Antibiotics After Hair Transplant: Dosages And Durations For Graft Survival And Preventing Infection
Last reviewed on 10 July 2026. We review our treatment guides every six months to keep them accurate.
After a hair transplant, patients are usually sent home with a short course of antibiotics as part of their aftercare medication pack. The standard antibiotic is cefalexin, with doxycycline used instead for anyone who is allergic to penicillin. This guide explains what these antibiotics are, why they are given, and how to take them safely. It is general information rather than personal medical advice, so please follow the specific instructions from your own clinic and surgeon.
For independent, up-to-date references on these medicines, you can read the NHS pages on cefalexin and doxycycline, which the NHS keeps current.
The short version
Antibiotics are given after surgery to lower the risk of infection while the many tiny wounds in the scalp heal
Cefalexin is the standard antibiotic; doxycycline is used instead if you are allergic to penicillin
Take each dose as directed, complete the whole course even once you feel fine, and do not stop early or double up on a missed dose
If you are given doxycycline, take it with plenty of water, stay sitting or standing up for at least 30 minutes afterwards, and protect your skin from the sun, as it can increase sun sensitivity
Side effects are usually mild, such as feeling sick or a rash; serious reactions are rare
Routine antibiotics after a hair transplant are standard clinic practice; the exact regimen is a decision for your surgeon and clinic, so never self-prescribe or change it on your own
Why antibiotics are given after a hair transplant
During a hair transplant, the surgeons make hundreds or thousands of very small openings in the scalp to place the grafts. In the days that follow, those tiny wounds are healing and the skin's normal barrier is briefly interrupted. A short course of antibiotics is given during this window to reduce the risk of a wound infection while the scalp recovers.
Infection after a modern hair transplant is uncommon, but if it does happen it can be uncomfortable and, in more serious cases, affect healing. The antibiotics sit alongside the rest of your aftercare, such as keeping the area clean, following the washing instructions you are given, and not picking at scabs.
Cefalexin: the standard antibiotic
Cefalexin (brand name Keflex) is a widely used antibiotic that is given after surgery to help prevent infection during the critical early healing period. It comes as tablets or capsules that you swallow, and it is only available on prescription.
The course your clinic typically prescribes is 500mg of cefalexin, taken twice daily for six days, usually one tablet in the morning and one in the evening. Always follow the exact instructions on your own label and leaflet rather than any general figure you read online, and if anything is unclear, a pharmacist or your clinic can confirm it for you.
Doxycycline: the alternative if you are allergic to penicillin
Cefalexin is a cephalosporin, which is a class of antibiotics related to, but distinct from, penicillins. Because a small number of people who are allergic to penicillin can also react to cephalosporins, patients with a penicillin allergy are prescribed a different antibiotic instead. Doxycycline is used for this purpose, as it belongs to neither the penicillin nor the cephalosporin group.
When doxycycline is used, the course your clinic typically prescribes is 100mg once daily after food, for six days, preferably in the evening. Taking it after food helps reduce the risk of stomach irritation. As always, follow your own label rather than a general figure, and tell your clinic about any allergies you have so they can choose the antibiotic that is right for you.
How to take your antibiotics safely
A few simple habits make antibiotics easier to tolerate and help them work as intended. The points below reflect standard NHS guidance on these medicines, but your clinic's own instructions always come first.
Finish the whole course
This applies to both cefalexin and doxycycline. It is important to keep taking the antibiotic until the course is finished, even if you feel completely well before then. Stopping early can leave an infection only partly treated. Do not save leftover tablets for another time.
Take it at the same time each day
Taking your doses at consistent times helps you remember them and keeps a steady level of the medicine in your body. Check your leaflet or ask your pharmacist whether your particular dose should be taken with food.
If you are taking doxycycline: water, staying upright, and the sun
Swallow doxycycline whole with a full glass of water while sitting or standing, and avoid lying down for at least 30 minutes afterwards, as this helps stop it irritating your throat or gullet. Doxycycline can also make your skin more sensitive to sunlight, so you may burn more easily than usual. This matters after a hair transplant because your scalp is already healing, so keep the area out of strong sun, cover up where you can, and follow any sun-protection advice your clinic gives.
Possible side effects
Like all medicines, antibiotics can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. For cefalexin, the NHS notes the most common side effects are feeling sick and diarrhoea. For doxycycline, common side effects include headaches, feeling or being sick, and a rash. These are often mild.
More serious reactions are rare. If you think you may be having a serious reaction, such as a swollen throat or tongue, difficulty breathing, or a severe skin rash with peeling or blistering, seek urgent medical help. In the UK you can call NHS 111 for advice, or 999 in an emergency. You can read the full list of possible side effects on the NHS pages for cefalexin and doxycycline, or in the leaflet that comes with your medicine.
The rest of the aftercare pack
Antibiotics are usually part of a small pack of medicines given after surgery. The other items are not antibiotics, but it helps to know what they are for. Your clinic sets the exact doses, so always follow your own label.
Prednisolone, to reduce swelling
Prednisolone is a corticosteroid used for a few days after surgery to help reduce inflammation and swelling, particularly around the forehead and eyes. It is typically prescribed as 5mg tablets taken over three days, with five tablets on the first day, four on the second and three on the third, all after food, so the dose reduces each day. Follow the exact instructions on your own label.
Lansoprazole, to protect the stomach
Lansoprazole is a medicine that reduces stomach acid. It is included to protect the stomach while you are taking the other medicines, as steroids like prednisolone can irritate the stomach lining. It is typically prescribed as 30mg once daily for six days, usually before the evening meal. Follow the exact instructions on your own label.
Is the evidence for routine antibiotics settled?
Giving a short course of antibiotics around a hair transplant is standard clinic practice, and it is the approach the surgeons use. For context, hair restoration is treated as a clean procedure with a low baseline infection rate, and the wider surgical research on whether antibiotics are always needed for clean procedures is still debated. There is also a broader public-health reason to use antibiotics carefully, which is to help slow the spread of antibiotic resistance.
None of this is a reason to change what your clinic has prescribed. It simply means the decision to prescribe, and the exact regimen, is one for your surgeon and clinic to make for your situation. Please do not self-prescribe antibiotics, and do not stop a course early or alter it without speaking to your clinic or a medical professional first.
Getting the most from your recovery
Antibiotics are only one part of a smooth recovery. The following general steps also support healing, alongside the specific aftercare instructions your clinic gives you.
Follow your clinic's aftercare instructions: your surgeon will explain how to wash your scalp, how to sleep in the first nights, and how to avoid disturbing the grafts. These instructions are tailored to your procedure, so they take priority over general advice.
Protect the area from the sun: a healing scalp is delicate, and doxycycline can add to sun sensitivity, so keep the area shaded and covered as advised.
Eat well and stay hydrated: good general nutrition and fluids support the body while it heals.
Go easy on alcohol and smoking: both can work against healing. The NHS notes that you can drink alcohol while taking cefalexin, but that it is best not to drink alcohol while taking doxycycline. Whichever antibiotic you are given, follow the guidance your clinic provides.
If you notice anything that worries you during recovery, such as spreading redness, increasing pain, swelling or discharge, or you feel generally unwell, contact your clinic or a medical professional promptly rather than waiting.
Frequently asked questions
Which antibiotic will I be given after a hair transplant?
The standard antibiotic is cefalexin, a short course taken as a precaution against infection while the scalp heals. If you are allergic to penicillin, you will usually be given doxycycline instead. The final choice is made by your surgeon and clinic based on your medical history, so follow the medicine you are actually prescribed.
What if I am allergic to penicillin?
Cefalexin is a cephalosporin, a class related to penicillin, and a small number of people allergic to penicillin can also react to it. For that reason, patients with a penicillin allergy are given doxycycline instead, which is a different class of antibiotic. Always tell your clinic about any drug allergies before surgery so they can prescribe safely for you.
Do I really need antibiotics after a hair transplant?
A short course of antibiotics is standard practice as a precaution against infection while the scalp heals, and it is the approach the surgeons use. Infection after a hair transplant is uncommon, and the wider surgical evidence on routinely using antibiotics for clean procedures is debated, but the decision is one for your surgeon and clinic to make for your case. The best approach is to follow the regimen you are given rather than to skip it or self-prescribe.
What are the side effects of these antibiotics?
For cefalexin, the most common side effects noted by the NHS are feeling sick and diarrhoea. For doxycycline, common side effects include headaches, feeling or being sick, and a rash, and it can make the skin more sensitive to sunlight. These are usually mild. Serious reactions, such as an allergic reaction, are rare. You can see the full lists on the NHS pages for cefalexin and doxycycline, and you should seek urgent medical advice if you think you are having a serious reaction.
Can I drink alcohol while taking them?
The NHS notes that you can drink alcohol while taking cefalexin, but that it is best not to drink alcohol while taking doxycycline, as it can stop that medicine working properly. Alcohol can also work against healing more generally, so it is sensible to go easy on it during your recovery. If you have any questions about your own situation, ask your clinic or a pharmacist.
What should I do if I miss a dose or start to feel unwell?
If you miss a dose, the NHS advises taking it as soon as you remember, unless it is nearly time for your next dose, in which case skip the missed one. Do not take two doses to make up for a missed one. If you feel unwell while taking the antibiotic, or you have side effects that bother you, speak to a pharmacist, your clinic or a doctor. Do not simply stop the course on your own without advice.
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