Men suffering from hair loss and a receding hairline are now opting for a treatment they can have during their lunch break.
Decades ago, people who were insecure about their hair loss either covered their scalp with a hat or accepted their fate.
But now there is a new, easy surgery that some people are undergoing to get their locks back. Plus, it costs a fraction of the price of some hair transplants.
Microtransplantation uses the patient’s own skin tissue to prevent further loss and stimulate existing hair follicles to grow longer and thicker. Patients report minimal scarring.
Ouronyx, based near Green Park in London, offers the treatment and says it is ‘virtually painless and leaves no scarring’. However, some people need to take up to two weeks off work after a hair transplant.
The procedure costs £2,950. By comparison, a hair transplant can cost between £1,000 and £30,000, according to the NHS.
The company first tried microtransplantation from Jean-Marc Choblet, who is originally from France. Pictured L-R: Before treatment and six months after
Small skin grafts are taken from the back of the hairline and neck, where the strongest hair follicles are located.
These are then processed in a special device to extract precursor cells and growth factors, which are then mixed and injected back into the areas where there is little hair.
This treatment takes only an hour and is performed under local anesthesia. Normally only one session is needed.
The company first tested the microtransplantation on patient Jean-Marc Choblet, who is originally from France.
He said he had wanted to do something about his hair loss “for a long time” but was never satisfied with the treatments offered for his condition, androgenic alopecia.
“The injections were administered using a vibrating device that distracted me from the needle. This allowed me to relax and not feel any pain or stress,” Jean-Marc said.
‘The whole treatment took a total of one hour and I had no scars and was able to go home straight away.
‘The very small biopsy points healed within a week and were virtually invisible. Three months later I went to my hairdresser for my regular hair trim and he immediately saw a difference in my hair.
A 32-year-old client said he didn’t want to spend too much money on a hair loss solution and decided to try microtransplantation. Pictured L-R: Before treatment and six months after
‘I started seeing a new thickness in the crown area of my hair and the quality of my hair follicles has improved.’
According to the NHS, microtransplantation technology costs £2,950 per treatment, while hair transplants can cost between £1,000 and £30,000 depending on the extent of your hair loss and the quality of the clinic you choose.
A 51-year-old man, CEO and board member of several charities, who opted for the procedure said he needed a quick and easy solution to his thinning hair.
He considered a hair transplant but decided against it due to his busy schedule.
He presented to the clinic where he was told he was in the early to moderate stages of male pattern baldness.
A 3D hair scan after the short treatment showed that hair thickness at the front and back of the scalp had increased by 25 percent.
He said: ‘I no longer worry about how my hair looks. The results speak for themselves. I feel more youthful and confident with the image I want to project in my career and personal life.
‘Losing my hair started to affect my confidence, especially professionally.
‘But now, after this treatment, I feel reborn and you can see that in the way I present myself. This treatment has not only changed my hair; it has also changed how I see myself. I am more confident.
“The fact that the procedure took less than an hour and had no downtime was a huge plus given my busy schedule. Given the minimal time investment and no downtime, this treatment was a game-changer for me.”
Micrografting also helped a 29-year-old man with his hair loss, which had started at a relatively young age. Pictured from top to bottom: before treatment and six months after
Dr Marco Nicoloso of Ouronyx said: ‘Microtransplantation is an incredibly effective treatment and much less invasive than a hair transplant.
‘The same ingredients are used that occur naturally in the skin and that the body recognizes when injected into the scalp.
‘Unlike other treatments such as PRP, this one uses precursor cells, which are essential for stimulating hair growth.’
Microtransplantation does not create new hair on the scalp, but the clinic claims it stimulates the growth of existing hair follicles, making them thicker and fuller.
Another 32-year-old client, who works in the financial sector, noticed he started losing hair in his late 20s.
He was concerned that he would look older than he was and was later diagnosed with male pattern baldness.
The client did not want to spend money on hair transplant and decided to undergo microtransplantation. His hair became thicker after the treatment.
Male pattern baldness is the most common form of hair loss, affecting 6.5 million men in the UK according to the NHS. It can lead to low self-esteem and in some cases depression.
He said: ‘I used to feel years older than I actually am, and that really affected how I saw myself, especially in my career.
‘I had been looking into different hair loss treatments for a while and I didn’t feel like any of the treatments addressed all of my concerns. I didn’t have the time to go through the 10-12 treatments required for a PRP treatment.
A 51-year-old man, who is a CEO, considered hair transplantation but decided against it due to his busy schedule and tried microtransplantation instead. Pictured from top to bottom: before treatment and six months after
“But microtransplantation was a great solution for one treatment that actually worked.
“When I saw my hair grow back, I felt a new sense of confidence. I’ve had so many friends and family comment on how different I look. I feel like I look my age again, and it’s made a huge difference both personally and professionally.
“I didn’t realize how much my hair loss was affecting my self-confidence until I started seeing results. Now I walk into meetings without that nagging feeling that people are noticing my thinning hair.”
Microtransplantation also helped a 29-year-old man with his hair loss, which started at a relatively young age.
He said he feels more confident when he goes to social events because he no longer feels insecure about his hair.
The man, who works in the mobility sector, was concerned about his appearance at future events and wanted a quick solution.
He had the treatment done and was able to return to work immediately after the treatment. Within six months he noticed an increase in the thickness of his hair.
He said: ‘I wasn’t sure how effective the results would be. But it was clear after four months, I started seeing the results.
‘New hair started growing all over the crown of my head and after six months there was a noticeable difference in the thickness of my hair. I no longer worry about my hair thinning and it feels great.
‘Now that I know my hair is thicker and healthier, my view of myself has completely changed. I am no longer insecure about my appearance.’
“I was out of the clinic within an hour and back at work.”