Beard Transplant : What is it and how does it work?

Beards have made a huge comeback in recent years. More and more men, both famous and ordinary people, are not shy about flaunting a long beard as part of their look and style.

If you have always dreamed of having a beautiful facial hair, but this area is sparse, then beard transplantation is one of the best solutions available to you.

What does this technique actually involve? What are the results? Here are the answers.

Are you looking to have a Beard Transplant?

Embarking on the journey to a fuller, luscious beard is undoubtedly an exciting endeavor. Beyond the anticipation of a transformed appearance, it’s natural to have questions, especially about the potential scarring associated with the procedure. The good news is that advancements in beard transplant techniques aim not only to provide impressive results but also to minimize visible scarring. Imagine waking up to a beard that enhances your facial features without the worry of noticeable marks. Modern beard transplant procedures focus on meticulous detail, ensuring that the final outcome not only meets your aesthetic goals but also leaves you with a seamless, natural-looking beard. So, if you’re ready to embrace a new facial chapter, let’s delve into the possibilities of a beard transplant and how it can redefine your overall appearance.

The beard and moustache, symbols of virility

In different societies around the world, having a nice long beard and moustache is synonymous with masculinity. But the beard and moustache are also considered major assets if you want to impose your own style and appearance. This is why more and more men are taking the plunge and turning to specialist centres to remedy their facial hair problems.

Thus, by resorting to this technique, the patient can find a better psychological well-being, and will be able to feel better in his skin by exposing a complete beard.

The new beard can also be used to camouflage certain defects, such as scars caused by acne lesions.

Who can benefit from a beard transplant?

The lack of full or partial facial hair can be caused by a variety of factors, including genetics, diseases that affect the hair follicles (such as alopecia), or the presence of burns or scars on the skin.

Many men may have a complex about their beard hair: the beard hair is not distributed satisfactorily on the skin, and the patient therefore finds the appearance of the beard unattractive and very unsatisfactory.

During the first visit to a specialist, the latter will recommend that the patient follow certain treatments before resorting to surgery.

There are many beard products and oils that can help with regrowth. If these conventional techniques are not successful, then surgery can be considered.

Before the surgery can be performed, the patient will be diagnosed, and his or her hair in the donor area will have to be analysed to verify that the transplant is possible.

The patient will also have to undergo some tests and must not have any contraindications to the procedure. For example, if the patient suffers from a cardiovascular disease, if he/she is undergoing certain treatments (such as anticoagulant treatments), or if he/she has an infection in the beard, then he/she cannot benefit from this procedure.

What is the principle of beard transplantation?

To perform a beard transplant, the surgeon will use the Follicular Unit Extraction, FUE method, which is the most commonly used method for hair and beard transplants today.

The technique consists of taking follicles from the donor area of the patient’s skull and implanting them into the beard area to fill in the sparse areas.

Following the implantation, the first hair growth will be fine, but once the first hairs have fallen out, and after a few shaves, the hairs will become harder and harder, and the patient will be able to have a dense and natural-looking beard.

How the procedure is performed?

The procedure takes place under local anaesthetic and lasts on average between three and four hours, or even longer (the removal of the grafts is done manually, hence the length of the operation).

The specialist first removes hair from the donor area of your skull, usually at the back of the head. Once removed, the grafts will be preserved in saline solution.

Afterwards, the transplant specialist can proceed with the implantation of the bulbs. This procedure is carried out using specific, sterile, single-use equipment. Each bulb is implanted manually in order to achieve a precise result. The specialist will make sure that there is a precise spacing between each implanted bulb so that the growth is optimal.

Between 1,000 and 3,000 grafts can be implanted, or even more, in order to guarantee the patient a beard that looks just right. The beard transplant is performed under local anaesthesia and does not require hospitalisation.

What are the results of the beard transplant?

After one week of the operation, the scabs will start to fall off. Thereafter, it will generally take between 8 and 12 weeks to observe the growth of new hair that will form the beard.

The day after your operation, you can take a shower and gently clean your face. The operated area may appear reddish for a few weeks, but will eventually return to more natural colours.

You will need to rest for a few days before returning to work. You should return to sport at least one week after the operation. After a few months, you will have to make a control visit, so that the surgeon can evaluate the result and check the condition of your new beard.

The beard transplant is an operation with permanent results, so the patient will be able to enjoy his new beard for a long time. Even after many successive shaves, the beard will continue to grow evenly on the skin.

What are the possible side effects of this operation?

Like any other surgical procedure, beard transplantation carries certain risks, which you should be aware of before the operation. In some patients, after the grafting, redness of the skin can be noticed, or crusts that do not want to go away. Patients who have had this procedure may also experience itching and irritation in the operated area, or swelling in the cheeks. It is also possible in some cases to have a high fever or even an infection.

However, these side effects are not common, and if your operation has been performed by an experienced specialist and with sterile, single-use equipment, then you will have a very good result without any side effects.