There’s very little to do on the London Underground: the Wi-Fi in the tunnels is so outdated it doesn’t work, forcing passengers to remain silent and look ahead or up, and the yellowing advertisements seem to fall into three distinct groups: admissions to De Montfort University, discounted mattresses that promise better sleep or your money back, and before-and-after photos of hair-growth clinics on London’s Harley Street and beyond.
The results are astonishing: a sparse head photographed at unflattering angles and lighting blossoms into a crown that would make Samson question his biblical hairline. And in just six weeks! It’s easy to say “huh,” and it’s also easy to believe the luxury zip-code hype, says Dr. Edward Maitland-Ball, founder and medical director of Hair Restoration Clinic, who completed his fellowship in Beverly Hills under the tutelage of industry heavyweight Dr. Craig L. Ziering. Dr. Maitland-Ball also knows the hair-transplant business: he’s had it himself. He knows that for some people, thinning hair isn’t like staring at a TV ad, it’s like staring into the abyss.
“Many people are desperate to find a solution to their hair loss because it has ruined their lives,” she says over the phone during a busy day at her clinic. “Some patients can’t leave the house without wearing a hat. They’re so embarrassed about their hair loss that they don’t have the confidence to go out and start dating.”
Spencer Stevenson was one of those guys who always wore a hat. “He had his first hair transplant when he was 24 years old and jumped right in without thinking,” he explains via email. It’s been 23 years since his first experience, and since then he has used his experience and industry knowledge to build a career as an advocate for patients suffering from hair loss. “At the time, there were no resources or reviews to help me (literally only the Yellow Pages) and I jumped in out of desperation and weakness. I am emotionally traumatized by my hair loss and today… Like many people, I wanted a quick fix no matter how expensive it was.”
In an age where Instagram reigns supreme, more and more people seem to be seeking treatment. Results from the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery’s recent practice census show that the number of surgeries has increased by 7% since 2019, with more than 2 million patients in 2021 alone. This means that in 2021, the industry will be worth a whopping $4.5 billion. This also means rogue agents preying on the insecurities of people whose hairline has disappeared.
“I had surgery based on a Super Bowl ad and flew from the UK to the US like a lamb to the slaughter,” Stevenson says of his ordeal. “At first I did little research and was sold an inappropriate surgery by an unethical clinic, leaving me with unnatural results and severe scarring. Desperate to solve my problem, I underwent several surgeries at the same clinic. I took it, but it only made things worse.”
The damage was not only physical but also psychological. “I ended up being left hurt. On top of the problem of losing my hair, I felt like a weirdo. I hit rock bottom and had to dig deep to get back up. ” Since then, he has undergone 12 surgeries to get hair he is happy with. “I’m so happy with my hair right now, and my mission is to help the millions of people who suffer from hair loss so they don’t have to go through what I did.”
Maitland-Ball, who has previously solved botched transplant surgeries, describes the heart-wrenching story of patients being exposed to “black market” work. “If there is no mention of an actual doctor, that should be a big alarm bell because many of these purported online clinics are actually brokers who simply hire a doctor for the day once they receive the money. We have no idea about the qualifications and skills of the people.”
Plus, the scale of the operation is telling: “Low-cost clinics have a high volume of patients during the day and one doctor cannot carry out five procedures at once, so they may hire unqualified people to carry out the procedures to maximise profits.” So does that mean you’ll need a £2,000 all-expenses-paid operation overseas to get your new lustrous locks? “Something’s got to give,” says Maitland-Ball. “Seeing evidence of the work they’ve done, lots of photographs of the same patient from different angles in the same lighting, with the hair styled in the same way, allows you to really assess the results. A soft, natural-looking hairline is often the difference between a good doctor and a bad one.”
However, the danger isn’t just the burnt areas on your scalp. According to Maitland Ball, a brand new hairline looks just as beautiful as what’s behind it. The transplant process uses hair from other areas that are more susceptible to hair loss to strengthen areas that are prone to hair loss. For example, renovating the front of your head will give you a whole new Hollywood hairline. However, over time, other parts of your hair will naturally thin, making your hair grow inconsistently and perhaps look even worse.
“If you’ve lost a lot of hair on the top of your head, it’s not enough to cover all of the thinning,” Maitland-Ball says, “so it’s a big problem when young men ask for a flat, low hairline where they’re more likely to lose more hair in the future. You can’t add hair back in later to make it look natural, it just makes you look weird. This is one of those terrible, life-changing outcomes that people come to us for.”
Therefore, bad doctors simply give patients exactly what they want. Not enough attention is paid to the natural life cycle of hair, and no consideration is given to its artistry. This is something Maitland Ball is proud of. He has seen his work featured on television shows. Other websites that give instant “yes” answers to patients. And to do just that, he takes the “no” position in every case to help patients make the right decisions.
“In every consultation, I assume the patient is not a good candidate for surgery and plan for the worst-case scenario. Then, slowly, I prove to myself and the patient that there is an option they can actually consider and that it is safe, and then the patient becomes a candidate for surgery.” A good consultation takes into account not only your ideal outcome, but also the most realistic outcome, derived given the severity of baldness in your gene pool, the rate of hair loss, and your own age. No man over 30 has a hairline that’s 16 years old. The best hair transplants should look natural.
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, either. Finasteride and minoxidil are two treatments that have been clinically proven to slow hair loss in many cases, and Maitland-Ball recommends supplementing surgery with them. Additionally, there are two forms of surgery to choose from, both of which have equal standing in the field. FUT (short for “follicular unit transplant”) involves taking a “donor” site, a piece of skin with hair follicles, usually from the back of the head. These are then separated and placed into a recipient site after small holes are surgically made in the area to be repaired. The other option, FUE (short for “follicular unit excision”), involves taking individual hair follicles rather than removing a piece of tissue, and transplanting them into the scalp through small incisions in the head.
Both have their pros and cons, but neither is a one-and-done solution. Hair grows, dies, and regrows. Sometimes it’s not. Although Maitland-Ball says the success rate is high, there is a general understanding that patients will need multiple transplants during their lifetime, meaning additional transplants in areas that did not receive help the first time. . Metropolitan Line posters aren’t quite as upfront about that. Do James (age 32, account his manager), Max (age 46, consultant), and John (age 22, student) look like real people? And neither does the Super Bowl ad from 20 years ago. did.
“When I first had my hair transplant, I was told it would only take one session,” says Stevenson, “and I was lied to, which is very common. Education is crucial, and it’s paramount to inform patients about the progression of hair loss and that even small transplants will likely require multiple sessions in most cases.”
Hair loss fears are very, very real, and by following the rules, doing your research (Stevenson suggests checking out Spex Hair, The Bald Truth UK radio show, and the IAHRS), and accepting that your hair won’t and shouldn’t get as thick as it did in your teens, you’ll do more than repair your crown; your confidence will flourish again.
Bottom line: Despite what the #spon content might have you thinking, a hair transplant is never a light decision – financially or physically. But if you’re patient with the results and the consultation (which takes time), you’ll be rewarded with lush hair and more confidence. Just don’t pay £500 for an all-expenses overseas procedure. Seriously, don’t.
Related stories
Source link
