Lee Mead 'not embarrassed' to discuss hair transplant: 'It's so common but men don't speak about it'
We outline what a hair transplant procedure involves and how much it costs.
Lee Mead has revealed the results of his recent hair transplant, seven months after undergoing the procedure.
The Holby City star, 42, was appearing on Lorraine to discuss his latest projects and also chatted openly about the transplant, which he underwent in Turkey earlier this year.
When asked what prompted his decision to have the procedure Mead shared that he was going completely bald through the centre part of his head.
"There's nothing wrong with being bald, but it's a very personal thing and for me I wasn't ready to go bald yet so I went and had the operation," the actor told host Ranvir Singh.
Mead recounted spotting 28 other men who had also had the procedure when he flew back following his own transplant. "It's so common but men don't speak about it for some reason, but I'm not embarrassed about it I'm proud to talk about it," he explained.
Singh agreed it was a good thing that more men were open about hair loss. "It's great to talk about because we talk about women's body image and so on but actually baldness, for men, depending on what age it comes can be quite confidence sapping," she said.
Watch: Lee Mead says hiding receding hairline 'affected confidence' before transplant
Mead isn't the only celebrity to discuss the subject recently, with James Haskell revealing earlier this year that he hasn't ruled out getting a transplant.
The 37-year-old rugby star who is married to Chloe Madeley, said that he may think about getting his hair “sorted out” because it is thinning.
“Would I have cosmetic surgery? Probably, if I need it,” Haskell said, as reported by Independent.
“I’m going to get my hair sorted out at some point because it’s thinning."
Read more: Man who suffered from hair loss gives confidence to others with ‘cure’ for baldness (Yahoo Life UK 3-min read)
Last year Boy George revealed that he underwent a hair transplant in order to combat hair loss.
The singer, 61, who at the time was starring in I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! shared with his campmates that he had been inspired to undergo the procedure after seeing the results of Wayne Rooney's transplant.
Meanwhile Robbie Williams also shared that he had previously undergone the procedure in 2013, and in 2020 was keen to have a further treatment, but was told this wasn't possible as his hair was now too thin.
Jimmy Carr and James Nesbitt have also talked openly about having the hair replacement procedure.
What does the hair transplant procedure involve?
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) hair transplant treatments are now widely known as one of the best transplant techniques. This is compared to Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) which was previously the standard procedure.
"FUE is a process that replaces lost or thinning hair by taking healthy follicles from a donor area of the head (usually the back and sides) and transplanting them to a thinning area of the head, such as the hairline or crown," explains Nadeem Uddin Khan, CEO of Harley Street Hair Clinic. "FUE is a minimally invasive hair restoration option carried out under local anaesthetic, that achieves the best and most natural results."
During the procedure, local anaesthetic is injected into the donor area of the scalp, with patients awake and able to chat to their surgeon while undergoing treatment.
Read more: Hair loss in men: Signs, symptoms, causes and treatments (Yahoo Life UK 5-min read)
According to Mr Khan, there is minimal bleeding during and after the procedure and recovery is usually complete within seven days, with almost no side effects.
How much does it cost?
There is no one price fits all when it comes to hair transplants, as each transplant is entirely bespoke to the patient; the cost can vary depending on many factors.
According to ISHRS 2022 practice census, the average cost of a UK hair transplant is £4,820.
Mr Khan says some of the factors that can influence cost include the overall complexity of the transplant, the type of hair loss experienced, the likeliness of future hair loss and individual characteristics such as the amount of grafts needed and hair colour and texture.
Read more: Jamie Laing shares his hair loss worries (Yahoo Life UK 6-min read)
What to do if you’re considering a hair transplant
Hair transplant surgery can be a lifeline for many people, providing a confidence-boost that would otherwise be impossible. But how do you know if you’re suitable for one and where to go?
Research is key, says Mr Khan.
"It’s important to first be educated on the process, what’s involved, what recovery is like – but more importantly who’s doing the transplant, why you should pick them and whether you trust them," he adds.
Once you do your research, visit the clinics for a consultation and seek surgeons you can trust that have a good history of results.
It is also recommended you check whether your surgeon or clinic of choice is part of the IAHRS.org (International alliance of hair restoration surgeons) as this is an organisation to screen surgeons so they are ethical, honest and work in the patients' best interest.
Additional reporting PA.