A County Durham man's hair replacement company has become a viral sensation on TikTok after showcasing some incredible transformations online.
Rob Wood, 40, from Seaham, has been a hairstylist for 18 years but launched another side of his business just before lockdown that sees him transform people's lives. Novo Cabelo provides a hair replacement treatment that is a more effective, affordable, and less invasive option than hair transplants.
The salon became a viral sensation back in August 2021 after Rob teamed up with London bus driver Adam Sinclair who wore hats to hide his thinning hair ever since he was 19-year-old. The pair took to the streets in County Durham to ask strangers to guess the 29-year-old's age in the now-viral video, with their "brutally honest" assessments going as high as 47.
Read more: Sunderland hairdresser who set up wig company after cancer diagnosis selected for royal honour
But Rob fitted one of his £350 'hair systems' onto Adam's head and cut it to blend in seamlessly with his existing hair. The incredible transformation saw Adam put his hands in front of his mouth in pure shock and he then begins to cry after looking at his reflection in the mirror.
The video has been viewed almost 30 million times internationally with 3.6m views on Rob's Tik Tok alone. But Adam's transformation is just one of many Rob carries out on a day-to-day basis saying it's "really rewarding". He now goes around the country to teach hair system application to other stylists.
Rob explained: "When I was being trained in hair system application I felt like it was focused on how much money you could make out of someone and that didn't really sit right with me. But with this business, we care about our clients. There is no judgment and it's a safe space.
"Every day I see how amazing it is for someone to get their confidence back. My mission is to really try to break down the stigmas around hair systems. Some people think they look terrible or they'll blow off in the wind but TikTok has been great in breaking down that stigma.
"TikTok allowed me to get my work out there and to really spread awareness about how many people have issues with their self-confidence through their hair loss in both men and women."
Reminiscing about his viral video with Adam, Rob said TikTok has changed both of their lives. Rob started off with just a few hundred followers on TikTok and now he has more than 82,000. Meanwhile, Adam has continued with his new hair replacement and has even become a model for Rob.
Rob explained: "Adam is a successful TikToker, he's known as the London Bus Driver and goes around London as a bit of tour guide. He saw one of my TikToks and got in touch. He said he didn't know if this was for him but he wanted to have a chat with me.
"He was 29 and had always been bald as he shaved his hair off because he never thought there was any other option. Adam would wear hats just to hide his head but the hair service has completely changed his life and he's now one of the models we use."
Rob wants to raise awareness about hair systems which is when the hair is glued to the head and blended with any natural hair. He said many people don't know there are other options aside from wigs and hair transplants.
A huge advocate for men's mental health, Rob said he has seen people's self-confidence shoot through the roof thanks to the 'hair systems' they receive. He said: "It's a really good option for people who don't want surgery. Sometimes surgery just doesn't work for some people but with this service, it takes two hours to get you a full head of hair.
"I think for both women and men hair loss massively affects their confidence and a lot of men are just told to shave it off if you start losing your hair but that's wrong you should be given another option if that's something you don't want to do.
"My youngest client is 18 and my oldest is in her 80s so it really does affect so many people across the board. I'm very proud of what we do. It's so rewarding to see people's confidence back."
If you would like to know more, you can do so here.
