Hair implants for men are an increasingly popular hair loss treatment choice. More than 85% of men are affected by male pattern baldness at some point in life [1], which can impact their self-esteem, social and professional life [2]. But this simple and effective hair restoration surgery is the closest thing available today to a cure for baldness, as it often takes a single intervention to restore hair fullness for the rest of your life.
Keep reading this article to find out everything you need to know about getting hair implants for men, such as:
From a scientific standpoint, the term “hair implant” refers to synthetic hair. But in common speak, it has come to define both the natural and synthetic hair fibres used for hair transplants. Thus, hair implants for men are now often used as another term for male surgical hair restoration. This procedure most often involves harvesting healthy hair follicles from the back of your head and implanting them into the thinning areas of your scalp. After a recovery period, the transplanted hair follicles produce hair normally, restoring hair density and fullness to your balding spots.
In the past, it was mainly celebrities who got hair transplants. This was due to new surgical methods, limited experienced surgeons, and prohibitive pricing. However, advancements in surgical techniques and equipment have made the hair implant procedure more efficient and, therefore, more affordable.
This has since encouraged men from all walks of life to try surgical hair restoration, often to high satisfaction levels. The procedure is simple, fast and performed in an outpatient setting. Moreover, it is highly effective in restoring hair growth and results are normally permanent.
People often use the terms hair transplants and hair implants interchangeably in casual speech to refer to the same surgical hair restoration procedure. For easy understanding, this article also uses them with the same meaning.
However, there’s a small difference between these two concepts. A hair transplant normally implies that hair is taken from somewhere else on your scalp, face or body and transplanted to your thinning areas. The term hair implants, on the other hand, is sometimes used to refer to the synthetic hair fibres used in an artificial hair transplant.
The main reason why men decide to get hair implants is male pattern baldness. This condition affects about 50% of men by the time they reach 50 [3] and 85% in their lifetime [1]. Also known as androgenetic alopecia, this condition is caused by a combination of hair genetics, hormones and lifestyle factors.
Male pattern baldness occurs when too much of your testosterone is converted by an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase into a different male hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) (or when you are particularly sensitive to this hormone). DHT binds to specific androgen receptors in your hair follicles, making them shrink over time [4]. This initially leads to hair miniaturisation in the affected areas, and left untreated, it progresses to baldness.
The Norwood Scale measures the stages of male pattern baldness
The main symptoms of male pattern baldness in men are a receding hairline, followed by temple hair loss and eventually, a bald spot on the crown. Since this condition is progressive, getting it diagnosed and treated early can improve your chances of curbing and reversing it.
Men may also choose to get hair implants to restore hair growth on scars (though hair transplants into scar tissue can be more difficult), or to fill in bald patches caused by other types of alopecia (such as severe traction alopecia) [5].
Hair grafts can be obtained through two main techniques, each with its specific advantages and disadvantages [5][6].
FUT involves surgically removing a strip of skin 1-1.5 cm in width and 15-30 cm in length [6] from the back of your head. The strip is then carefully cut up into individual hair grafts under a microscope. FUT is often faster to complete than FUE, and may be more suitable for high volume hair transplants. However, it can be more costly, recovery takes longer, and it leaves a fine scar on your donor area.
FUE involves using a special tool called a punch to remove individual hair follicles from your donor area instead of an entire strip of skin. It leaves small, round puncture wounds that heal in a few days. FUE usually leaves virtually no visible scarring, recovery time is shorter than FUT, and it can also be less expensive. However, the surgery normally takes longer to perform.
Both FUT and FUE hair implant methods are safe and effective and can produce great results, so choosing one over the other is often a matter of personal preference or convenience. If you are unsure which option to select, your surgeon can help you assess their strengths and weaknesses and make a recommendation for your specific needs.
There are also some varieties of these techniques, depending on factors such as hair length (e.g. unshaven FUE hair transplants) or the technology involved in the procedure (e.g. DHI hair transplants, or robotic hair transplants). If you would like to learn more, our experienced surgeons will be happy to present you with all the available options.
In most cases, the hair used for your implants comes from your own scalp or body. However, synthetic fibres can also be used in some cases, through a slightly different surgical process.
Patient before and 8 months after his 2000-graft scalp hair transplant
Approximately 93% of natural hair transplants use hair follicles harvested from your scalp [7]. They are normally extracted from a safe donor area at the back of your head, where hair follicle density is high and DHT sensitivity is lower than other parts of the scalp.
When you don’t have sufficient scalp hair for implants, you can sometimes get a body hair transplant instead. Depending on availability, size and texture, the body hair follicles used for implants can be obtained from your beard (in most cases), chest, stomach, legs or even the pubic area [5]. However, the drawback of this procedure is that body hair implants won’t grow much longer than they did before the transplant and may have a slightly different shade and texture from the rest of your hair.
Patient before and after biofibre hair transplant
This type of hair implants uses synthetic fibres instead of natural hair to restore your hair density. However, since the artificial fibres are not attached to follicles, they cannot grow or regenerate like natural hair. So the surgeon implants them deeper into your scalp, making them more difficult to pull out.
While natural hair transplants are permanent, artificial hair implants are not. But they can still last 7-8 years if properly maintained (they usually have a yearly shed rate of 10% [5]). However, if you cut the synthetic hair fibres, they don’t grow back — so changing haircuts often after this intervention is not an option.
When it comes to the safety and legality of synthetic hair implants, the FDA banned this practice in the US in 1983, citing the risk of infection or foreign body rejection and false effectiveness claims. However, modern synthetic fibres, such as BioFibre, claim to have resolved these issues and have reapplied for FDA approval (to no resolution so far). However, Biofibre hair transplants have been deemed safe and legal to perform in the UK and the EU [10].
Most hair implant surgeries involve a standardised series of steps to ensure a safe and comfortable procedure with good results [5][6]:
The best hair transplant clinics in the UK have a 97-100% success rating for hair implants. Worldwide, stats from the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgeons suggest 70% of patients are happy with their results from the first procedure, requiring no second intervention for touch-ups [7].
While restoring your hair to its full glory is not always possible (it depends on the extent of your hair loss), hair implants can help you achieve great coverage. Here are some examples of successful hair restoration results at the Wimpole Clinic:
Patient before and 12 months after his 2500 graft hair transplant
Here are the main things you can expect during your hair transplant recovery:
If you would like to find out more about how long it takes a hair transplant to heal, check out this hair transplant recovery timeline. And if you are wondering if your hair growth is normal for your stage of recovery, take a look at our hair transplant growth chart. Just keep in mind that not everyone recovers at the same pace. Be sure to call your surgeon if you have any reason to think something is wrong with your hair implants.
Most hair transplant side effects are common, but very mild. Others can be severe but are very rare. Here are the main hair transplant risks you may encounter.
Most patients experience some of these hair implant side effects, but they are generally tolerable and most subside within a few days of surgery [8]:
While they are generally safe, hair transplants can sometimes go wrong. These surgical complications can threaten your hair implant success and in some severe cases, your overall health. However, only very few of the men who get hair implants experience them [8]:
On average, the cost of hair implants for men with Norwood stage 2-3 alopecia is £4,820 in the UK. However, prices for this procedure can vary significantly, according to several important factors, such as:
While hair transplant costs can seem high in comparison to other hair loss treatments, keep in mind that this procedure is permanent, while hair loss medication has to be taken (and paid for) indefinitely. Hair restoration surgery is a long-term investment in your appearance and sense of confidence.
That is why you should also be wary of clinics that promise unrealistically cheap hair implants. While they may be lower than in the UK, hair transplant costs in Turkey may not be worth the risk. Due to lax oversight, shady, unauthorised clinics cut corners with patient health, safety and results. That is why most cases of hair transplant repair come from botched black market surgeries performed abroad [9].
Average hair transplant cost for Norwood Stage 2-3 alopecia in the UK
The best way to know if you’re a good candidate for a hair transplant is to see an experienced surgeon. However, as a guideline, you may be eligible for hair implants if you meet the following criteria [5]:
If you are interested in getting premium-quality hair implants, look no further. At the Wimpole Clinic, we take great pride in our 50-year legacy of hair restoration excellence. You can see our results for yourself in our before and after hair transplant gallery.
Book a free, no obligation hair transplant consultation at your earliest convenience and meet one of our elite surgeons. They will assess your hair loss and walk you through the entire hair implant procedure, making sure no question goes unanswered. If you decide to go ahead with your hair implant procedure, you will be able to confidently place your hair transformation in their capable hands.
Find out more about hair implants for men in the answers to these frequently asked questions.
No, your natural hair implants should not fall out. A well-performed and cared for hair transplant can last a lifetime. While you may see normal increases in hair thinning with age, your hair implants should not succumb to male pattern baldness, as transplanted follicles are less sensitive to DHT than the hair you originally lost.
If, however, you are using artificial hair implants, you can expect them to thin out over time. Typically, you may lose about 10% of your artificial implants per year. The general life expectancy of this procedure is around 7-8 years.
While many patients feel well enough to go back to the office as soon as 1-2 days after getting hair implants, it is recommended that you wait at least a week before returning to work after a hair transplant. That is to make sure you are well-recovered and your grafts have plenty of time to heal.
However, the length of hair transplant downtime also depends on the line of work you are in. If you have to perform physically demanding tasks, you may need to wait up to several weeks before returning to your job. Let your surgeon know what kind of work you do and they will let you know how soon you will be cleared.
This is for the same reason why you can’t heavily work out right after a hair transplant. Any strenuous physical activity can increase your blood pressure and endanger your hair grafts.
Yes, absolutely, it is easy to get a hair transplant without anyone knowing. Nowadays, hair implants look very natural and scarring is minimal (especially with FUE surgery). However, you would need to keep a low-profile for the first 10-14 days after your hair transplant, perhaps recover at home or take a vacation. That is because your scalp will likely still have tell-tale signs from the surgery (e.g. redness, scabs, and swelling) and you can’t wear a hat for at least 10 days after a hair transplant.
If you experienced low graft survival or you’re simply unhappy with your coverage, you can get a second hair transplant to touch up areas that remained thin. Of course, this is provided you still have enough hair on your donor area. Only 3.3% of patients go on to get 3 or more surgeries, and some opted for multiple hair transplant sessions from the beginning [7].
Alternatively, if you don’t want follow-up surgery, you can get scalp micropigmentation to cover up the thinner areas. This is a kind of hair tattoo for men. The technician uses a tattoo machine to insert microdots of pigment into your scalp, in a pattern that imitates natural hair growth. However, to avoid SMP regrets, you should know that this procedure only tends to work for those with darker hair, as there is no good pigment match for blonde or red hair.
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