‘Hair Loss’

In the year that saw the likes of Wayne Rooney, James Nesbitt and Louis Walsh all admitting to turning to a surgeon to help them solve the issue of their receding hairlines, one leading clinic has seen demand for hair transplant treatments triple. And the biggest increase, perhaps driven in part by Wayne Rooney’s candid admission in June that he had had a transplant, has been in Manchester, with six times as many men booking in for a hair transplant in the city in 2011 compared to 2010.

Yorkshire has also seen a big increase in demand, with over five times as many hair transplant procedures carried out this year compared to last. Both Tyne & Wear and Essex have seen over four times as many men opting for treatment. Explaining the increase, Dr. Raghu Reddy, hair restoration expert at The Private Clinic of Harley Street and developer of the advanced 3G FUE hair transplant method said;

“Hair transplant treatment methods have vastly improved over the last couple of years. Previous options such as hair plugs and the ‘strip method’ are less natural looking and have the potential to scar. With the latest treatment, Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), we take hair one by one from the donor area, usually the back of the head where the hair is plentiful, and move them individually to the front or crown of the head where there is thinning. The results are incredibly effective and natural looking.

“The fact that high profile individuals such as Wayne Rooney and James Nesbitt have been open about having treatment, and that people can see the natural looking results for themselves has undoubtedly contributed to the increased interest in the treatment. Furthermore, there are no signs of demand for the treatment slowing either.”

Dr. Reddy’s advanced 3G FUE treatment involves removing individual, healthy hair follicles directly from the back of the scalp and transplanting them onto the bald areas of the head. The benefits of this treatment include no use of scalpels, stitching or scarring, it’s a minimally invasive treatment and the end results are much more natural looking than older, more traditional transplant techniques. The method can also be used to correct an instance where a traditional strip surgery may have gone wrong.

For more information on the 3G FUE hair transplant procedure and The Private Clinic of Harley Street please visit www.theprivateclinic.co.uk

So what do Wayne Rooney, Gordon Ramsay and now Louis Walsh all have in common? You guessed it, they have all had hair transplants.  FUE Hair Transplants are becoming more and more popular and not just amongst celebrities. The procedure is now common place for men everywhere who are concerned with thinning and receding hair. In fact the 3G FUE hair transplant is one of the fastest growing minimally invasive cosmetic procedures amongst men, as reported at The Private Clinic.

Previous techniques tended to produce very unsuccessful and varied results which meant less people opted for them, however with the 3G FUE procedure it is possible to achieve excellent results with no scaring!

The minimally invasive procedure works by taking healthy hair follicles from areas of the head then implanting them into the bald areas. The result – natural and optimum results with no scalpels or scaring.

I had a FUE hair transplant couple of days ago. First of all what has impressed me the most is that it felt as a “non procedure”; what I mean is that this isn’t major surgery, you are awake, feel no pain and simply chat to the doctors and two lovely technicians while they do their job. You walk-in and walk-out (hours later) on foot. The only downside perhaps is that the procedure is pretty long and towards the end of the day you start getting tired an bored. Although dr. Reddy is quite entertaining and tries to make you as comfortable as possible, and if you come prepared you can always bring a portable audio/video device and listen or watch during the procedure.

I am trying to restore my hairline as I have lost quite a fail amount of hair at the front. Dr. Reddy managed to transfer 3000 hair which is great and I can see already how I will look like when the hair starts growing. Post-op care is minimal, I am taking some medications and besides from having to sleep on my back (I prefer to sleep on the side), no real disruption to my normal life.

I am a very happy man. All done and dusted now I just need to wait…and for once instead of waiting to see if I lose more hair day after day…I will be waiting to see my hair growing. Cannot wait for the final results!

I am happy to answer any questions about the procedure.

Thanks, Paul

 Hi My big brother has been losing his hair since early teenage years. He used to have thick and full hair. He uses products from Belgravia, he’s convinced they work, but personally i don’t see a difference. My father has had follicle implementation in Belgravia, maybe 10 years ago, i can’t remember as i was young. He’s has some taken from the back of his head and inserted at the front. But im not sure about the results. My brother is thinking of taking the same path but i am not convinced by it all. I was wondering if there are new research about the subject of hair loss or new treatments. I don’t know if it’s a hormonal/genetic problem and what can be done about this. Are there any alternatives to surgical treatment?

Hi there, thanks for your query. Hair loss has a multitude of causes – Genetic, Physical and ageing are some of the common causes.There is convincing evidence to support use of minoxidil and propecia in preventing further loss of hair. My advice is to see a dermatologist or a hair restoration surgeon to get a miniaturisation mapping study and get further advice on the way forward. I can talk you through the third generation FUE technique we do also.

Thanks

Dr Reddy

Dear Mr Malik,

Thanks for your query. I’m afraid, without a proper assessment, I am not in an ideal position to explain the reason behind the failure of your transplant. However, I can try to offer a few explanations as to the complexities associated with a successful FUE transplant and I hope this would answer most of your questions.

Unlike strip surgery, FUE is primarily a technique that is very technically challenging and needs years of experience on the part of the surgeon. A major technical problem with harvesting hair directly from the scalp using a round cutting tool (a punch) is that the angle of the hair changes as it emerges from the scalp. Therefore, the angle of the hair below the scalp can only be estimated by the operating surgeon, since he has no direct visibility under the skin. In addition, although the upper part of the follicular unit sits in a tight bundle, the lower portion splays outward. In order to be effective, the cutting vs. blunt dissection properties of the punch must be exquisitely balanced and this can only be achieved with a great application of experience in dealing with all possible permutations and combinations.

Thanks

Dr Reddy

Q: Do i need to shave my hair to have a hair transplant?

Hi there, thanks for your query. To perform a successful FUE hair transplant, we need good visualisation of the donor area. We could perform a fairly large session by trimming the hair at the back of the scalp and leaving the hair on the top. You can call us to discuss in more detail if you would like?

Thanks

Dr Reddy

Hi there,

I had a FUE hair transplant couple of days ago. First of all what has impressed me the most is that it felt as a “non procedure”; what I mean is that this isn’t major surgery, you are awake, feel no pain and simply chat to the doctors and two lovely technicians while they do their job. You walk-in and walk-out (hours later) on foot. The only downside perhaps is that the procedure is pretty long and towards the end of the day you start getting tired an bored. Although dr. Reddy is quite entertaining and tries to make you as comfortable as possible, and if you come prepared you can always bring a portable audio/video device and listen or watch during the procedure.

I am trying to restore my hairline as I have lost quite a fail amount of hair at the front. Dr. Reddy managed to transfer 3000 hair which is great and I can see already how I will look like when the hair starts growing. Post-op care is minimal, I am taking some medications and besides from having to sleep on my back (I prefer to sleep on the side), no real disruption to my normal life.

I am a very happy man. All done and dusted now I just need to wait…and for once instead of waiting to see if I lose more hair day after day…I will be waiting to see my hair growing. Cannot wait for the final results!

I am happy to answer any questions about the procedure.

Thanks, Paul

 I am planning a visit to the uk to have a consultation and if suitable a hair transplant. Can i fly immediately after the transplant? It is just a short flight to Italy. If not how many days do i have to wait before i can fly? Do i need to come back to the uk after the treatment or once i had my transplant done i don’t need to do anything more about it?

Thanks for your query. Technically you could fly to Italy the  same day after surgery. Most peopel don’t opt to do thsi as you will have redness on your scalp and a dressing on the back of your head. So it is up to you on that side of things. However I recommend that you rest the day of the surgery and fly the next day.

With regards to follow ups, we could communicate over the phone and there is no need to revisit us for a routine evaluation. I am always available so you will always have somebody at the end of phone to talk to shoudl you need to. We also have a patient co-ordinator who you can ask any questions too also.

The Times Magazine on Saturday explored the reasons why it’s tough to be a guy nowadays.

Sarah Harris spoke to six men whose fate has taken unusual turns…two single men that have decided their bachelor days are over but are struggling to find a partner; a commercial lawyer who’s quit the rat race for a happier life but has found his confidence slipping therefore meeting new people has been incredibly tough; the stockbroker turned stay-at-home dad and the husband who earns less than his wife.

While their status as the main breadwinner may be in danger, it seems that there are more reasons to the crises affecting the modern man. What were once considered typical male attributes, such as strength and silence, are no longer seen as virtues but more as arrogance and inability to share their emotions. ‘’The world has become a place where men no longer have to be men’’ the journalist continues “they have to find something else to be but they don’t know what that thing is”.

As one of the many consequences of this existential crises, apparently 89% more men are seeking treatment for hair loss.

This got me thinking…is it such a bad thing that men are more interested in their physical appearance than ever before? Is it a sign of weakness? An indication that they are slowly moving into a woman’s territory? And what is it that women really want? An alpha male reluctant to show his feelings and not really bothered by their receding hairline? Or do women long for a modern man, comfortable at home with the kids, able to talk about how they feel and with soft manicured hands?

Well I for one believe that everybody should feel comfortable about their looks…and if a man feels the need for some help – just like us women – then why not?

Would we like our men to have a six pack and gorgeous locks? Of course! But, does it matter if they don’t? Of course not!

It is ultimately down to them and whatever makes them a little bit happier…

There are often times men and women feel self conscious about the way they look and often voice these concerns over a few drinks. When men start talking about receding hair lines, instantly there are common jibes by other men. It’s as if it is an acceptable behaviour, but for some, those words hit them hard. Ultimately hair loss is much more than a retreating hair line, your identity and self-esteem are affected. For many the ribbing they get from friends is the worst part of going bald.

Men who start going bald, put fronts on, they may point fun at themselves or even state they love being bald – it’s an extra few minutes kip in the morning after all. Truth is though, some maybe feeling just that little bit ugly and resentful of their hair. I think there is a point when people start commenting on the shape of your head, is when you start feeling self concious – stripped of the appeal your hair once had and the definition that it gave to your identity.

Balding can occur in early twenties and this can create quite a shock. Dr Raghu Reddy, our Hair Transplant Doctor, who performs the Third Generation Follicular Unit Extraction has said that in the past two years there has been an increase in demand for hair transplant, partly due to the enhanced technology, but also due to the credit cruch. When bankers were being laid off, many went straight to Dr Reddy for the need to look younger for their next round of hiring’s. Many told Dr Reddy that baldness has deeply affected their quality of life – their self esteem, self image and even relationships – but after procedure, they are transformed both in dating and work life.I think it’s safe to say that men do worry about going bald, watching a hair line slowly creep back can be daunting, but the feeling is mutual.

I love it when I hear the feedback from patients who have gone ahead with treatment, it’s evident that their confidence is sky high, and so it should be.

Bee