First-night positioning, plus hats, helmets, haircuts and color — practical answers for PRP patients in Miami.
Call (786) 738-9515Sleep on your back with your head slightly elevated on a clean pillowcase the first night after PRP, and keep pressure off the treated area.
Questions about your own scalp? Call the dermatology clinic at (786) 738-9515.
Sleep on your back with your head propped slightly higher than usual — one extra pillow is enough. Elevation reduces the mild swelling and throbbing that some patients feel the first evening, and back sleeping keeps direct pressure off the injection sites.
Put a clean pillowcase on before bed. Fresh micro-punctures plus a pillowcase that has been collecting oil and product for a week is an avoidable irritation. If you are a committed side sleeper, it is not dangerous — you may just wake up with slightly more tenderness on that side.
Mild tightness, tenderness, or a dull headache the first night is common and expected. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is the usual choice; avoid ibuprofen and other NSAIDs for about 48 hours because they work against the inflammatory healing response PRP relies on.
Do not use an ice pack unless we specifically told you to. Cold constricts the vessels the treatment is trying to recruit.
Avoid motorcycle and bicycle helmets for the first 24 hours. After that, a clean, correctly fitted helmet is fine. The two things that matter are pressure and hygiene: a tight shell presses on tender injection sites, and a sweaty liner puts bacteria against them.
If riding is unavoidable, wipe down the liner, wear a clean thin liner cap, and keep the trip short for the first day or two.
A loose, clean hat is fine after 24 hours and is actually the easiest way to keep sun off a treated scalp. Avoid tight beanies, sweatbands, and anything that leaves a mark on your forehead.
Sun protection matters. For the first few days, shade or a hat is preferable to rubbing sunscreen into a scalp that is still healing.
A haircut is generally safe about three days after treatment, or sooner if your scalp is no longer tender — the concern is clipper pressure, combing tension, and the barber's hands on healing skin, not the cutting itself.
Tell your barber or stylist you had a scalp treatment so they go gently and skip the vigorous shampoo massage. Clipper cuts and razor fades over the treated area are best left until day three to five.
Wait at least 72 hours for hair color, and a full week if your schedule allows. Permanent dye, bleach, chemical relaxers, keratin treatments, and perms all involve strong chemicals sitting directly on the scalp.
If you have color appointments on a regular cycle, the easiest approach is to book your color first and your PRP a few days after — not the other way around.
Light combing with a wide-tooth comb is fine once the scalp is comfortable, usually the next day. Avoid tight ponytails, buns, braids, weaves, and clip-in extensions for two to three days, since they pull at the follicle.
Hold off on high-heat blow-drying and hot tools for 72 hours. Air drying or a cool setting is the safer option that first week.
Sleep on your back with your head slightly elevated on a clean pillowcase the first night, keeping pressure off the treated area.
Avoid helmets for the first 24 hours, then wear a clean, properly fitted one and keep rides short for a day or two.
Yes, after about 24 hours, as long as it is clean and loose. It is a good way to keep sun off the scalp.
Usually about three days, or once tenderness has resolved. Tell your stylist to be gentle and skip the vigorous shampoo massage.
Wait at least 72 hours, and ideally a week, before permanent color, bleach, relaxers, or perms.
Yes, gently with a wide-tooth comb once the scalp is comfortable, typically the next day.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Teresa Moreno, DNP, founder of Paradise Medical Center. This article is patient education, not a substitute for an in-person evaluation. Always follow the specific instructions given to you at your appointment.
Paradise Medical Center Dermatology & Aesthetics — 8364 SW 8th St, Westchester, Miami, FL 33144.
Call (786) 738-9515