Calum Best: The Power of Positive Action
For most men losing their hair is a quietly traumatic experience. We say “quietly” because on the outside most men face it like MEN. They stiffen their upper lip, say things like “Only girls care about how their hair looks” and get on with their lives. On the inside though there isn’t much they wouldn’t give to have their hair back. Take Calum Best for example.
The model son of football legend George Best and model/mother Angie Best began losing his hair in his early 20s. According to him the reasons for his hair loss included excessive bleaching and what’s known as the “Croydon facelift”, where you pull your hair back into a ponytail so tight it actually pulls hair out by the roots. This was particularly tough for Calum to take since he makes his living off his looks. Still Calum kept his feelings of distress to himself like most men and went about appearances on “Celebrity Love Island” and other reality TV shows while continuing to model. Finally a few years ago he’d had enough and underwent a Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE).
The FUE hair transplant is only one of several hair transplantation techniques available through Hair Transplant Glasgow and Calum is only one of a number of celebrities we’ll be profiling who have faced their hair loss situation head-on and decided to do something about it. HTG (part of Harley Street Hair Transplant Clinics) can help you as well as other men like Calum find a permanent solution to your hair loss problem.
How the FUE Restores Your Hair
The Follicular Unit Extraction or FUE that Calum underwent is one of the most popular and dependable types of hair transplant currently available. During the procedure individual follicles are harvested from the back and sides of the head where hair growth is thickest and relocated to the front of the head. After establishing a new, natural-looking hairline the specialty surgeon moves backward across the scalp filling in thinning areas or areas where hair loss has been severe. Typically patients pay follow-up visits to ensure everything has taken as it should and to replace any transplanted follicles that didn’t take the first time.
Calum is known to have had about 2,000 follicular grafts (as they’re called). While the price of the FUE hair transplant procedure will vary depending on the clinic in general this number of grafts will cost approximately £8,000 (which is in fact what most media reports at the time said Calum paid). The price per follicle typically goes down as the number goes up so 1,000 follicular grafts may cost £5,000 while 3,000 grafts may only cost something like £11,000-£12,000; a significant per graft saving. Note that if you take advantage of our special offer you may be eligible for an additional £2,000 off the price of your FUE.
As you can see in the before and after photos above Calum Best is looking good these days and enjoying his restored hairline. He says he’s no longer self-conscious during auditions and as a result his career is back on track with 2 new films opening soon.
Will a Follicular Unit Extraction Work in My Case?
While 2/3 of all men will experience some hair loss by the time they’re 35 not everyone needs an FUE and, among those that do, not everyone is a good candidate for the procedure. Typically if you have normal healthy hair growth on the back and sides of your head and have no history of scalp disorders or inflammatory scalp conditions (such seborrheic dermatitis or psoriasis) in either the donor or recipient areas you can be considered for an FUE. Even then however there may be extenuating circumstances that limit the number of grafts that can or should be performed.
In certain cases more than one type of transplant may be called for to completely fill out a particular area. But there is no way to know for sure unless and until you sit down with a hair restoration specialist and have a comprehensive evaluation. In order to determine someone’s eligibility the surgeon will usually look at some or all of the following criteria:
- The severity of hair loss.
- The number of grafts necessary to achieve the desired result.
- Hair density on both the sides and back of the head.
- Hair colour and texture in donor and recipient areas.
- Condition of skin in donor and recipient areas.
- Projected future hair loss.
In some cases your specialist surgeon may recommend an FUT rather than an FUE. An FUT or Follicular Unit Transplantation is similar to an FUE but, rather than transplanting individual hairs the FUT moves slightly larger groups of up to 4 or 5 hairs at a time. An FUT can result in the relocation of thousands more follicles during a single session but not everyone has the donor hair necessary for this procedure to be administered effectively. Also, with an FUE the surgeon, generally speaking, has a greater degree of control over the appearance of the final product and is typically able to produce a slightly more natural effect.
In Conclusion
Calum Best and others like him provide a valuable service to men by demonstrating the power of positive action when it comes to the issue of hair loss. Next time around we’ll be taking a look at James Nesbitt and his struggles with and ultimate victory over the forces of thinning hair. For now, if you’re suffering a loss of hair and feel like no one understands or sympathises with your plight, remember that you’re not alone and that real, permanent hair restoration options do exist. All you have to do is go get them. Give HTG a call today and set yourself on the path back to a normal head of hair.
