I am wondering if I can wear a hat after the surgery. Also, how long until I can wear my motorcycle helmet?

Answer:

You can wear a baseball cap right after the surgery, provided that it is loose and flexible. Many people bring a hat or a bandana with them to the procedure and then wear it home so nobody sees that they have had surgery. The one caveat about this is that the hat cannot come in contact with the newly grafted follicles. It is okay if the hat touches the donor area on the back of the head, but if the hat is too tight or pushed town to far, there is a chance that the grafts will stick to the hat and subsequently be pulled out when you take the hat off. This can usually be avoided by wearing something loose that can be tilted a little forward.

The motorcycle helmet, on the other hand, represents a problem. We recommend waiting about 2 weeks after all of the tiny scabs have fallen off before you begin to wear a helmet. Generally, helmets are fairly heavy, which means that they are likely to press down on the head. This, coupled with the helmet vibration inherent with riding a motorcycle, could lead to damage to the new grafts and a diminished survival rate.

-Brandon Ross, MD
http://www.rmhri.com
IAHRS Recommended Hair Transplant Surgeon