It would be fair to say that model Paul Knops is genetically blessed when it comes to looks. Despite this, there was one aspect of the 37-year-old's appearance that he was 'never happy with': his hairline.
He was aware of his 'widow peak' and his modeling agency insisted he brush his hair forward – which made him even more paranoid.
Paul, who lives in London, adds: 'I was lucky not to have any hair loss or hair loss, but I had widow's peak all my life. We all have insecurities and that was mine.”
In November 2020, he underwent a hair transplant – not because he was going bald, but simply to change the way his hairline looked.
Today, Paul, who has had no other cosmetic procedures, is happy with the results.
A CUT ABOVE: London-based model Paul Knops underwent surgery to straighten his widow's peak (before left; after right)
He says: 'During my first consultation, the surgeon drew my new hairline on my scalp with a pen. I immediately knew it looked good.
'Although it is a minor procedure and most people would say it is not necessary, it was still important to me. I never looked back. It's one of the best decisions I've ever made.'
The popularity of hair transplant procedures – which typically involve surgically removing individual hair follicles from the back of the head and transplanting them elsewhere in the scalp – has increased dramatically in recent years.
Although an exact figure for the number of UK operations is not clear, the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery says more than 112,000 hair transplants were carried out in Europe alone in 2021.
And many UK clinics saw a surge in demand during the Covid pandemic, as people recovered in the privacy of their homes while troublesome wounds healed.
Now one of Britain's top hair transplant hospitals is reporting a surprising trend: using the procedures to 'optimize' appearance rather than to combat thinning hair.
Experts at London's Wimpole Clinic say a third of patients, like Paul, do so for this reason. Many, they add, are in their 20s.
The clinic's lead surgeon, Dr Kieran Dayah, said: 'We have noticed a real change in the market. Ten years ago it was about restoring hair in balding areas. Now it's about optimizing – an improvement rather than a solution for hair loss.'
The most popular operation for this is on the hairline. “Many patients want to round the temples to get rid of widow's peak,” explains Dr. Dayah. “But some may want fuller, thicker hair all over and we can offer this too.”
Patients are suggested a form of follicular unit extraction. During the laborious procedure, which can take up to eight hours, patients first receive anesthetic injections into the scalp.
Small incisions are made in the area where the hair is to be transplanted, then individual hair follicles are taken from the back of the head and grafted one by one into their new position.
“We studied natural hairlines to mimic these,” says Dr. Dayah. 'Irregularities at the front are crucial because natural hairlines are never perfect. There's a certain amount of artistry in it.'
NO PAIN, NO GAIN: Doctors graft hair follicles onto model Paul Knops' scalp
Once completed, the back of the head is bandaged for two weeks, but the transplant site is left uncovered to avoid pressure on the grafts, which would damage them. Patients are also advised to inject saline solution to prevent scabs from spoiling the surgeon's work.
Dr. Dayah believes social media partially inspired the new trend. “There is a generation that always wants to look good in front of the camera, and a strong hairline is part of that,” he says.
Hair loss affects about two-thirds of men and up to 40 percent of women. It is usually the result of both genetics and the hormone dihydrotestosterone, which can bind to follicles and weaken them.
Paul says the procedure was simple. “The anesthetic injections feel like bee stings, but afterwards your scalp is numb and you don't feel anything,” he says.
'I wasn't worried at all, more excited that I was finally going to get it done. It was completed around the lockdowns, which gave me time to relax.
“I feel much more confident with my hair, so much so that I've been growing it long and wearing it back,” he adds. “When I look in the mirror, I'm much happier because I know this is something I no longer have to think about.”
- Hair transplants at Wimpole Clinic start from £4,500. Procedures at its VIP sister facility, the Mayfair Hair Clinic, start from £12,000 (wiimpoleclinic.com).