Personal trainer goes through £4k beard transplant to look like hero David Beckham
Facial hair transplants are one of the UK’s fastest growing cosmetic procedures with nearly 5,000 men having the treatment every year.
Michael Dolan, 23, is one of them.The personal trainer, from Hampton, West London, had a £4,000 beard transplant procedure.Here he tells CLARE O’REILLY why it was worth it.
“WHEN my facial hair started growing as a teenager, it was patchy.
He made an appointment at London’s Harley Street and underwent the £4k procedure
“I’d always wanted to have a beard but by the time I was 21, I knew no more was going to grow in.”While I always had hair on my chin and moustache, my cheeks were patchy so I could never grow one properly.”I wanted a solution and saw an advert on the internet when I was surfing one day for beard transplants.”I made an appointment at a clinic in London’s Harley Street.
“While I was having the consultation, they told me they were looking for people to take part in a Channel 4 TV show Bodyshockers, which meant it was free.”It didn’t hurt at all.”They harvested hair follicles from the back of my head — more than 1,000.”My face was numb from a local anaesthetic and two nurses implanted 500 hairs into the patchy areas on my cheeks.”There was some scabbing where they took the follicles from the back of my head and some soreness on my cheeks for a day or so afterwards, but it was really easy and much faster and more efficient than I’d thought it was going to be.
“I was in the chair for two hours.”After the procedure you’re told not to touch your face too much.”The hair in the implanted follicles falls out after a few weeks but after a couple of months it comes back and grows just like normal facial hair.”There was a temptation to go like Santa.”But now I keep it a bit shorter and I love the way it looks.”Finally being able to have the look I’d always wanted was a great feeling.”My girlfriend and her family took the mickey out of me a bit but my mates were really supportive.
Michael advises anyone else unhappy with their beards to go for the surgery“There are lots of blokes who have issues with patchy facial hair but not many know there are solutions, and I don’t think too many consider getting something done about it.”When I had it done, beards started to become more popular.” George Clooney, David Beckham and Leonardo DiCaprio have made bushy beards on-trend.”For me it was more David Beckham and Gerard Butler in 300.”They look so good with beards.”If anyone is considering getting it done, if they’ve got the money, I’d say to go for it.”I’m so pleased with the results and there was little disruption.”I know it’s a lot of money, but it’s not a procedure that needs to be topped up, replaced or exchanged.”It’s made me feel a lot more confident.”I feel better about the reflection looking back at me — and that is priceless.
