Following a hair transplant, many people have questions about their diet concerning the foods that they can or cannot eat. While a restricted diet may be advised for certain types of procedures, a hair transplant isn’t exactly one of them.
In general, however, there are a few things that your doctor might ask you to consume or avoid after your procedure. Keep in mind there’s no consensus on what to eat after hair transplant, which is why you must always follow your surgeon’s instructions.
What Is The Best Diet Program After A Hair Transplant?
Your surgeon might not recommend any “special” or “best” diet program to you after your hair transplant. That’s because, typically, there’s no need for a special diet after hair transplantation. You mainly need to make sure that you’re eating a balanced diet because you need energy to heal after the surgery.
With that in mind, crash dieting can definitely be a bad idea before or after the procedure because it can deprive you of the necessary nutrients. The shock of it can also trigger a type of hair loss known as telogen effluvium. Therefore, make sure to eat fruits, vegetables, dairy, proteins, and starches.
That said, you should always ask your doctor if they have any advice on your diet after a hair transplant, as it can differ between surgeons.
What Foods Should You Avoid After A Hair Transplant?
You might be asked to avoid salty and spicy foods after your hair transplant surgery. Salt, which is made up of sodium and chloride, may cause water retention due to sodium binding with water within the body. As a result, it may worsen your post-op swelling.
Junk food is an example of high-sodium food, so it’d be better if you avoid it for a while after the surgery. Here are some of the high-salt fast food meals according to the British Heart Foundation (BHF):
- Processed meats (bacon, sausages and pepperoni)
- Sauces
- Olives
- Cheese
- Chicken strips
Besides these, a few other salty food items, according to the BHF, are:
- Meats
- Bread (salt adds up when frequently consumed)
- Pasta, pizza, rice, and vegetable dishes
- Pickles
Other than that, some surgeons also advise against eating spicy foods because some of them can be anticoagulants or blood thinning. They may carry a risk of bleeding, which can, in turn, affect your recovery. Some examples of spicy foods include:
- Chilli
- Hot wings
- Certain curries
Indian cuisine, which is quite popular in Britain, also has some spicy dishes, like Chicken Tikka masala. In any case, just make sure to ask your doctor about what kind of foods you should avoid.
It’s also important to note that if you’ve had a beard transplant, you may be advised to have a soft, liquid diet (like yoghurt and soup) for at least 3 days after the surgery. That’s because eating might cause pain, especially hard or crunchy foods that you have to chew on.
What Fruit Is Good After A Hair Transplant?
Containing vitamins, minerals, and fibre, in general, fruits can be quite good to eat after a hair transplant. From what we know, there’s no one fruit that’s considered the best for eating after hair transplant. You can enjoy a variety of them, including:
- Bananas
- Berries
- Oranges
- Mangoes
- Avocados
- Watermelon
- Peaches
- Guava
- Grapes
Double-check these with your doctor as well, and in the case of a beard transplant, you might have to avoid apples, pears, cucumbers, etc., among other crunchy fruits.
What Is The Best Drink After A Hair Transplant?
The best drink after a hair transplant is undoubtedly water. In fact, your surgeon might advise you to drink plenty of water after the surgery because it may help with the swelling. You need to do so for at least a week post-op.
Other than water, you may also drink juices and tea/coffee (in moderation), but some surgeons advise against the latter as caffeine might increase bleeding, so make sure to double-check.
As far as some other drinks are concerned, you should avoid alcohol for at least 2 weeks after the surgery. That’s because it can:
- Slow down healing (prolonging recovery)
- Increase the risk of infection
- Cause some unpleasant side effects on being mixed with antibiotics (which you have to take after the surgery)
- Cause dehydration
For these reasons, it’s a good idea to stay away from alcohol for a short while.
Can I Eat Turkish Food After Hair Transplantation?
You can eat Turkish food after your hair transplant in Turkey. In fact, you might be given Turkish food to eat during the surgery itself as it is 6-8 hours long, and there’s a lunch break in between. Just be careful about not eating anything that’s too salty or spicy, like:
- Lahmacun (Turkish pizza)
- Adana kebab (skewered meat)
- Manti (dumplings with spicy meat)
- Spicy Turkish pide (stuffed flatbread)
Here, too, it’s best to ask your Turkish surgeon, who will be knowledgeable about all the cuisines to give you the best advice.
Conclusion
A hair transplant is a minimally invasive surgical procedure, so it doesn’t have that many strict dietary restrictions. At most, you might be recommended to avoid salty and spicy foods, as they may affect your healing process.
On the other hand, some surgeons may have no restrictions on what you can or cannot eat. Since it can vary quite a bit, it’s best to follow the aftercare instructions of your surgeon alone. And if you’re ever in doubt about what is forbidden after hair transplantation, don’t hesitate to ask them.
Reviewed and Approved by Trichologist Yaprak Yazan
