One man got more than he bargained for after a hair transplant, after he ignored the 'no sex' rule and ended up with a massively swollen face.
Welsh influencer Ruben Owen was desperate to get some luscious new locks, but didn't pay attention to the aftercare rules in the days after his surgery.
The then 22-year-old had travelled to Turkey to undergo the procedure, as he was worried his hairline was receding at a young age.
He was offered the surgery for free if he modelled the results afterwards, so paid £800 for flights.
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Owen was warned to abstain from sex for at least seven days, and was horrified to find his face had puffed up like a balloon afterwards, especially on the left side of his face.
He ended up visiting the emergency room as he was so worried and was convinced he had caught a sexually transmitted infection.
Speaking about the surgery he said: “It all went ok, they went through the aftercare things of what you are not meant to do.
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"I didn't quite listen about the sex part and because of that my face just went quite enormous. I had sex the night time. Woke up the next day and my head was just absolutely massive.”
He was left fearing his head was ‘going to explode...I looked like something out of a film - it was something else,' he said.
Why shouldn't you have sex for seven days after a hair transplant?
According to experts at Cosmedica, it's all to do with blood pressure. "Sexual activity can increase your blood pressure and heart rate, which may lead to increased bleeding around the transplanted area. This can compromise the success of the hair transplant," and also cause swelling.
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It can also displace the delicate new grafted follicles, and could undo all the hard work: "Friction and pressure during sex can move or dislodge the fragile hair grafts before they have a chance to firmly implant themselves."
There's also an increased risk of infection, like with any new wound: "Sweating during sex can irritate the scalp and potentially increase the risk of infection at the transplant site. Therefore, you should limit your sexual activity after a hair transplant to avoid infections."
They actually recommend waiting for at least two weeks to be on the safe side, while the Wimpole Clinic experts recommend up to three weeks.
It's also warned that wasting energy on fornicating can also slow down your healing, as you are advised to rest as much as possible following surgery.
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After the recommended time has passed, there are still precautions to take.
Ask your partner to avoid touching your head or grabbing your hair during sex, and try not to get too excited, as 'vigorous activity' isn’t recommended until at least two weeks after your hair transplant.
Take care when undressing too not to damage the delicate new skin and hair grafts.
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Owen's face and head eventually returned to a normal size after a week, and he confessed he has learned 'the hard way' about following doctor's orders.
Patients are also advised to avoid alcohol for at least four days after surgery, and no sport for at least two weeks, and a whopping two months before sunbathing.
Good things come to those who wait!
Topics: Health, NHS, Sex and Relationships, Weird, Travel
Jen Thomas