When To Exercise After A Hair Transplant? An In-Depth Guide

You can exercise after 2 weeks have passed following an FUE hair transplant. In the first 2 weeks you should avoid sweating or straining- as both occur during exercise and can pose a risk to your transplanted grafts. Patients who are looking to play contact sports (e.g. Rugby, Football, boxing) or swimming must avoid these for 4 weeks following their hair transplant.

We have operated on many sportspersons who are health conscious and want to go back to exercise as quickly as possible after having a hair transplant. We will be able to guide you through the main considerations during our consultations before you have your hair transplant

Dr Fernando, Hair Transplant Surgeon and Co-Founder at The Treatment Rooms London

If you are looking into a hair transplant procedure but are also keen on going back to exercise, then there are some important factors that you need to know regarding your hair transplant aftercare & recovery journey. In this guide, we will be discussing exercising after a hair transplant to help you make more informed decisions after your procedure, helping you to achieve the best result from your hair transplant.

Can I exercise after a hair transplant?

If exercising is a part of your daily routine, then you may be keen to get back into your usual fitness regime after your hair transplant surgery. However, it is vital that for the first 14 days after surgery that you keep your exercise to a minimum.

It is advised that you try to take it easy after your first 5 days following your hair transplant and get as much rest as you possibly can. If you struggle to sit back and relax, then you can take a walk- this shouldn’t affect your transplant.

You may be surprised to know that your usual exercise routine can often resume two weeks post-surgery. After one week of having your hair transplant, you can start taking small steps to reintroduce light exercise, which doesn’t make you sweat, back into your daily routine.

Risks of exercising after transplant surgery

After your hair transplant surgery, you want to do everything you can to promote healthy hair growth and reduce your risk of infection. It is important to note that exercise can have a damaging effect on your recovery as it can cause a few issues such as sweating, dislodging hair grafts, straining and infection.

Sweating

When we exercise, more often than not, we sweat. Sweating can cause huge risks in the recovery of your hair transplant procedure. Sweating can cause irritation to your scalp at a time where it is very sensitive after your procedure, which we will delve further into later. To avoid sweating excessively, it is advised that you stay away from exercise and also try to avoid sitting in the sun for 2 weeks after your hair transplant procedure.

Dislodging hair grafts

The first 5 days after your procedure are the most crucial as you can dislodge hair grafts easily as they heal from tugging or pulling the grafts. Exercise increases your chances of this happening with movement. It is best you stay away from heavy exercise in the first 14 days to avoid this happening as it can also be irritating to the scalp.

Straining

It may sound quite unusual, but it is true that if you strain during exercise, then you can increase your chance of hair grafts popping out. This is because the pressure in your scalp increases when straining.

To give yourself the best chance of having a good result from your transplant procedure, you should take all the precautionary steps to aid your recovery. Try and avoid scenarios that increase your blood pressure, as it can be detrimental to your recovery. Take a look at our dedicated guide on how long it takes for hair grafts to become secure for more information.

Infection

Gyms tend not to be the cleanest environments and there may be a temptation to touch the transplanted area when exercising. This may introduce dirt, debris and potentially an infection into the area your newly transplanted grafts that have been implanted. This isn’t ideal especially in the first 14 days when the scalp is going through its immediate healing phase. For this reason we recommend avoiding gyms for the first 14 days after having a hair transplant.

When can I exercise after a hair transplant?

Patients can exercise 7-14 days after their hair transplant. After 7 days patients can perform light exercises which don’t make them sweat, e.g. walking, light cycle ride. After 14 days patients can perform heavy exercise that makes them strain and sweat e.g. weightlifting. Patients who swim or play contact sports like Rugby, Football, Boxing will need to wait 1 month before restarting them.

In order for you to fully understand when you can resume your normal exercise routine, you should gain some knowledge of the recovery process. Although all patients will receive a detailed guide on what to do and what not to do after their procedure, we have outlined a basic timescale for you to look at. We have helped you identify some of the most suitable exercises for you to do during the recovery process if you feel like you need it.

Exercise after 1 week following a hair transplant

As previously mentioned, the first 5 days are crucial from a recovery perspective. During this time, it is highly recommended that you partake in no forms of exercise, and if you can, it is advised that you book off time with work so that you can relax and recover. Take a read of our resource discussing when you can go back to work after a hair transplant procedure.

After the end of the first week, you can start to take up less light forms of exercise like walking and yoga. It is important to note that sweating is still detrimental to your recovery, so you want to make sure that you are not walking at a fast pace. You should definitely avoid anything that involves increased cardio, like jogging. It is normal for your scalp to swell during the recovery process, and after the first week, if you notice that your swelling is increasing, then you should reduce the amount of exercise you do and contact your hair transplant surgeon. Take each day as it comes, and don’t overdo it.

It’s also important to note that during this week you will also start to wash your hair transplant which aids your recovery. For more information, take a look at our resource on washing your hair after a hair transplant.

Exercise after 2 weeks following a hair transplant

The initial recovery phase of a hair transplant can typically take up to 2 weeks. After two weeks, you can usually resume your normal exercise routine. However, it is important to note that everyone’s case is different. If you are still experiencing sensitivity and redness of the scalp, then you should consult with your hair transplant surgeon, who will be able to advise you on what forms of exercise you can do moving forward.

For those looking to restart swimming or contact sports, they will need to 4 weeks before resuming those activities.

Exercise after 4 weeks following a hair transplant

You can go back to all forms of exercise after 4 weeks have passed following your hair transplant. Before 4 weeks following your hair transplant, although you may feel recovered, trauma can still damage your scalp and affect the hair follicles. For this reason, 4 weeks are required as a rest period before playing contact sports. We also advise avoiding swimming for 4 weeks to reduce the chances of infection. After 4 weeks, patients can go back to their normal exercise and sports routines. After 4 weeks, you will also likely be shedding your transplanted hair– this is normal.

Get in touch today

For more information about an FUE hair transplant procedure, get in touch today. Our team is on hand to walk you through your procedure in an initial, in-depth consultation to map out your hair transplant journey.

For further information about hair transplant costs or, to figure out how many grafts you might need, take a look at our hair graft calculator for more information.