Calum Best has opened up about his struggles with hair loss after undergoing his sixth hair transplant.
The 42-year-old model, who is the son of late football hero George Best, first began losing his hair in his early 20s.
He decided to go under the knife again to fill out bald spots around his crown and thicken his hairline, and turned to world-renowned surgeon Dr Asim Shahmalak.
However, because Best was so short of donor hair on his scalp, Dr Shahmalak took some of the donor grafts from his neck in a pioneering new procedure conducted at Crown Clinic in Manchester.
Should his hair loss continue, the doctor said next time he would extract hair from his chest.
Explaining why he decided to have the procedure, Best said: “I had my sixth hair transplant because I have a very aggressive hair-loss gene and while all the transplanted hair I’ve 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 Best’s hair, which amounts to around 3,800 individual hairs.
Around 1,450 grafts were taken from the back and sides of his scalp and a further 550 grafts came from his neck just beneath the jawline.
He should enjoy the full benefits of the transplant after about 9–12 months when all of 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.
This is the third time that Best has entrusted Dr Shahmalak with his hair and he has no regrets.
“Without his 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?”
