When Can You Safely Wear a Beanie After a Hair Transplant?

Quick Summary

Cap Recommendations: Light, breathable caps like snapbacks or trucker’s caps are advisable if you need to wear a hat after surgery. They should only be worn to protect the scalp from direct sunlight and adjusted to minimise contact with the scalp.

Cap vs Beanie: Caps are preferable immediately post-surgery because they can be adjusted to avoid putting pressure on the transplant sites. Beanies, being snug and elastic, should be avoided during the initial healing for 1 month after surgery.

Risks of Early Coverage: Covering your head too soon can lead to issues such as dislodged grafts, allergic reactions, and infections. It’s crucial to allow the scalp to breathe and heal.

When to Wear a Beanie: A beanie can be used after four weeks post-transplant, but only after ensuring the scalp has fully healed—look for no scabs, minimal sensitivity, and no redness.

Protecting the newly treated areas of your scalp—both donor and recipient sites—is crucial for ensuring a successful transplant. In this blog, we’ll explore when it’s safe to start wearing a beanie again and delve a bit into the recovery process to understand the precautions you need to take.

The Hair Transplant Recovery Period

Undergoing a hair transplant is just the beginning of your journey towards fuller hair. Here at The Treatment Rooms, we aim to educate our patients right from the initial consultation on what to expect when you decide to get a hair transplant, including the critical aftercare steps during your recovery. For a quick overview, check out our summary of the recovery period here, or for more detailed guidance, our comprehensive aftercare guide is available here.

To help you understand the gentle care required after an FUE or FUT hair transplant, we’ve outlined some key recovery milestones below, including guidelines on when to wash your implanted hair. We hope it’ll give you a rough guide on how and when to carefully handle your scalp to ensure the best possible outcome from your transplant.

Key Recovery Milestones:

• Day 2: You can carefully remove your bandages. It’s crucial, however, to avoid touching or applying pressure to the transplanted area, as the new grafts are still delicate and can be dislodged easily.

• First Week: There may be some swelling, redness, and soreness of the scalp, which is normal. These symptoms should gradually diminish over a week or two.

• By the End of Week 2: This marks a significant phase in recovery where the transplanted follicles begin to firmly establish themselves. Any initial healing should now be nearing completion. At this point, your transplanted hair will start shedding,  setting the stage for the new growth phase. You may find your scalp feels a bit itchy at this point. Wearing a beanie at 2 weeks post surgery may cause your scalp to itch more and feel uncomfortable. You can also risk introducing an infection by wearing the beanie hat too early in your recovery.

Your hair transplant will start to grow after 4 months have passed. A full timeline of growth can be seen here: Hair Transplant Timeline.

Washing Your Hair:

• Day 2: You’re clear to gently wash the donor site where the follicles were taken from. This helps in reducing any buildup and soothing the area.
• Day 4 and Beyond: Now you can start to carefully wash the recipient area. It’s essential to be gentle to avoid disturbing the newly implanted follicles. Detailed tips on how to safely wash your hair can be found here. Continuing to wash your hair twice daily for the next two weeks is recommended to ensure cleanliness and reduce the risk of infection.

The aim will be to gradually wash your hair from day 4 onwards and by day 7-10 you are able to wash away the scabs leaving just the transplanted hair which will first shed before growing back again. You will see this process below.

In short, gentle care of the donor site begins on Day 2, and by Day 4, you can start tending to the recipient area with even more care to ensure the best outcomes.

You can have a read of our FAQ page on FUE hair transplant recovery and what to expect, if you’re interested to learn more.

Cap VS Beanie After Hair Transplant Surgery

Understanding when and what type of headwear to use after your hair transplant can be tricky. Here’s a straightforward guide to help you make the best choices during your recovery.

Wearing a Cap

Recommendation: Ideally, we recommend not wearing any cap indoors while you recover, unless absolutely necessary—for example, if there’s a risk of bumping your head while moving around, wearing a cap can help shield your scalp from direct impact. When it’s safe and appropriate, we typically allow our patients to start wearing a cap full-time from day 4 post-surgery.

Type of Cap: For the first two weeks post-surgery, opt for a large snapback or trucker’s cap. These caps are breathable and adjustable, which helps minimise irritation and won’t tightly press against the scalp.

When to Wear: Avoid wearing a cap unless you are going outdoors and expect direct sunlight exposure. If you want to go for a walk after your hair transplant, we advise wearing a cap to protect your hair transplant. During the first two weeks, it’s crucial to protect your scalp from sunburn. After 2 weeks, you can opt to wear other types of caps (e.g. baseball cap). If you’re anticipating prolonged sun exposure, continue wearing a suitable cap for up to four weeks.

Wearing a Beanie

Considerations: Unlike caps, beanies are generally elastic and snug, which means they can’t be loosened. This tightness can irritate a healing scalp. You may plan surgery specifically for colder weather and want to wear a beanie hat. You can read more about whether you should plan surgery in winter or summertime by reading our dedicated article on the topic: does warm or cold weather affect hair transplants?

Recommendation: Your scalp and newly transplanted hair grafts remain delicate during the first few weeks, often showing signs of scabbing or sensitivity. Even though the hair grafts should be securely embedded within two weeks, they can still be prone to irritation. To minimise any risk and ensure optimal healing, it’s best to wait at least four weeks before wearing beanies or any tightly fitting headwear, such as helmets.

Risks of Covering Your Head Too Soon After a Hair Transplant

It’s completely understandable to want to cover your hairline, temples or crown right after a hair transplant, especially when you’re conscious about the way your scalp looks immediately following surgery. However, it’s crucial to allow your scalp ample space and time to heal properly. Covering it too soon could compromise your results and lead to several potential complications. Here are some important reasons to delay reaching for that hat or beanie:

• Protect your new hair: The first few weeks after surgery are critical for your new hair grafts. Any pressure or friction from hats can dislodge them, affecting how well they take root and grow. It generally takes 2 weeks for grafts to become secure after hair transplant surgery

• Reduce sweating: Covering your head can lead to excessive sweating, especially if the material isn’t breathable. Sweat can irritate your healing scalp or even lead to inflammation, setting back your recovery. 

• Ultimately, to avoid infections: Hats can trap the heat and sweat around your scalp, creating a breeding ground for bacteria. Keeping your scalp uncovered helps reduce the risk of infection, keeping your new grafts safe and healthy.

Signs You’re Ready to Wear a Beanie

The clearest sign that you’re ready to wear a beanie is a completely healed scalp. This means no scabs, minimal to no redness or swelling, reduced sensitivity, and your scalp feeling almost normal. Typically, reaching this stage takes about four weeks. If you’re unsure whether your scalp has healed sufficiently, it’s crucial to consult your surgeon to give you a green light before wearing any headwear.

Even after the four-week mark, it’s important to continue taking good care of your scalp to prevent any complications. Here are two tips for choosing and wearing a beanie safely:

• Material Matters: Opt for a beanie made from soft, breathable materials to ensure comfort and reduce the risk of allergic reactions and friction. As your scalp’s sensitivity might still be heightened, it’s essential to avoid any material that could irritate your skin—scratching, especially in the delicate recipient area, could harm the healing process.

• Fit is Key: Choose a beanie that fits well—not too tight, but snug enough to stay in place without needing frequent adjustments. A well-fitting beanie minimises pressure on the scalp and reduces the risk of irritating the newly healed areas.

By following these simple guidelines, you can enjoy wearing a beanie while keeping your transplant area protected and irritation-free.

Conclusion

Navigating the recovery process after a hair transplant requires patience and careful attention to detail. From understanding when it’s safe to wear a cap to knowing the right time to transition to wearing a beanie, each step plays a crucial role in ensuring your new hair grafts heal properly and yield the best results. Remember, the key to a successful recovery is following the guidelines we’ve outlined:

• Wait until your scalp has fully healed before introducing any headwear.
• Choose caps and beanies made from soft, breathable materials to avoid irritation.
• Consult with your surgeon if you’re unsure about your healing progress or when to start wearing headwear.

By taking note of these precautions and embracing the journey of recovery, you ensure that your hair transplant has the best chance to succeed. If you are a male, female or a transgender patient have any further questions or need guidance, it is always a good idea to reach out to your hair restoration team. You can also get in touch with us if you’re considering getting a hair transplant done – our team will be more than happy to answer your queries. 

If you would like to further understand hair transplant surgery and the recovery process, you can read our comprehensive guides here: 

• How Does A Hair Transplant Work?
• Hair Transplant Timeline: What To Expect
• A Guide To Hair Transplants and Donor Area Recovery

• An Extensive Guide To Hair Transplant Aftercare & Recovery
• Frequently Asked Questions about Hair Transplants
• 5 Tips For A Successful Hair Transplant