Which season should you choose for a hair transplant? Summer or winter?

Is there a better season for a hair transplant?

The short answer: there is no single season that is better for everyone. A hair transplant can be done at any time of year, and there is no reliable evidence that grafts take better in one season. The season mainly affects your daily life in the first few weeks after the procedure. That is why the right time for you is often decided less by the season than by your work and social calendar.

You may come across claims such as “a transplant done in winter takes better” or “you shouldn’t have a hair transplant in summer.” The main factors that determine whether the grafts (small pieces of tissue carrying one or a few hairs) take lie elsewhere: how carefully they are protected while they are harvested and while they wait outside the body, whether they are placed correctly, the condition of the skin in the recipient area, your general health and habits such as smoking, and how closely you follow your aftercare instructions in the first few days. The transplant itself takes place indoors, in a procedure room; the weather outside affects your daily life after the procedure.

The mild weather of spring and fall may feel more comfortable to some people: sweating in the summer heat and the urge to cover your head in the winter cold are both less of an issue. This is a matter of comfort; it does not mean the result will be better in these seasons. You need to protect the recipient area from the sun in these seasons too.

If you are having a hair transplant in summer

Summer is when many people take their vacation time, which makes it easier to set aside time to rest. On the other hand, you will need to put some of your summer habits on hold for the first few weeks. When planning, take the following into account:

• Sun: In the first few weeks, you need to protect the recipient area from direct sun; sun on healing skin can make redness last longer. If you will be outside for a long time, stay in the shade or wear a loose hat that we have told you is suitable. Ask us before applying sunscreen to the recipient area.
• The sea and pools: Pool water and seawater can irritate healing skin and increase the risk of infection. That is why we ask you to put off swimming in the sea or a pool until the recipient area has healed. If you are planning a beach vacation, it is often more comfortable to schedule the procedure after the vacation rather than right before it.
• Sweating and heat: Extra sweating in the heat can irritate the healing skin and the area around the scabs. Spending the first few days resting somewhere cool and going for walks at cooler times of day can help. When you sweat, do not rub or wipe the recipient area; only dab it lightly with a clean towel.

We explain the general order for returning to exercise, the sea and pools in our article on exercise, pools, the sea and Turkish baths after a hair transplant.

If you are having a hair transplant in winter

In winter, sun and sweating are usually less of a concern; on the other hand, you are more likely to want to keep your head covered in the cold.

• Beanies and hats: In the early period, we ask you not to wear a tight beanie or hat that would rub against the recipient area. We state in your instructions when you can wear headwear, and what kind. If you spend a lot of time outdoors, ask us before the procedure what kind of headwear you can use in the first few days.
• Visibility: Once your instructions allow it, a beanie or hat can help cover the recipient area. However, headwear may not hide the swelling of the first few days, especially when it moves down to the forehead or around the eyes. If you would rather the people around you did not notice the procedure, we look together during the examination at whether an unshaven hair transplant is suitable for you; this option does not suit every plan.
• Winter vacations and skiing: Skiing usually means wearing a helmet; a helmet presses and rubs on the recipient area, and a fall also carries the risk of a knock to the head. Talk to us in advance about when you can wear a helmet and go back to skiing. Because snow reflects sunlight, protect the recipient area from the sun in snowy places too.

What really sets the date: your work and social calendar

When choosing a date, we suggest looking at what you will be doing in the weeks and months after the procedure. The table below shows the usual order of events; because timings vary from person to person, we do not give numbers of days.

When thinking about a date, ask yourself these questions:

• When do you need to go back to work? Do you work face to face with people, and does your job involve physical effort or a helmet?
• Do you have an important occasion in the coming months, such as a wedding, a graduation, a presentation or a photo shoot?
• Do you have any holidays, vacations or long trips planned?
• Will you be fasting during Ramadan? If so, we will discuss the timing of your medicines after the procedure with this in mind.
• Do you exercise regularly or play on a team?

We explain returning to work in our article on returning to work after a hair transplant, and the timeline for new hair growth in our article on when transplanted hair starts to grow.

How do we choose the date together?

During the initial call and the examination, we ask you to tell us about your work, your important occasions and your vacation plans, and we discuss the procedure date with you accordingly. If you are coming from another city or from abroad, we take your travel plans into account as well. Whether you are suitable for a hair transplant, and the plan that suits you, are determined during the examination; healing and results vary from person to person.

After the procedure, we give you written aftercare instructions. If you notice a difference between this article and your instructions on sun, headwear, the sea or exercise, follow your instructions. We explain the details of aftercare on the hair transplant aftercare page.

When should you contact us?

If you have an illness with a fever in the days before the procedure, or if you get sunburn, a wound or a rash on your scalp, let us know without waiting for the day of the procedure; if necessary, we will set a new date together. These situations are also linked to the season: colds and flu are more common in winter, and sunburn in summer.

After the procedure, contact us without waiting for your follow-up appointment if you notice any of the following:

• Increasing pain, redness or swelling
• Discharge, pus or a bad smell in the recipient area or the donor area
• Fever
• Bleeding that does not stop or keeps coming back
• Painful or growing pimple-like bumps in the recipient area
• Sunburn on the recipient area

In an emergency, or if you cannot reach us, go to the nearest healthcare facility without delay.