Sleep on your back with your head elevated, and avoid any contact between the recipient area and the pillow, for roughly the first seven to ten nights. Elevation reduces forehead swelling; back-sleeping protects grafts during the period when friction can still dislodge them.
Why elevation
Swelling after surgery is fluid moving under gravity. Lying flat lets it settle across the forehead and around the eyes, which is why people wake on day three looking worse than they did on day one. Sleeping propped up — a recliner, or two or three pillows arranged so the head stays raised rather than the neck bent — keeps that fluid from pooling.
Swelling of this kind is common and self-limiting. It usually peaks around days two to four and settles within a week.
Position
| Nights | Position | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | On your back, well elevated | Grafts least secure; swelling at its peak |
| 4–7 | On your back, still elevated | Grafts securing; swelling settling |
| 8–10 | Back, elevation can be reduced | Most grafts secure by now |
| After 10 | Normal, on surgeon's confirmation | Friction risk substantially lower |
If grafts were placed at the sides or the crown, "on your back" may not be enough on its own — ask specifically which surfaces must stay clear, because the answer depends on where you were operated.
Practical points
- A travel pillow around the neck helps keep you from rolling
- Use a clean pillowcase, changed frequently in the first week
- A dark towel over the pillow saves worrying about small amounts of fluid or blood
- Keep the room cool — heat increases both swelling and itching
- If you wake having rolled onto the recipient area, do not panic; report it rather than pulling at anything
What not to do
Do not use a sleep aid you have not discussed with your surgeon, and do not drink alcohol to help you sleep in the first days — both reduce your control over position and alcohol affects swelling and bleeding. Do not wear a cap or hood to bed unless it was specifically prescribed.
The rest of the early routine is covered in post-transplant care, and the wider sequence in the recovery timeline.