PostOpTrip

Recovery travel guide

Hair transplant abroad: where to recover and what you can do

Grafts are fragile for the first 7 to 10 days. The rules are about keeping the scalp out of the sun, dry except for the clinic's washing method, cool and untouched.

Confirm with your surgeon. These are general activity limits from published aftercare guidance. Your clinic's written instructions always come first, and they may be stricter or looser for your procedure.

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CitySafe things to do on days 1 to 3Safe things on day 10WeatherClinics
IstanbulTürkiye9 to 918Hot, sunny summers (often above 28°C in July and August) and cool, wet winters.Get quotes

Counts are activities from our city lists that fit the published activity limits on those days. More cities are coming.

Recovery timeline

  1. Days 1 to 3

    Clinic check and first wash. Swelling of the forehead often builds and may reach the eyes. No sun on the scalp, no hat pressing on grafts, no sweating, no bending far forward.

  2. Days 4 to 7

    Swelling settles. Light sightseeing with breaks, in shade, with a loose clean hat only if your clinic allows it. Still no swimming, steam or exercise.

  3. Days 8 to 10

    Crusts loosen and fall away with washing. Longer outings are fine but the scalp stays out of direct sun, water and heat for weeks yet.

  4. After you fly home

    Clinics commonly ask for 2 weeks without exercise, a month without swimming or sauna, and months of careful sun protection. Your own aftercare sheet sets the exact dates.

Typical stay: 3 to 5 days in the city is typical; many patients stay 7 to 10 to see the crusts through.

Day-by-day guides

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Questions people ask

Sources

  1. Sun, sea, sauna and swimming: hair transplant protection timeline. Smile Hair Clinic, Istanbul (clinic aftercare guide). Checked 2 November 2026.
  2. After FUT hair transplant surgery: post-op instructions. Bernstein Medical (clinic aftercare sheet). Checked 2 November 2026.
  3. Hair transplant. NHS (UK). Checked 2 November 2026.
  4. Patient information. International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS). Checked 2 November 2026.
  5. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT): long journeys. NHS (UK). Checked 2 November 2026.
  6. Medical tourism (CDC Yellow Book). U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Checked 2 November 2026.