Reality TV star Calum Best has had his sixth hair transplant – this time with beard strands.
The son of football legend George wanted to fill in the bald spots around the top of his head and thicken his hairline.
Calum, 42, had so few donor hairs on his scalp that his surgeon had to remove some from his neck.
Experts said Calum was particularly suitable for the ground-breaking procedure because his beard is like a “carpet”.
The procedure, often carried out in several sessions of two to four hours over several days, can cost anywhere from £3,000 to £10,000.
Calum Best relaxes with the staff before his sixth hair transplant, which was carried out at the Crown Clinic in Manchester
Experts said Calum was particularly suitable for the ground-breaking procedure because his beard is like a “carpet”.
Hair transplant surgeon Asim Shahmalak (left) removes hair from Calum Best’s beard
Like Calum – who says he’s been struggling with hair loss since his early 20s – Needing another transplant in the future, surgeons suggested removing hair from his chest.
Thicker hair is best for transplants as less pulling is required to achieve the same effect as thinner hair. This is because thicker hair prevents the light from reflecting off the scalp, giving the appearance of baldness.
Beard hair is much thicker than hair on the scalp, so it provides extra density for those suffering from hair loss, Dr. Shahmalak.
The procedure was carried out at the Crown Clinic in Manchester, which saw Coronation Street star Jack Shepherd, Homes Under The Hammer presenter Martin Roberts and former footballer Didi Hamann, among others.
Calum said: “I had my sixth hair transplant because I have a very aggressive hair loss gene.
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“While all the transplanted hair I received remained permanent, I was losing more and more of my natural hair.
“It’s very unusual to use facial hair for a scalp, but my previous procedures left me with almost no donor hair on the back and sides of my scalp where surgeons typically remove it.”
The former Celebrity Big Brother contestant gets all the benefits of the process after about nine to 12 months.
By then, all the transplanted hair will have grown out and there will be minimal scarring from the operation on the neck and scalp.
Calum went bald two decades ago and had his first hair transplant in Ireland in his 20s – although it is not known where.
He then underwent three more treatments between 2012 and 2015 with dr. Asim Shahmalak at the Crown Clinic.
In 2021, the model underwent a fifth transplant in Turkey at the Cosmedica Clinic in Istanbul
Calum said: “Without the help of Dr Shahmalak I would look very different.
“Thanks to the wonders of science and the skills of my surgeon, I look and feel ten years younger with well-maintained hair.
“But more importantly, I feel so much better about myself. If science can solve a problem, why not use it if it can improve your sanity and put a smile on your face?”
His father, former Manchester United star George, had a full head of hair until his death 18 years ago at the age of 59.
Balding Calum (42) had so little donor hair on his scalp that the surgeon removed more than a quarter of the donor grafts from his neck
Beard hair is much thicker than hair on the scalp, so it provides extra density for those suffering from hair loss, Dr. Shahmalak
Calum Best, who has been losing his hair since his early 20s, joked with Crown Clinic staff ahead of his sixth hair transplant
Calum after his third hair transplant in 2015 (left) and before the procedure (right)
The medics used the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) technique for the procedure, in which individual grafts are removed one at a time and then replanted.
Dr. Shahmalak transplanted 2,000 grafts to fill in Calum’s hair, including 550 just below his jaw.
Dr. Shahmalak said, “Calum has a very thick beard, especially right below the neck where the density is like a cloth… he has such a heavy coverage there.
“Hair on the back of the neck is thicker and is great for adding density to a patient like Calum who prefers not to take medication to slow their natural hair loss.”
Calum could have kept more of his hair by taking the clinically proven prescription drug finasteride, which slows or stops balding.
But he exercises every day and is reluctant to take unnecessary medication.
Some men who take it experience a drop in libido — which worried him.
He added: “I’m very conscious of what I put in my body. I have been struggling with my hair loss for two decades and know many men in their 40’s and 50’s who are trying to save their hair and take finasteride. It’s just not for me.’
Dr Shahmalak was the first in the UK to perform an eyelash transplant on a young woman in Manchester in 2008.
He is also one of the few surgeons in the UK offering eyebrow, beard and sideburn transplants.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
