The Recovery Process
Your practitioner will advise you to avoid known blood thinners for a minimum of two weeks prior to the procedure and afterward as well. Certain over the counter anti-inflammatory pain relievers such as Aspirin, Advil And Aleve are also known to lead to bleeding and will be advisedagainst. Herbal formulas contain some problem ingredients as well. It’s critical that you let your surgeon know about everything you take, no matter how natural or harmless you may think it is.
Though swelling is an expected and thankfully, temporary part of the recovery process, no one looks forward to the time when he or she’ll need to hide out in private due to visible puffiness in the forehead and face. While you can cover your healing scalp with a soft hat for a week or two, it’s not so easy to cover your face, but if you manage swelling you shouldn’t have to.
First, avoid increasing your heart rate and blood pressure. Immediately post-FUE procedure, if you hit the gym or otherwise increase BP, the pressure in each vessel also increases, pushing more fluid out into the tissues and slowing down the reduction of swelling. Second, avoid salty food and drink more water. We know, drinking more water sounds counter-intuitive for inflammation management, but dehydration and excess sodium can lead to prolonged water retention in the tissues. Third, keep your head elevated. Avoid bending over, heavy lifting or even laying down flat for the first week. Gravity pulls fluid into the lowest body areas so if you keep your head and shoulders raised above the level of the rest of your body; the swelling will not accumulate as much in the head and face. Lastly, use cold compresses to reduce swelling and discomfort. After the first 3-5 days have passed, your body will naturally resolve both redness and swelling, and you’ll feel much like yourself again. Congratulations on your new hair and confidence. Before you know it, you’ll be healed and looking great.