Chris Evans has told of his plans to have a hair transplant after he quits taking hair loss pills.
Like a lot of men with thinning hair, the 55-year-old radio DJ has been taking clinically proven hair loss pills to slow down or halt his hair loss.
Chris will almost certainly be taking Finasteride, also known as Propecia.
This won’t help him to grow any new hair but it should stop him from losing any more of his natural hair.
Around 2% of men who take Finasteride suffer side effects such as loss of libido.
And it sounds from Chris’s recent comments that he was one of the unlucky few that the drug does not suit.
Chris explained that he has “never been fitter” but addressed concerns with his hormone levels.
The Virgin Radio host explained that he had been carrying out research on testosterone and DHT (Dihydrotestosterone) – an androgen sex hormone that contributes to the development of what are thought of as “male” sex characteristics, such as body hair.
It can also contribute to you losing your hair faster and earlier.
Chris said: “I was finding out about my hair pills that I had been taking for a while and why that might be affecting my testosterone which apparently is one of the reasons I might have to get a hair transplant.”
He added: “I need to stop taking these pills.
“Obviously, [testosterone] helps different aspects of your life as well but from an energy point of view I’ve heard from some people that if you take different energy supplements – for instance, to help stimulate hair growth like I do – that has an adverse effect on your testosterone levels,” Chris remarked.
“I don’t necessarily want to take testosterone supplements although there are some pretty good ones out there that have very few, if any, side effects.
“But first of all, I would like to get my testosterone up by not taking things that are suppressing it.”
Chris commented: “That would mean me going bald which I don’t want to do. I’ve got the wrong shaped head.”
Studies consistently show that men with advanced male pattern baldness have lower body confidence and this can impact both on their personal relationships, their career and even their earning power. Yes, a recent study found that men who are balding earn on average less than men with a full head of hair.
Crown Clinic’s consultant hair transplant such Dr Asim Shahmalak treats lots of celebrity patients like Chris.
He can either have a Follicular Unit Extraction transplant (FUE), where the donor hair is extracted from the back of the scalp individually and then replanted in the balding areas. Crown Clinic celebrity FUE patients include Coronation Street star Jack P Shepherd, model Calum Best, Homes Under The Hammer presenter and the former footballer Didi Hamann. Around 80% of Dr Shahmalak’s patients at Crown Clinic opt for FUE.
The other option available to Chris is FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) where a strip of skin is removed from the back of the scalp to obtain the donor hair which is replanted in the balding areas by the surgeon in the same way as FUE. The TV doctor Christian Jessen had two FUT transplants with Dr Shahmalak.
Whichever method Chris chooses, he can significantly improve his appearance – looking years younger – with a hair transplant.