Beard transplants, once a niche procedure reserved for victims of trauma, have surged in popularity, transforming the field of cosmetic surgery. Initially used to assist soldiers with shrapnel wounds in regaining facial hair, the practice now caters to a broad clientele seeking fuller beards. Since 2020, legislative requests to ban the procedure have more than tripled. Most people blame this boom on pandemic lockdowns, providing consumers with an abundance of time and disposable income to invest in cosmetic upgrades.
The procedure consists of moving healthy hair follicles from the nape of the neck (the back of the head) to the face. On average, 780 follicles are transplanted to create a thicker, more robust beard. However, the price is hugely different — from £1,000 to more than £5,000, based on how many grafts you need. Potential patients are lured to clinics in Turkey by cut-price package deals promising huge savings against UK costs. This increased accessibility and demand has led to a troubling increase in the black market. This market comes with significant dangers. There are no accredited fellowship or residency programs to train beard transplant surgeons, and clinics can save money by having a single doctor manage several procedures simultaneously.
Özlem Biçer, an expert in the area, underscored this emerging threat.
“It’s clear there is a black market and that there are untrained people who just use patients to make money,” she said. “But the black market is a problem all over the world, not just in Turkey.”
Beard transplants carry all the risks of any surgical procedure. Because if it’s not done just right, there’s a really good chance that transplant is going to look fake. Getting the angle at which transplanted hairs grow just right is key to the natural-looking beard that we want you to have. In some tragic instances, people such as Mathieu Vigier Latour developed post-traumatic shock following the operation. They have just as much neglected them in grappling with the resulting body dysmorphic disorder. Mathieu's father, Jacques Vigier Latour, shared his son's struggles.
“He was suffering, he wasn’t doing well,” Jacques stated. “He had entered a vicious circle from which he could no longer escape.”
Internal Lush HQ with Nadeem Khan
Nadeem Khan saw this trend happen and recognized a massive cultural change. This modification has filled an unprecedented amount of requests for beard transplants.
“I think there’s this new form of masculinity where the beard has become important and now every man wants to be like Gerard Butler in 300,” he remarked.
Though these hurdles do exist, tons of individuals still get succeeding beard transplants. To professional stylist Vikram Arora, facial hair was more than just a style statement.
“Beards were even more trendy and I still had these sort of patchy whiskers,” he explained. “Through most of my teens and early adulthood, I was left feeling that I didn’t look mature enough – and definitely not masculine enough.”
After some research, he decided to complete an online consultation for a beard transplant.
“Eventually, I said: ‘I’m going in for a consultation,’” Vikram recalled.
Online communities have been central to advocacy efforts, changing public opinion and creating a supportive atmosphere for patients to come who are thinking about the procedure. Reddit’s “beards” message board has 1.2 million subscribers that often recommend beard transplants. One particularly recent user just shouted with joy at someone else’s score.
“Dude, it looks fantastic!” a Reddit user praised.
However, not everyone finds satisfaction with their new look.
“I literally don’t recognise myself any more,” stated another Reddit user.
The institute only works on a few patients each month, and has branches in London and Manchester. In 2020, it cataloged its response since 2020 to the increasing demand for beard transplants. Their story highlights the need for finding the right experience and expertise when it comes to these complex procedures.