Dexter,

Even though you may not feel the heat on your scalp, exposing it to ultra-viiolet rays that soon post-op can potentially damage your grafts. Any exposure to the sun's rays for more than say 10 minutes is not good. This is true even if there is a cloud cover.

There are some good posts on this subject in this thread.

[Dexter]

Hi,

After almost more than 10 days of exposure to mild sunlight i started wearing cap from today, I am so much worried and wonder how much area i might have damaged. Please can anyone tell me the symptoms of follicle damage due to sunlight ?

I have some redness on my transplanted area as well as on the donar area, and i've lost 90% of transplanted hair already in 4 weeks of my surgery.
There are two strange white hair kind of skin, which i can feel like a peeled tiny thin skin (like hair) that i can feel with touch of my finger.

Please tell me any cure to restore my my hair follicles If possible.

[gillenator]

Can you post any pics of the areas you are concerned with? It is really difficult to give you any feedback without seeing the area. It would also be best for you to be examined by a reputable HT doctor as well.

[steinomight2]

How soon after the HT would it be safe to use self tanner on the recipient areas? I have small areas of grafting, but didn't want to "clog" or "poison" the grafts in way. Do you recommend not using that? What about hair gel also? Can a substance stunt it's growth? Thanks!

[gillenator]

How soon after the HT would it be safe to use self tanner on the recipient areas? I have small areas of grafting, but didn't want to "clog" or "poison" the grafts in way. Do you recommend not using that? What about hair gel also? Can a substance stunt it's growth? Thanks!

You can apply these products when the epidermis is completely healed. The products you mentioned do not however protect your scalp from the harmful UV rays if they do not have adequate sun block. Even then, it is always best to keep your scalp covered with a cap or scarf whenever in the sun for more than 7-10 minutes.

[hugo]

Hi . I am a bit confused regaring the sunburn issue as it seems to be elephant in room regaring hair follicle yield post op. My crown area received 4100 graths in September. In December I spend one hour in the sun which resulted in a redness which I could see in the evening gettting ready to go out. I wear a hat all the time so no direct sunlight was on my crown since May. Therefore it is natural that the sun will be fairy effective in colouring the skin red. I felt no discomfort. Now is it a fact fact that the follicle dies or is it more a question of the pigmentation of the skin. Why do docters not stress this point more regarding post op. Why do they not prescribe sunblock so you know you need to stay out of the sun. At the moment it seems everybody has there own opinion which of course is futher fuel to the flames of uncertainty burning along this yourney we have all embarked on hoping to get clear guidance from the profesionals - is it one month, is it two months, is it three months that you should be out of the sun. OMG i am so confusioned

[gillenator]

Hi . I am a bit confused regaring the sunburn issue as it seems to be elephant in room regaring hair follicle yield post op. My crown area received 4100 graths in September. In December I spend one hour in the sun which resulted in a redness which I could see in the evening gettting ready to go out. I wear a hat all the time so no direct sunlight was on my crown since May. Therefore it is natural that the sun will be fairy effective in colouring the skin red. I felt no discomfort. Now is it a fact fact that the follicle dies or is it more a question of the pigmentation of the skin. Why do docters not stress this point more regarding post op. Why do they not prescribe sunblock so you know you need to stay out of the sun. At the moment it seems everybody has there own opinion which of course is futher fuel to the flames of uncertainty burning along this yourney we have all embarked on hoping to get clear guidance from the profesionals - is it one month, is it two months, is it three months that you should be out of the sun. OMG i am so confusioned

It does not sound like you were sunburned although your scalp did get red from what you said. Yes it can be confusing because as with anything else, everyone has their own opinion regarding potential damage from ultra-violet rays. I think after reading all of the available esearch on this topic, most will concur that potential damage can occur to both the epidermis as well as the transplanted grafts depending on the degree of burn sustained. Why not simply take the safest approach to protect one's investment and keep the epidermis protected for no less than three months.

[eurobenz867]

great info.

What about regular lights in your house/office. Does that have any adverse effect on the scalp?

[gillenator]

great info.

What about regular lights in your house/office. Does that have any adverse effect on the scalp?

That type of indoor lighting should not have any adverse effect on your scalp/grafts because the level of UV is so much lower in incandescent/flourescent lighting than direct exposure to the rays from the sun.

You would however want to stay away from direct exposure to "sun lamps" used indoors.

[eurobenz867]

That type of indoor lighting should not have any adverse effect on your scalp/grafts because the level of UV is so much lower in incandescent/flourescent lighting than direct exposure to the rays from the sun.

You would however want to stay away from direct exposure to "sun lamps" used indoors.

Thanks gillenator!

[gillenator]

I am trying to schedule a hair transplant during my vacation time toward the end of the year and I was wondering how long after the hair transplant do I have to wait to go out in the sun without my head being covered? Would it be more than two weeks?

Thanks.

JB,

Oh yes, it would be far more than two weeks. Simply read through this thread and you will find the answers.

[akira12]

"Dr. Feller, I have also heard that immdediate over-exposure to UV rays can prevent the transplanted follicles from establishing to their new blood supply and they can subsequently perish from this. Do you agree?"

I've never heard that Gil.
I doubt it's true.

Dr. F

Good informative post and very helpful.

Dr Feller you said that what you noticed was that while the skin around the transplants became VERY red, the sites where the grafts were implanted were totally WHITE. This meant that the skin could darken to somewhat protect itself, but the skin of the grafts had not regained this protective ability yet.

Could this be due to the skin where the grafts are placed is scar tissue however small and this tissue reacts differently to sun exposure.I may be totally wrong of course.

[gillenator]

The tips of the grafts at each recipient site can appear "white" because of the lack of blood flow in that portion of the tissue. It is the tip that eventually dries out and becomes a crust which falls off in 7-10 days post-op.

[gillenator]

it would be far more than two weeks. Simply read through this thread and you will find the answers.


Far more than 2 weeks?

[gillenator]

Glad to see it has been helpful to all.

[rogerskevin67]

For four months since my hair transplant surgery I was wearing as prescribed by Doctors. But when on the fifth month I tried going outside without the hat I started having itchiness on the scalp. Thus I continued wearing cap till the sixth month. What I mean that although it depends from person to person, but four months is minimum.

[gillenator]

For four months since my hair transplant surgery I was wearing as prescribed by Doctors. But when on the fifth month I tried going outside without the hat I started having itchiness on the scalp. Thus I continued wearing cap till the sixth month. What I mean that although it depends from person to person, but four months is minimum.

Did you use sun screen when your hat was off and the itching began? That can make a big difference. Many products condition the scalp in addition to blocking the harmful UV rays.

[gillenator]

This meant that the skin could darken to somewhat protect itself, but the skin of the grafts had not regained this protective ability yet.:)

And why most doctors will want their patients to wait at least 4-6 months post-op before exposing to sun.

[gillenator]

This meant that the skin could darken to somewhat protect itself, but the skin of the grafts had not regained this protective ability yet.:)

Skin meaning tissue with the outer layer (epidermis) and inner layer (dermis).;)

[gillenator]

Exactly, except skin is really tissue that we are talking about.

[gillenator]

You would however want to stay away from direct exposure to "sun lamps" used indoors.


Very true because of the same potentially harmful UV rays. This would also include tanning beds.:eek:

[gillenator]

What's up with all of the spam?:eek:

[gillenator]

Either that or you are spammimg with your new links every time you post!:rolleyes:

[dandy]

Hi everyone,

I had two FUE sessions in early December 2011 to lower my hairline and have practically stayed indoors since then to avoid exposing my scalp to the sun. I live in a sunny and hot country and it is very challenging to do this but i try to persevere until the hair starts to grow out to get the best possible result.

However earlier this week i decided to break the monotony and take a short walk in the sun after applying SPF 45 sunscreen and somehow managed to get the recipient scalp area red/pinkish after only 5-10 minutes in the sun. The redness toned down after a couple of hours and returned to its normal color the same day however it had a slightly darker tone as i could clearly see the new hairline where the transplant was done. I did not experience any pain only a hot feeling and tingling sensation like a minor sunburn which also faded away the same day.

The next day i had no unusual sensations but the darker tone was still there and now several days later i can still see a slight difference in tone between the recipient area and the forehead if i look closely.

Im becoming worried that i permanently discolored my scalp and that the grafts might have been damaged if it was a sunburn which im not sure of because i also suffer from sun eczema when exposed to the sun which makes my scalp red in the same fashion. I am hoping it was only a reaction to the intense heat and that i avoided a sunburn because it faded away so fast afterwards but the darker tone makes me confused.

Is it possible to get a tan in the recipient area without experiencing a sunburn just two months after the procedure and can it affect the outcome of the hair growth?

I would still like to be able to take short walks in the future without a cap and i purchased a sunscreen with even higher SPF than before but wont take any risks until someone qualified answers my questions.

[Paul Straub, MD]

Dandy,
It is unlikely that you caused any permanent damage from your short exposure to the sun however I would advise you not to repeat the experience. The grafts are from the sides and back of the head, areas of skin which have never been exposed to intense sunlight. There are tiny areas of skin at the surface of each graft. When they are first exposed to sunlight they take a different color than the surrounding skin which has been exposed to strong sunlight for many years. The new grafts usually become red because the tiny blood vessels in the skin dilate and the red blood shows through the skin. You have only a short period of time to wait until you can expect to see some growth. Perhaps you could wear a cap in the sunlight or a stronger sunscreen. SPF 45 is usually enough but you may have very sun-sensitive skin and require SPF 80 OR 90. Also studies on sunscreens have shown that most people use a much lower dose of sunscreen than the amount which was used to measure the SPF (sun protection factor)
Dr. Straub

[dandy]

Thanks for your reply, Dr Straub.

I feel a lot better knowing that you believe it has not caused any permanent damage. I will follow your advice and avoid the sun until the hair grows out.

How long after the hair transplant do you believe it is safe to be outside in the sun for longer periods like hours or a full day with sunscreen applied to the scalp?

[gillenator]

Thanks for your reply, Dr Straub.

I feel a lot better knowing that you believe it has not caused any permanent damage. I will follow your advice and avoid the sun until the hair grows out.

How long after the hair transplant do you believe it is safe to be outside in the sun for longer periods like hours or a full day with sunscreen applied to the scalp?

Many docs will advise their patients to wait at least 9-12 months post-op yet many if not all of them will still advise the use of sunscreen.

[dandy]

Ok, so you mean it is not advisable to be longer periods in the sun for 9-12 months post-op regardless of sunscreen or not?

[Paul Straub, MD]

The use of sunscreen is advisable for all skin for long periods in intense sunlight. Strong sun will bleach your hair. Rarely is the hair thick enough to prevent all the sunlight from reaching the scalp. After the hair grows only damage to the scalp, such as a sunburn, could cause hair loss. If you are going to spend long time in the sun, for example a day at the beach, by all means apply sunscreen to your face, body and the scalp but after the hair grows you will not have to worry about hair loss for minor sun exposure such as walking across the parking lot to the car.

[gillenator]

Ok, so you mean it is not advisable to be longer periods in the sun for 9-12 months post-op regardless of sunscreen or not?

Exactly!:cool:

[drcole]

Nobody knows the answer to your question, Dandy. What i can tell you is that I once had a patient who stayed out in the sun all day sailing. He did not wear a cap. As the day went by, he knew that he had burned his scalp. He had a procedure fewer than 3 months before he burned his scalp. Nothing grew.

In over 10,000 procedures, however, I don't know a single patient who did not have good growth due to sun exposure. Most people are far more careful and do not allow their scalp to become burned.

It really does not sound like you were out long enough to have any damage. SPF is supposed to multiple your normal time to burn by the SPF number. Of course, you need to have plenty on for it to function properly. However, unless you normally get burned in 20 seconds, it is not likely that you burned your scalp with an SPF of 45. Scalps also get red when we rub them. When we are worried about our scalp and grafts, we tend to rub the scalp.

it is more likely that you simply got a little sun and then a touch of tan.

The honest response regarding sun exposure and grafting, however, is that no one knows how much sun is required to impair graft growth. A little sun exposure is not going to hurt you, but over doing it will.

Most people get the most sun exposure walking from the house to the car each day. We know this is not much, but everyone is best off putting sun screen on every morning before they leave the house. If your head is bare or thinning, you should put it on there even if you need to apply with a hair spray.

You should be seeing some growth by now, and that probably means you are just fine.

[gillenator]

I have only heard of maybe a half dozen cases in three decades where a patient's yield was impacted from the sun. Several of them had areas of regrowth in a very inconsistent pattern, but not being a doctor nor having any credible research available, it is still very subjective and why I always recommend to protect the skin whether with sunblock or a hat or both!

[dergol]

I'm 8 months post HT and have basically always worn a baseball cap when outside except for 2 short 10-15 minute exposures that took place at 4 and 7 months (no burn, not discernible effect).

But I was wondering about the actuall efficacy of standard thickness baseball caps and if it mattered what color they are. I know that white reflects the light and is cooler while black absorbs it and is warmer. But beyond that is there any other outcome from wearing different color caps? Do the sun's rays (and UVA and UVB) penetrate one more than the other?

Lastly, when I hold all of my caps up to a ceiling light, I can definitely see that they do not block out the light fully. If I put my hand behind the hat I can see the shadow outline of my hand.

What does this mean as to the extent to which sunlight is actually blocked out (or should one actually separate the small amount of light that appears to be getting through from the UV radiation that is blocked?).

Also every one of the hats (including the black one I got from the HT doc's office) has a certain gossamer effect when held up to a strong light, in that one can see a vague needlepoint background or shimmering pincushion bleed through of light. Like a very fine mesh of a thousand fine but weak needle points of lights. I repeat, this occurs with every baseball cap I have (all of them seemingly normal thickness, dark color or light).

So to a degree, one has to assume that not all light is blocked out by a standard cap. Question is: is enough of the light blocked out?

I'm sure someone will ask: well how have your results been? I would say, pretty good so far (after 8 months). But I guess it is all relative. Could the small amount of light getting through the hats (if it is indeed penetrating them) be making a difference...i.e., cutting into the results...let's say potentially cutting down the percentage of regrowth by even 5%-10%-20% percent?

Or am I overthinking it? Something I've never been accused of doing before :)

Dergol

[gillenator]

IMHO, as long as you wear the cap when in direct sunlight, you'll be fine. That minute amount of light coming through the seams is neglible. The color makes no difference except to the degree that the darker colors are more heated than the lighter ones.

It is more beneficial for us to cover our scalps with sunblock. That's really where you can make the difference in protecting the tissue and the grafts. The higher the rating, the better.

I personally recommend utilizing both whenever in direct sunlight especially in the summer months when the UVs are especially high.

[topcat]

I would disagree with the sunblock advice completely. Using sunblock is a good way of increasing your risk of cancer. Just a small amount of reading and you will realize most of the chemicals in that crap are estrogenic.

Vitamin D actually decreases your risk for cancer. Maybe it’s time for people to start analyzing all the crap they have been shoveling down their throats that is not real food. But it’s always easier to blame it on something that doesn’t make money for anyone like the sun.

[dergol]

IMHO, as long as you wear the cap when in direct sunlight, you'll be fine...It is more beneficial for us to cover our scalps with sunblock. That's really where you can make the difference in protecting the tissue and the grafts...I personally recommend utilizing both whenever in direct sunlight especially in the summer months when the UVs are especially high.

So Gillenator, I'm a bit confused by your reply. Are you saying that a hat by itself is ALONE sufficient to protect from the sun, or that you need sunblock in addition?

I've never heard that both were necessary; rather that a hat alone was sufficient and that sunblock was necessary if the hat were left off. Problem with sunblock is that you don't really know if you're using enough and if you're replenishing it often enough.

Addionally, I've generally stayed away from sunblock as I fear clogging up my pores or damaging the grafts in any way by adding foreign substances to the scalp, at least for the first 6-9 months. I've even stopped using styling gels for this reason. Just to play it safe. Though, I could really use them as my hair is quite wavy and I tend to grow it out.

[gillenator]

Dergol,

What I am saying is that using both (cap & sunblock) is the best ultimate protection that one can possibly utilize, especially throughout the regrowth period. I am not saying that you "must" do both.

Many doctors concur that a cap in "direct sunlight" is sufficient enough to block out the harmful rays when outdoors in direct sunlight for prolonged periods. Others advocate sunblock/sunscreen. Opinions vary.

I favor the cap because then one does not have to keep applying the sunscreen. It's easy to apply it and then forget about it later. I especially see this with golfers, swimmers, etc. And yes IMHO I think the cap is sufficient to block out the harmful effects.

Hope that adds some clarification for you!:cool:

[dandy]

Well, its nice to see that this thread is still active because i just had another FUE session and feel that there is a lot of research to be done concerning the effects of sun exposure and hair transplants.

I started getting growth after 3 months since my first session in December and the hair just thickened for every month but the yield was not very good so i decided to increase the density after only 5 1/2 months. The problem is i cant be sure if its the procedure itself or the sunburns i got earlier that are the reason for the poor yield so this time around i wont take any chances at all.

Im also worried about the chemicals in the sunblock but then again its either that or wear a silly hat or cap for months.

[gillenator]

But at 5 1/2 months post-op, the regrowth is just kicking in from your first procedure.:rolleyes: