Antalya after a hair transplant: a day-by-day guide

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.

Hair transplant recovery, day by day

Activity rules, day by day

Sun, water, exertion, heat, alcohol and flying, for each day of a typical stay. Every rule is sourced on the day pages.

✕ Not today ! With care ✓ OK

What to do each day

1. Day 1

   Most clinics see you the morning after for a check and the first wash, done by the clinic team. Grafts are at their most fragile today. Keep it short: a slow walk near the hotel and one indoor sight by taxi is plenty.

   Good picks: Old harbour sightseeing cruise · Antalya Aquarium · Antalya Museum

   Day 1 in detail: rules, 4 safe activities, 2 to skip, where to eat

2. Day 2

   Swelling often starts to show on the forehead between days 2 and 4. Sleep semi-upright as your clinic advised. Washing at the hotel usually starts now, using the clinic's exact method. Plan indoor, seated sights.

   Good picks: Old harbour sightseeing cruise · Antalya Museum · Tünektepe cable car

   Day 2 in detail: rules, 4 safe activities, 2 to skip, where to eat

3. Day 3

   Swelling is often at its peak and can reach the eyes. It looks worse than it is. Stay in cool indoor places, take taxis door to door, and keep out of crowds where someone could brush your head.

   Good picks: Old harbour sightseeing cruise · Tünektepe cable car · Antalya Museum

   Day 3 in detail: rules, 4 safe activities, 2 to skip, where to eat

4. Day 4

   Swelling usually starts to ease. You can manage 2 to 3 hours of gentle sightseeing with breaks, in shade. Still nothing that makes you sweat.

   Good picks: Kaleiçi walking tour with tea and baklava · Old harbour sightseeing cruise · Antalya Museum

   Day 4 in detail: rules, 4 safe activities, 2 to skip, where to eat

5. Day 5

   Many clinics allow a loose, clean hat outdoors from around now, as long as it does not rub or press on the grafts. A seated boat trip in the shade is a good half-day.

   Good picks: Kaleiçi walking tour with tea and baklava · Old harbour sightseeing cruise · Old town, waterfalls and boat day

   Day 5 in detail: rules, 4 safe activities, 2 to skip, where to eat

6. Day 6

   Crusts are forming and can itch. Do not scratch or pick. Light walking is fine; covered markets are better outside peak hours.

   Good picks: Old harbour sightseeing cruise · Kaleiçi walking tour with tea and baklava · Old town, waterfalls and boat day

   Day 6 in detail: rules, 4 safe activities, 2 to skip, where to eat

7. Day 7

   Crusts begin to soften with the daily washes. A full but slow day out works if you keep to shade and sit down often.

   Good picks: Kaleiçi walking tour with tea and baklava · Old harbour sightseeing cruise · Old town, waterfalls and boat day

   Day 7 in detail: rules, 4 safe activities, 2 to skip, where to eat

8. Day 8

   Crusts typically fall away between days 7 and 10 with gentle washing. Redness can last for weeks and is normal.

   Good picks: Old harbour sightseeing cruise · Kaleiçi walking tour with tea and baklava · Tünektepe cable car

   Day 8 in detail: rules, 4 safe activities, 2 to skip, where to eat

9. Day 9

   You can do most low-effort sightseeing. Sun, swimming, saunas, the gym and tight hats are still off the list.

   Good picks: Kaleiçi walking tour with tea and baklava · Old harbour sightseeing cruise · Old town, waterfalls and boat day

   Day 9 in detail: rules, 4 safe activities, 2 to skip, where to eat

10. Day 10

    Most crusts are gone. Your aftercare from here is about time: no swimming or sauna for about a month and careful sun protection for months.

    Good picks: Old harbour sightseeing cruise · Kaleiçi walking tour with tea and baklava · Old town, waterfalls and boat day

    Day 10 in detail: rules, 4 safe activities, 2 to skip, where to eat

For your companion

Your companion has the same idle days without the restrictions. These are the things the patient has to skip on most days of this guide, which makes them perfect solo outings.

• Suluada island boat trip

  The "Turkish Maldives": a full day at sea with swimming stops and lunch on board.

  Gentle walking, mostly in full sun, about 10 hours

  See times and prices

• Konyaaltı beach

  Seven kilometres of pebble beach and clear water below the mountains.

  Gentle walking, mostly in full sun, about 4 hours

  Open in Maps

• Perge, Aspendos and Side

  A Roman theatre, a ruined city and a seaside town in one day. Hours in full sun on stone.

  A few hours on foot with breaks, mostly in full sun, about 9 hours

  See times and prices

• Turkish hammam

  Steam, hot marble and a scrub in a hotel or old-town hammam.

  Gentle walking, indoors, about 1.5 hours

  Open in Maps

• Party boat with lunch and open bar

  Foam parties, a DJ, swimming stops and drinks all day on a big boat out of Kemer or Lara.

  Gentle walking, mostly in full sun, about 6 hours

  See times and prices

• Nargile café in the old town

  Water pipes and tea on a Kaleiçi terrace. Relaxing, and smoky.

  Seated, shaded or covered, about 1.5 hours

  Open in Maps

Antalya tips for recovering patients

• Boat trips are the big sell in Antalya. Long ones include swimming stops and a buffet lunch, so pick short harbour cruises for the first days.
• Midday sun is strong from April to October. Plan outdoor sights for early morning or late afternoon.

More about hair transplant recovery

• When can I go in the sun after a hair transplant?
• When can I swim after a hair transplant?
• Can I wear a hat after a hair transplant?
• Hair transplant in Istanbul: what to pack

Travelling with someone?

See things to do in Antalya while your partner recovers.

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.

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