Working from Home: Do I Need Time Off for My Hair Transplant Recovery?

These have been challenging times for people all over the world. And it’s not over yet by a long shot. Our heart goes out to everyone who has lost a loved one or is struggling with the harsh reality of the pandemic.

But here at the Hair Doctor we can’t help ourselves – we try to look for the silver linings. And there is a HUGE one staring us in the face after the busiest year we’ve ever had: For people working from home for the first time in their lives, the timing is perfect to finally get the hair transplant they’ve been thinking about for months, if not years.

In a typical year, the holidays were always our busiest season. It’s when many companies shut down for a week or even two. For many of our patients, that was the only feasible time to undergo hair restoration. If they missed the opportunity or waited too long and our calendar was booked, they might have to wait an entire year. It wasn’t unusual for us to have the November/December calendar fill up by February.

Mind you, it’s not that you actually need 10 days of actual recovery after a hair transplant. Far from it. The kind of hair transplant we specialize in, Follicular Unit Extraction or more commonly known as NeoGraft, is so minimally invasive that you feel more or less fine the very next day. You are allowed to pursue your daily activities unimpeded as long as you follow a few recovery guidelines such as keeping your head elevated to prevent swelling, or not wearing any tight-fitting hats for a few weeks.

The reason people used to need more time off after a hair transplant has more to do with the visibility of the aftermath. The most noticeable area after a hair transplant is the donor area, which is typically shaved for easier access. Since the donor area is at the back of your head, it can’t be seen during a video call.

timeline of a hair transplant recovery at the Nashville hair doctor - side view
Recovery timeline of Nashville Hair Doctor patient David Bernard – July 2018

We asked our NeoGraft consultant Shauna if she had any additional advice about working from home after a hair transplant:

“Yes, patients can work from home the next day. It won’t be their best day but they will feel able to work from the computer. Keep in mind, a little gauze wrap will be noticeable during the first 48 hours; you might clear the Zoom calendar so you’re not getting awkward looks.”

That’s it. Give it two days in which you catch up on your emails or get your expense account in order, and you’re ready to resume video conferencing as if nothing had ever happened.

Beard transplant patients have an even easier time – nothing easier than to cover up your face with a face mask that no one will question.

The point is, if you are fortunate to be able to work from home, now may be the time off you always wished you had to plan your hair restoration. No need to squeeze it in over the holidays. We even offer weekend appointments, allowing for even less downtime during the workweek if that’s what you’re looking for.

Of course, if you are working from home, it comes with a whole different set of challenges. Here is a short (but in no way complete) list of the pitfalls facing those of us working from home:

Zoom Blunders

When you expected an audio meeting that is actually a video meeting that you weren’t quite dressed for. Or worse, when you dressed your top half for the video meeting but angled the camera wrong.

Courtesy of https://twitter.com/XChristmasGifts/status/1246702155425349632

Pet Distractions

When your pet insists on partaking in the meeting and is taking over your keyboard and screen.

Toilet Paper Hurdles

When the other people in your household have no regard for peace and quiet while you are on a conference call with senior management, and are busy teaching the cat how to hurtle over a increasingly growing towers of toilet paper (of which you have surprisingly large supply in your garage).

Unflattering Self-Reflection

When you discover that your neck looks like the waddle on a turkey when you were just complimenting yourself in the mirror how youthful you look. Turns out these screen angles are disturbing for many reasons. You might have to get a session of FaceTite on the calendar pronto, in addition to your hair transplant.

Not Loving Your Zoom Face? You Need a Non-Surgical Facelift

Productivity Woes

When you congratulate yourself for having escaped two hours of rush hour traffic only to realize that your productivity hasn’t necessarily increased.

Courtesy of https://twitter.com/VMSilvera/status/1244706428906090501/photo/1

We hope that we’ve made you smile a little bit craps deutsch.

And how about that hair transplant? If you’d like to find out whether you’re a candidate, upload your picture today to receive a free quote from The Hair Doctor.

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