Three months post transplant. How soon can you go swimming? Will the pool chemicals hurt or damage the transplanted hair? What about the effects of the sun on the transplanted hair? I live in Arizona where it is going to be 114 and 115 this weekend. OUCH, LOL. BUY HEY, IT'S A DRY HEAT.

Well -
The first Quack told me I could but not to get my head wet (sounds like fun).He also told me to take my hat off... Don't do that at three months in AZ. or redhead will not be a compliment but a permenant problem. Sorry Bro..but this summer might suck for you.

Jrbrass-

First...........I'd talk with your Doc about this and get his/her opinion.

IMO............after your grafts are seated (7-10 days for sure) and the scalp has healed........you should be okay swimming. So, if your scabs are gone by 2 weeks I don't know why you shouldn't be able to.

The sun is a COMPLETELY different situation. Your skin will likely have a pink-ish tint to it after surgery. If you expose the scalp to the sun with the skin in this condition you risk hyperpigmentation...........a permanent discoloration of the scalp. Personally, I would wait AT LEAST 6 months before going in the sun with no protection...........even if I used some sun block, just wouldn't risk it, maybe even up to one year.............ask your Doc and get some expert advice on this.

At 3 months, swimming is not a problem at all for you now. However, as Aquarius mentions, do NOT get a sunburn on your head. At 3 months, it won't hurt the grafts as it might have at 3 weeks, but Dr. Hasson told me it can promote much slower growth. So, be careful.

Boy things have changed. With my HT with Dr. Hitzig 10 years ago he told me to go out in the sun. That it would promote faster growth.

Either way I had no problems. I dont do much sunbathing anyway.

AS for exercise in general I did it when my head healed over.

Sex? I had that the night of the transplant.

I gotta believe that the Chlorine/chemicals can't be good for the hair. I would think at the very least you'd want to wash your hair right afterwards to get rid of the chemicals.

I know I will not take that chance.
I always have wore a hat outside in hot summer sun, skin cancer of the scalp, especially in the crown is fairly commom.
I actually know someone who got just that after working outside for years with a small balding spot in the crown. He were's a hat now, doctors orders!
As far as chlorinated water goes, not gonna do it...
I want every possible negative limited.

I work out 7 days a week, have been since 1.5 months post op. Starting at 3 months post op I added swinmming a mile after each workout (5 days a week). Now, at 5 months post op, there's no problems whatsoever and growth continues uninterrupted.

Bottom line, from personal experience: if you want to swim, swim. It won't affect your transplant at all. Anyone saying different does not have experience with it and is latching onto what ifs and maybes.

Jrbrass,

As already said...

2 weeks you are fine to go swimming, but confirm with your doctor.

It's never good to get sunburn on your head anyway...however...

It's best not to expose your head to the sun for the first 3-6 months for extended period of times. To be safe, wear a hat or put spray on sun block on your head.

Falc