Showbusiness journalist James Ingham came to Crown Clinic for a hair transplant because he was worried about his thinning hair.
- FUE
- 3000 Grafts
Although most hair transplants are carried out using donor hair from the back or sides of the scalp, this isn’t always a viable option. In these instances, it may be possible to use FUE techniques to obtain donor hair from the beard and neck area.
Beard to Scalp FUE transplants are a relatively new technique but can be a great alternative for those who can’t use donor hair from their scalp.
Beard hairs are thicker than hairs on the scalp, which means it can give the appearance of a fuller-looking head of hair. As many men have relatively heavy beards, the appearance of their beard won’t suffer as a result of the extraction, and any scarring will be minimal.
Beard to Scalp FUE transplants follow the same techniques as our conventional FUE hair transplants, which account for around 80% of all hair transplants at Crown Clinic. Donor hairs are individually extracted – in this case from around the beard and neck area – before being transplanted into the balding areas of the scalp.
Although some red, pin prick-like marks will appear around the scalp following the surgery, these will heal around two weeks after the operation. The new hair will grow in around 6 – 9 months after the surgery, although please note that the hairs will be slightly different in texture and thickness to the rest of the hairs on the head.
Due to this, Beard to Scalp FUE transplants may not be suitable for those who are experiencing hair loss around areas of the scalp where hair is naturally finer, such as the hairline. However, it can work very well around the crown and at the top of the head, where it can add overall volume.
When you come in for your consultation, we’ll take a look at your scalp to assess the hair loss and decide if surgery is the right course of treatment for you. This will also allow us to give you a cost estimate for the beard to scalp transplant, depending on how many grafts we believe will be needed.
Beard to scalp transplants are carried out under local anaesthetic, which means you will be awake during the procedure but will not be in any pain. It will either use FUE or FUT techniques, depending on what was decided during your consultation and will take approximately 4-6 hours.
The grafts will heal up to two weeks after the operation while the wounds from the transplant heal. We recommend patients take a week off work for the operation.
None at all – you can cut it just like you would with normal hair. As with any transplant, the transplanted hair will initially fall out while the roots of the new hair establish themselves in their new home. The new hair will grow back between six and nine months after the operation. The transplanted hair is beard hair – so slightly different in texture and thickness to normal hair on the head. For that reason, it may not be suitable for some areas of the scalp where the hair is naturally finer – such as the front of the hairline. It is better to reserve beard hair as filler in the top and crown area. Because beard hair is thicker, it is great for adding volume. Using the beard as donor hair can sometimes help the surgeon preserve donor hair on the scalp for key areas such as the hairline.
Ground Floor, Global House
16 Bailey Lane
Manchester Airport
M90 4AB
10 Harley Street
London
W1G 9PF
