Hair transplantation is a highly effective and widely used treatment for alopecia or severe hair loss. It’s the only hair restoration method that guarantees an end to hair loss after surgery. As a result, it’s logical to say that the results of hair transplantation are permanent, lasting, and reliable, leading to increased demand among the general public. That’s why, to see the best results from hair transplantation, you should take aftercare seriously, including limiting and stopping the consumption of coffee and tea after the procedure.
Consuming coffee and tea after a hair transplant
One of the most important parts of hair transplantation is following the doctor’s instructions and aftercare guidelines, as they directly affect the final outcome and your recovery process. These preparation and post-hair transplant care conditions may vary for each patient, but generally include the following:
- Avoid putting any pressure on your head.
- Avoid direct exposure to the sun.
- Avoid alcoholic beverages and smoking for at least two weeks.
- Postpone strenuous activities and exercise for two weeks.
- Drink plenty of water and avoid acidic and caffeinated drinks.
Consuming any caffeinated beverages, including coffee and tea, after a hair transplant is risky, just as consuming them during the recovery phase of any other surgery is considered dangerous. Keep in mind that coffee-based drinks such as instant coffee, cappuccino, latte, mocha, Americano, and energy drinks all contain high amounts of caffeine and should not be consumed shortly before or after a hair transplant.
Why shouldn’t you drink coffee and tea after a hair transplant?
While caffeine consumption is beneficial on normal days, it can be problematic in the days leading up to and after a hair transplant. The main reason why you should avoid drinking coffee for a while after a hair transplant is directly related to your blood pressure. The caffeine in coffee and tea causes your adrenal glands to produce more adrenaline, which in turn raises your blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to bleeding and put your hair transplant recovery at risk. Additionally, due to the vasoconstrictive properties of caffeine, it can be harmful to the blood supply to the newly transplanted grafts.
Drinking coffee after a hair transplant is one of the factors that can negatively affect the results of your procedure, although its effects are not as significant as other factors such as smoking. However, the risk of side effects and its impact on the outcome of hair transplantation cannot be ignored.
Does consuming coffee and tea before a hair transplant cause any problems?
As mentioned, the caffeine in coffee and tea increases blood pressure and heart rate, which can be problematic during the hair transplant procedure. Consuming caffeine before a hair transplant can increase the risk of bleeding during the hair transplant, which, due to the difficulty of placing hair follicles in the recipient area, requires more time, reduces the chance of damaging the grafts, and may lead to unsuccessful hair transplantation. Another important side effect of drinking coffee and tea before a hair transplant that you should be aware of is that it may interact with medications administered during surgery, either by injection or orally, which may be harmful to both the individual’s health and the outcome. Therefore, you should avoid consuming coffee and tea before and after hair transplant surgery to prevent any of the aforementioned harmful consequences.
How long before and after a hair transplant can you drink coffee and tea?
Doctors recommend that hair transplant candidates avoid consuming caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, and even energy drinks for 2 days before the procedure. If you want to be more cautious, you should avoid consuming caffeine in any form for 4 days before the hair transplant. Quitting coffee abruptly may be difficult for people who are accustomed to drinking it, so doctors recommend reducing coffee and tea consumption to one cup per day a week before the hair transplant and not consuming it in the final two days.
Tea has less caffeine than coffee and its potential harm is also less compared to coffee. However, drinking excessive amounts of tea before and after a hair transplant can also be problematic. Like cigarettes and acidic drinks, coffee consumption after a hair transplant is best resumed one or two weeks after the transplant day, and the longer this interval and the more limited the amount of caffeinated drinks, the more it helps to reduce recovery time and the result of hair transplantation.
Are caffeinated shampoos effective after a hair transplant?
There are many shampoos available today that contain caffeine. Currently, there is no strong evidence to suggest that caffeine shampoo is beneficial after a hair transplant. Past research has shown that caffeine may be able to stimulate human hair growth and play an important clinical role in the management of androgenic alopecia. However, there is still not enough clinical evidence to support the claim that such shampoos actually improve hair growth and reduce hair loss. In fact, caffeine enhances factors that help hair follicles remain in the growth phase, which increases hair growth time.
The transplanted hair should not be washed for the first two to four days after the hair transplant, and after this period, washing the head after the hair transplant should be done with a very mild shampoo recommended by the doctor. If you wish, you can use a caffeinated shampoo to wash your hair after 2 weeks of hair transplantation.
