Updated: April 2024
“How soon can I play golf after a hair transplant?” It’s a commonly asked question from our golfing patients.
At HRBR, we carry out hair transplants on many golfers every year both amateur and professional. The majority attend during the winter months when the golf season slows a little. How soon you can return to golf depends on the technique used to take the grafts from the donor region.
Professional Golfers
For professional golfers, who can’t afford to take an extended break from the course, we recommend coming in to speak with one of our doctors. Recovery time depends on the individual and in the right circumstances we may be able to work to a recovery plan that brings forward your return to golf. Find out more about Paul McGinley’s hair transplant at HRBR.
Returning to golf after an FUT hair transplant
For FUT patients where the grafts are removed by a strip, we recommend no strenuous physical activity for 4 weeks following your procedure. This is to allow the area at the back of the head to heal properly and keep scarring following the procedure to a minimum.
Returning to golf after an FUE hair transplant
For FUE patients where the grafts are removed one by one, we recommend no strenuous physical activity for 2 weeks following the procedure. See more information on the differences between FUT and FUE.
It is also worth noting that you cannot wear a hat in the initial 14 days following your procedure as this may disturb the newly transplanted hair grafts. Following this initial 14-day period, you can go back to cutting and styling your hair as you wish and can return to wearing a hat as normal.
Note on Hats & Hair Loss
There many myths surrounding hair loss and one of them is that wearing hats and helmets contributes to the condition. Wearing a hat normally, not in a way that is too tight or causes friction, does not cause hair loss. It may be that, because many men who suffer from hair loss wear hats, people began to think hats were the cause. This is not true.
For more information on what actually causes hair loss and the myths surrounding hair loss in men, see our blog post on hair loss myths.
Contact Us
So, for the majority of our golfing patients planning the transplant around the golf season is often the best option to allow time to heal properly and not miss any important golf outings.
For more information on planning your transplant or if you are worried about your hair loss, why not speak to one of the experts at HRBR. To arrange a consultation, call +353 1 209 1000 or email info@hrbr.ie
About the Author
Dr Joseph O’Connor
Consultant Surgeon
MB, BCh, BAO, FRCS RCPS Glasg, FRCS Edin, FRCS Eng, FRCSI.
Registered with the Medical Council of Ireland
Dr. O’Connor holds a Specialist Certificate in General Surgery from the Royal College of Surgeons of England. He has over 30 years experience as a Consultant Surgeon and lecturer in surgery at postgraduate and undergraduate levels. He is a fellow of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Ireland and England.
