Reality star Jake Quickenden has been very open about his hair transplant procedures. When discussing his experience, he said, “Anything that boosts your confidence and makes you feel better about yourself can only be a good thing” [1].
As an advocate for men’s mental health, Jake Quickenden highlights the gender gap in opinions on cosmetic procedures. In one interview, he commented, “Young lads and men shouldn’t feel ashamed or embarrassed to get cosmetic procedures — most girls don’t. You’ve just got to do what you’ve got to do to feel good, no matter what gender you are [1].”
In this article, we’ll explore:
Born in 1988, Jake Quickenden is known as a singer and TV personality from the UK. He first appeared in the public eye in 2012 and 2014, on The X Factor UK.
After his 2014 appearance, he went straight into I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and finished as a runner-up. He won Dancing on Ice in 2018, and he’s now known for his fitness and mental health content on social media. He’s appeared on stage shows and reality TV spin-offs, and became a dad in 2021.
As a young man, Jake had a healthy head of hair. However, by 2016, he was experiencing early signs of thinning and balding.
Jake hid his symptoms very well — he was continuously in the public eye, and image was an important part of his career. However, in this photo from 2016, you can see how Jake used clever hair styling to conceal temple hair loss and an M-shaped hairline. He brushed his hair from his mid scalp forwards to cover areas of frontal balding.
However, rare photos from this period show the extent of Jake’s hair loss. Above, you can clearly see temple hair loss and an M-shaped hairline — classic signs of early male pattern baldness.
Jake’s hair loss was not going to resolve on its own, so in 2017, he opted for a hair transplant. He was incredibly happy with his results and shared that it was the “best thing [he’s] ever done [1]”.
The image above shows Jake in 2019, two years after his hair transplant. By this point, his new hair had had plenty of time to grow in, and his final results were revealed.
In 2020, Jake returned to the clinic for a second procedure. This time, it was for a scar repair — Jake had a scar on his scalp from a previous injury and had a second hair transplant to conceal the scarred area.
Eight years after Jake’s first hair transplants, his locks still look fantastic. A hair transplant is permanent, so it’s no surprise his results have lasted so well over the years.
Jake had a hair transplant to treat symptoms of androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness). This is the most common cause of hair loss in men.
Male pattern baldness can start as early as your teens or early twenties, and it usually follows a predictable pattern. The Norwood scale shows this pattern from start to finish, although not all men will reach Norwood stage 7.
It is difficult to tell exactly what stage Jake reached on the Norwood scale before his procedure, because he was very diligent at covering up his hair loss. However, based on photos that suggest a receding hairline and temple hair loss, he was likely at a Norwood stage 2 to 3.
The main hormone involved in male pattern baldness is dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Some hair follicles are genetically sensitive to DHT, which causes the sensitive follicles to shrink over time.
This process is known as hair miniaturisation, and the hair grows back thinner and shorter with each cycle. Eventually, affected follicles stop producing hair altogether, leaving areas of hair loss.
Jake disclosed that he paid £5000 for his first hair transplant. This is in line with average UK costs — our research showed that the average UK hair transplant cost for someone with male pattern baldness at Norwood stage 2-3 is £4820.
Jake hasn’t shared the costs for his second hair transplant (his hair transplant into scar tissue). While the coverage area was smaller than his first transplant, the presence of scar tissue can make the procedure more complex — so it may not have been significantly cheaper despite the reduced size.
If Jake had 500 to 1000 grafts for his second transplant, based on the national average price of £3.25 per graft, it may have been in the region of £1,625 to £3,250.
The most obvious method Jake used to conceal his hair loss before his transplant was his hairstyle. Jake grew his hair long enough to comb forwards, and then used product to hold it in place, concealing areas of frontal balding.
Jake hasn’t discussed other hair loss treatments he may have used. However, it’s possible he used other treatments before, alongside or after his hair transplant. These may have included:
Most men with hair thinning need to use at least one preventative hair loss therapy to control ongoing hair loss. Without this, you’re more likely to need additional procedures.
Jake shared that he had a follicular unit extraction (FUE) hair transplant. FUE and follicular unit transplantation (FUT) are the two main types of hair transplants.
Both involve moving healthy hair follicles from areas of hair growth to areas of hair loss. However, the difference between FUE and FUT lies in the follicle-harvesting process.
With FUE, follicles are harvested using a micro-punch tool. This leaves tiny, near-invisible scars at the hair transplant donor area.
On the other hand, harvesting follicles using FUT involves removing a strip of skin from the donor area. This leaves a thin, linear scar, but it means you can transplant more follicles in one go. The hair transplant scar can usually be disguised later with a minor FUE procedure — just like Jake did to conceal the scar from his accident.
For many celebrities, image is an important part of their career. That’s why increasing numbers of celebs opt for hair transplants when they start to show signs of balding.
Celebrities often choose high-quality clinics and experienced surgeons to get the best results possible. But you don’t need to pay over the odds for celebrity results.
As demonstrated by Jake, it’s possible to get a natural-looking hair transplant while paying average prices. The Wimpole Clinic is proud to have been trusted for several celebrity hair transplants. Well-known stars who have chosen our clinic for their procedure include:
Jake Quickenden spoke about the importance of choosing a reputable clinic and not rushing into the procedure. He commented, “It’s so important to do your research. But I think if you do and you go ahead with it, then great [1]”.
Want results like Jake? Book a consultation at your nearest clinic location and take the first step toward restoring your hair.
You should continue to enjoy the results of your new hair transplant after 10 years, 20 years or more. A hair transplant is a permanent solution to hair loss, and the newly transplanted hairs should continue growing for a lifetime. However, in some cases, further procedures are needed if you continue to lose hair around the transplanted follicles.
The best age to have a hair transplant is usually around 27 to 40 for men. However, men often have hair transplants in their forties, fifties, and beyond with excellent results. Our hair transplant surgeons can advise you on whether the procedure is suitable for you based on age and other factors.
Thanks to modern technology, hair transplants are virtually painless. You receive local anaesthesia, so the area is numb during the procedure. You might experience some mild postoperative pain, but this can usually be managed with painkillers and it eases within several days.
You don’t have to shave your head for a hair transplant. Some surgeons advise hair shaving to make the process easier, but it’s definitely possible to have an unshaven FUE hair transplant at the Wimpole Clinic.
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