I've had two hair transplants in two years but couldn't imagine unexpected side effect

The Sun

22-05-2025

AS a beauty editor, I could give a TED Talk on how to take care of your hair.
So imagine my horror when I started losing mine, aged 32.
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Four years later, when a whole patch surrounding a childhood scar went, I started to freak out.
Was I going to go completely bald? And how could I get my hair back?
I was so self-conscious I found it hard to make eye contact with people.
All I could think was that they could see I was losing my hair, despite the strategically placed parting to give the illusion my hairline started where it used to.
Riddled with anxiety, I spoke to a dermatologist, who told me I had a condition called traction alopecia. It's caused by repetitive tension or pulling on the hair.
I was surprised, but realised that I blow-dried my curls regularly and scraped my hair up into a bun when pushed for time.
But there was worse news. After long-term tension, scarring alopecia occurs — and that can't be reversed.
This is when there is a permanent death of the follicles and hair is no longer able to grow back
Too nervous
According to the NHS, eight million women in the UK are affected by some form of hair loss.
The most common type is andro­genetic alopecia, a hormonal and genetic condition that affects about 40 per cent of women by the age of 50.
Former Little Mix star Jesy Nelson, 33, and Made In Chelsea's Olivia Bentley, 29, have both battled alopecia areata, a patchy form of hair loss often triggered by stress.
Mel Sykes reveals devastating battle with alopecia as she says she's 'lost half her hair' amid health battle
And supermodel Naomi Campbell, 54, has struggled with traction alopecia, which increasingly affects black women due to styling practices that place prolonged tension on the scalp.
I spent three years trying multiple hair-loss treatments, including light therapy, microneedling, taking supplements and vitamin injections.
Nothing worked. In fact, my hair loss got worse.
I decided against commonly recommended Minoxidil — a topical treatment that slows loss, thickens hair and promotes regrowth — because any hair you gain will fall out if you ever stop. And it can trigger hair growth in unwanted areas, such as the face.
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So I went to see hair transplant surgeon Dr Christopher D'Souza, who was recommended to me by a male friend.
Dr D'Souza said I did indeed have scarring alopecia and would make a good candidate for surgery. After he showed me some before and after images of his female patients, I felt confident I was in safe hands.
While hair-transplant surgery can cost anywhere between £4,000 and £15,000 in the UK — compared to £1,200 to £4,000 in Turkey — I felt far too nervous to undergo the procedure abroad.
You only have to look at social media to see that people regularly return home with botched or ­unnatural-looking results.
'In the UK, your surgeon should be a member of the British Association of Hair Restoration Surgeons (BAHRS) and International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS),' said Dr D'Souza.
What is alopecia and what causes it?
About two per cent of the population will experience alopecia at some point in their lifetime, with around one in every 4,000 developing the condition each year.
It can start at any age but is most common in early adulthood and can lead to a lack of all hair including eyelashes and eyebrows, nasal hair and public hair.
Alopecia areata causes patches of baldness about the size of a large coin.
'Alopecia' is the medical term for hair loss and 'areata' means that it occurs in small, random areas. There are various classifications, including:
Alopecia areata totalis: Total hair loss on the scalp
Alopecia areata universalis: Total hair loss on your scalp and all body hair
The causes of alopecia areata are not fully understood but the loss of hair is because of inflammation around the hair follicles.
The cause of the inflammation is unknown but it is believed that the immune system, which normally protects the body from infections and other diseases, misfires and attacks the hair follicles.
Therefore, it is understood to be an autoimmune condition, says Alopecia UK.
Genetics may be behind the condition, but there are other things thought to trigger it, including a virus, iron deficiency or stress. Studies are not conclusive.
For women, sometimes birth can trigger postpartum alopecia.
In most cases of alopecia areata, hair will grow back in a few months to a year. At first, hair may grow back fine and white, but over time it should thicken and regain its normal colour.
There is no cure for the condition, only treatments that are not guaranteed to work.
People with alopecia may need to take extra precautions, including protecting their skin and eyes when outside and preventing stress.
Latest figures show that last year, women accounted for just 15 per cent of all hair-transplant procedures. But that is up 16.5 per cent since 2021 — and numbers are climbing.
The most popular method is follicular unit excision (FUE), but I went for follicular unit transplantation (FUT) instead.
Dr D'Souza explains: 'FUE surgery involves each hair graft — a tiny piece of scalp that contains anything from one to three hairs — being removed using a small punching device.
'With FUT surgery, a thin strip of the scalp is removed and the grafts are taken from that strip of removed scalp.'
I liked the idea of avoiding stitches, but FUE surgery meant shaving a large section at the back of my head — not ideal when you've got long hair.
It's been life changing for me and I have no regrets.
FUT is more discreet and tends to yield more grafts in one go. It's also safer for curly or Afro-textured hair, where follicles curve beneath the scalp.
I arrived early on a Friday morning at Dr D'Souza's central London clinic, where he began by drawing the outline of my new hairline directly on to my skin.
He explained that irregularities, as well as a graduation of hair density, make a natural-looking hairline.
Once I was happy with his proposed design, he injected my scalp with local anaesthetic in three areas to ensure my whole head was numb.
This was the only uncomfortable element of the whole process.
He then removed the strip of scalp before making tiny incisions on my hairline, into which his team of technicians would later place the grafts.
The whole process took five hours. I was sent home with painkillers, which I didn't end up needing, a travel pillow to keep me upright when I slept, and saline solution to regularly spritz on to the transplanted area.
This promotes healing, reduces itching and keeps the grafts moist, which boosts their survival rate.
'HAIR HALO'
For a week after my surgery, I kept a low profile. There was some swelling of my forehead, as well as minor bleeding from the donor area.
But by day two that had subsided, and by day four the swelling had gone down.
A week later I felt fine seeing friends for coffee, but it wasn't until around three weeks post-surgery — when most of my implanted hairs had fallen out — that I started to live life as before.
You might be wondering if ­losing all that newly placed hair meant that the surgery hadn't worked, but it's totally ­normal.
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Dr D'Souza explains: 'New hair will grow from the follicles at three to four months post-op, with noticeable results at the six months mark.'
Even if your transplant is perfectly carried out, you may experience changes to how your hair and scalp behave.
I developed a shock of grey hair, which is rare, but not unheard of.
The trauma of surgery, reduced blood flow and inflammation around the follicles can result in a loss of hair pigment.
Thankfully, the colour eventually came back.
For around six months I also had to live with a frizzy 'hair halo' across the front of my hairline, so I strategically placed longer hair from behind over the shorter hairs at the front.
The skin along my hairline became a lot drier than it used to be, too, which Dr D'Souza explained can happen.
Non-oil-stripping shampoos and ­moisture-boosting scalp serums worked well for me.
I was ecstatic when, at my six-month review, Dr D'Souza said that my hair was growing well.
Now, just six months on, the results are incredible. But I must admit that in the back of my mind I'm worried hair loss might ­happen again.
And when I hit 12 months, I could really appreciate how much my hairline had changed — and how much more confident I felt.
But I had hoped my hairline would be restored to its childhood glory, which wasn't the case.
My scar was still visible because, as Dr D'Souza explained at my one-year check-up, scar tissue tends to have less blood supply — and good blood supply is essential for transplanted follicles to thrive.
There was also a little too much scalp visibility for my liking.
Yes, I could have lived with the results, but I knew these issues would bother me so I opted to have surgery number two.
This time I would only need another 500 or so grafts added, as opposed to 1,200 the first time.
Now, just six months on, the results are incredible. But I must admit that in the back of my mind I'm worried hair loss might ­happen again.
With curly hair it's tough not to straighten it here and there, or wear it up when I don't have time in the mornings to resurrect my squashed and tangled ringlets.
I'm trying my best to avoid causing tension with my styling practices to ensure my new hairline will last, but if it doesn't, I'd absolutely consider another transplant in the future.
It's been life changing for me and I have no regrets.