January 25, 2023
Image source, Lee Mead/Instagram
image captionActor Lee Mead underwent a hair transplant in Istanbul
TV and stage star Lee Mead has revealed that hair transplant surgery has boosted her confidence.
The 41-year-old actor, from Southend, Essex, underwent an eight-hour operation in Turkey and posted an update on his social media accounts.
He told BBC Essex that treatment costs were “three times cheaper than in the UK”.
But the authority overseeing hair transplant surgeries in the UK has warned patients to “do your homework” before traveling abroad.
The former Casualty and Holby City actor said he hid his receding hairline behind his trademark curly hair for many years.
Image Caption: Lee Mead played Ben “Lofty” Chiltern in Casualty
“I hide my hair well, but it’s pretty receding on the top and middle of my head,” he said.
“When I shaved my head for surgery, I didn’t realize that I was losing a lot more hair than I expected. There were large clumps of hair covering the area.”
Before the surgery, Meade told fans on Instagram that she was “nervous but excited,” and later posted a video of her post-surgery appearance at Istanbul airport.
“This is very personal,” Mead said.
“There’s nothing wrong with being bald, but I wanted to go bald for confidence.”
“I was a little nervous about making this public, but it’s good to own it and be confident.”
Image credit: Lee Mead/Instagram
Image caption: Mead posted a before and after photo of her hair transplant on her Instagram account.
But Greg Williams, vice chairman of the British Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (BAHRS), said: “This is not a kettle of tea product.
“Hair transplant surgery is a medical procedure, not a cosmetic one.
“Post-op images are not the result of surgery. They take a year to evolve. It is a continuous process, not a one-off event.”
The association provides advice and guidance to patients considering hair transplant surgery and represents qualified professionals working in this field.
Dr Williams said hair transplant surgery had become increasingly “stigmatized”, but cost considerations meant many people were looking overseas for cheaper alternatives.
Image source, Getty Images
image captionLee Mead says his trademark curls have helped him hide his receding hairline
According to the NHS, hair transplant surgery in the UK costs between £1,000 and £30,000, depending on the extent of hair loss, the type of surgery and the clinic performing the procedure.
This surgery is performed by harvesting healthy hair follicles from the back of the head and transplanting them to areas of the front of the head where hair is thinner.
“Hair loss can be devastating for both men and women,” says Dr. Williams.
“Men try so hard to hide it and don’t talk about it, but it’s just as painful as women’s. Men often come into the clinic and become very emotional once the door closes.”
“In an ethics clinic, patients will also be educated about the medical implications over time.”
Image caption: A patient prepares for a hair transplant at a clinic in Türkiye.
He said that patients should be aware of the qualifications of the clinicians involved, that any decisions about skin removal and care plans must be made through their doctor, and that clinics must be fully regulated (by the Care Quality Commission in the UK and equivalent regulatory bodies in developed countries).
“Do your research carefully,” Dr. Williams warned, “and be wary of being hard-sold a cheaper option.”
“You can get a proper hair transplant overseas, but make sure you know what to do if it goes wrong.”
