Calum Best has had a new hair transplant at Crown Clinic with grafts taken from his BEARD.
The son of soccer legend George Best had his SIXTH transplant – this time to fill out bald spots around his crown and thicken his hairline.
Calumwas so short of donor hair on his scalp that world renowned surgeon Dr Asim Shahmalak took some of the donor grafts from his neck in a pioneering new procedure conducted at Crown Clinic.
The doctor said that he will extract hair from Calum’s CHEST next time if his hair loss continues.
Model Calum, 42, who has been losing his hair since his early 20s, said: “I had my sixth hair transplant because I have a very aggressive hair loss gene and while all the transplanted hair I have been given has stayed permanent, I have continued to lose more of my natural hair.
“I had lost a lot of natural hair loss behind my hairline and I needed to thicken this area up and Dr Shahmalak did some more work on my hairline
“The beauty of using beard hair for a transplant on the scalp is that the hair in your beard is thicker than head hair so you need less of it to increase density.
“It is very unusual to use beard hair for a scalp but I have been running out of donor hair on the back and side of my scalp where surgeons normally extract it because of my previous procedures.
“Dr Shahmalak is the very best surgeon in the world and is known for his pioneering work in new techniques.
“I am delighted to be able to showcase this new procedure and give hope to other men who need a hair transplant but might also be running low on donor hair.”
Dr Shahmalak transplanted 2,000 grafts to bulk up Calum’s hair which amounts to around 3,800 individual hairs.
Around 1,450 grafts were taken from the back and sides of Calum’s scalp and a further 550 grafts came from his neck just beneath the jawline.
Dr Shahmalak used the Follicular Unit Extraction technique for the extractions where individual grafts are taken out one-by-one and then replanted.
It is the technique used by most celebrities including Dr Shahmalak’s famous patients including Coronation Street star Jack P Shepherd, Homes Under The Hammer presenter Martin Roberts and the former footballer Didi Hamann.
Calum will enjoy the full benefits of the transplant after about 9-12 months when all the transplanted hair will have fully grown back in its new home and there will be minimal scarring from the surgery on his neck or scalp..
Fitness expert Calum’s hair loss started 20 years ago and was clearly not inherited from his dad, ex-Manchester United star George, who had a full head of hair right up to his death 18 years ago aged 59.
Calum could have kept more of his natural hair by taking the clinically proven prescription drug Finasteride which slows down or halts balding.
But he works out daily and is reluctant to take any unnecessary medication. The side effects also worried him – a very small percentage of male users experience a loss of libido.
Calum said: “I am very conscious of what I put in my body. I have been fighting my hair loss for the past two decades and I know lots of guys in their forties and fifties trying to save their hair and they are taking Finasteride. It is just not for me and I find the side effects a little concerning.”
Calum had three previous hair transplants with Dr Shahmalak at Crown Clinic between 2012 and 2015 and he is full of praise for the surgeon.
He said: “I have good density at the front of my hairline and that is all down to the brilliance of Dr Shahmalak. I grow my hair long at the front and brush it back towards the crown to cover up the natural hair loss further back on my scalp.
“Without Dr Shahmalak’s help, I would look completely different. I feel and look ten years younger with my hair preserved, thanks to the wonders of science and the skill of my surgeon.
“Yes, it sounds a little extreme to have so many treatments but my looks are a huge part of my brand and all the work has been a big help professionally over the last 20 years.
“But more important than that I feel so much better about myself. If science can sort out a problem, why not use it if it is going to improve your mental health and put a smile on your face?”
Dr Shahmalak is known throughout the world for breaking new ground in hair transplantation at Crown Clinic.
He was the first transplant surgeon in the UK to perform an eyelash transplant – on a young woman from Manchester in 2008.
He is one of the few surgeons in the UK to offer eyebrow, beard and sideburn transplants.
Calum is one of the first celebrities in the world to use beard hair for a transplant on the scalp.
Dr Shahmalak said: “Calum has a very thick beard particularly just beneath the neck where the density is like a rug.
“I took out 550 grafts from this area without really affecting his density because he has such a strong cover there.
“Hair transplant technology has come on so much in the last ten years and we can also take donor hair from the beard or chest if a donor is running low on hair in the scalp.
“Neck hair is different to scalp hair in that you tend to only get one individual hair from each hair graft on the neck whereas scalp grafts can have up to three individual hair strands.
“However, neck hair is thicker and great for providing added density for a patient such as Calum who chooses not to take medication to slow down his natural hair loss.
“It has been a pleasure to work with Calum over the past decade. Hair loss can have a devastating impact on a star who relies on their looks for their living.
“Lots of celebrities come to me for hair transplants but not all of them are as brave as Calum in sharing their stories.
“He is to be applauded for opening up about his insecurities over his hair loss and being so public about seeking treatment.”…