Beard Transplant

In this article, you will learn about the reasons for the lack of thick beard hair or no beard. Dr.Hakan Doganay provides information about beard transplants. You will also find answers to questions such as: How is beard transplantation done? Who is Suitable for Beard Transplantation? What do I need to do after getting a beard transplant? How much does a beard transplant cost? Beard transplantation is widely performed in many cities in our country, mainly in Istanbul, Ankara, and Antalya.

All hair on the face, chin, cheekbones, under the chin, and in the throat area is called a beard. The beard and mustache are important attributes of men’s appearance in many cultures, especially in Turkish and Arab societies. The beard or mustache begins to grow at the age of 15 or 16 and matures by the age of 20.

A beard is an essential part of appearance for many men. Sometimes men lose confidence because they don’t have a beard. Many men grow a beard to impress women. Today, there are many styles of wearing it, which is part of the trend. Men believe that women are more attracted to bearded men, however, studies do not support this view. Others define the beard as a status indicator, a tool of competition among men. It is said that Hollywood celebrities with beards are more attractive.

Beard transplant Men who complain of a sparse beard usually look for various ways to make it thicker. With the development of the FUE method of hair transplantation, a solution to the problem of missing beards has emerged: beard transplant surgery. As a result, interest in beard and mustache transplants has gradually increased. So, when is beard transplantation performed?

What are the reasons for poor density or no beard?

There are some reasons why mustache and beard roots do not grow. Sometimes it is a genetic problem transmitted from birth. 

Mustache and beard roots can fail to grow for a variety of reasons. One of them is the congenital absence or sparseness of the beard. The cessation of beard growth happens as a result of trauma, burns, and infection. In these cases, hair transplantation is a solution to restore the beard.

Thinning Beard

Why Beard doesn’t grow?

The complete absence of a beard and mustache by inheritance is a hormonal disorder. As a rule, beard and mustache transplants are performed at the same time. The absence of a beard usually shows men’s age less than the actual age. In a man with no beard, his face takes on feminine features. These factors bring psychological discomfort. The density and thickness of beard hair varies depending on the ethnic background of men. People from Western and South Asia have thicker beard hair, while those from East and South-East Asia have less frequent and weaker beard hair. While Caucasians have 20-50 beard hairs per square centimeter, South Asians have 150 hairs per square centimeter.

If the hormonal imbalance is diagnosed at an early age, it is possible to promote the growth of the beard by using external testosterone preparations.

The main reasons for beard absence.

• Lack Of Testosterone Hormone:  If the hormonal imbalance is diagnosed at an early age, it is possible to promote the growth of the beard by using external testosterone preparations.
• Lack of alpha-5 reductase enzyme, which provides conversion to dihydrotestosterone, the active metabolite of testosterone.
• Gradual loss of beard thickness 

The loss of beard hair after burns, surgeries, scars, and other cases like car accidents.

Trauma causes irreversible destruction of the hair follicles, the only and most effective solution in such cases is transplantation. Even the most serious scars can be covered up with hair transplants. Also, acne scars during puberty can easily be concealed with a beard transplant.

Alopecia areata. Deficiency or absence of a mustache and beard is called please disease. It is caused by stress and psychological disorders. If there is no success at medical treatment, transplantation can be applied. When the disease lasts long, the deficiency of a partial beard mustache may occur.

Traction Alopecia. Traction alopecia is the plucking of beard hairs in psychological disorders.

For those who say “My beard is sparse”

• Thin Beard A rare beard is normal for some people, while for others it is a cause for concern. It is important how a man wants to see himself and to respect his opinion. A rare beard can be quite natural when a man does not have metabolic and hormonal problems. Beard transplant surgery is done in this case to increase the thickness or to correct asymmetry. In addition, beard transplantation is popular among transsexuals who seek a masculine appearance.
• Partial lack of beard – some people may be missing a beard in small areas of a few cm2. 100-200 grafts. In this case, a transplant from beard to beard is usually done. 

What is a beard transplant and who is it suitable for?

Transplantation of hair from the back of the head or beard to a beard in cases of partial, complete absence, or general sparseness of the beard is called beard transplantation. Below you can see a picture showing the condition of the beard before and after transplantation. If a young man lacks a beard due to hormonal problems, it is advisable to wait until the age of 24-25 so that the hormonal balance is fully established. Transplantation is possible when medication is not effective.

How is Beard and Mustache Implantation made?

Beard Transplantation Stages. The beard transplantation process consists of several stages. Let’s look at them:

1. Consultation and planning
2. Anesthesia of the donor area (back of the head)
3. Harvesting of grafts from the donor area
4. Anesthesia of beard area for transplantation
5. Hair implantation

Consultation and planning

First, the area where the beard or mustache will be transplanted is determined and designed. The artistic skill of the doctor who performs the surgery is essential here. During this part, the patient’s opinion is to be considered. Most patients show us pictures of celebrities with a beard as an example of the desired shape. Proper planning and design beforehand eliminate asymmetries. While planning, the doctor should also consider the number of hair roots, their quality, and the size of the grafting area in cm 2.

In the case of a complete absence of a beard, there is a need for a large number of grafts. In this situation a second session is planned in a year, and the patient should be informed in advance. For patients who suffer from hair loss and sparse beard, transplantation planning on both areas, the total number of grafts needed for beard and hair transplantation should be determined in advance.

Anesthesia of Donor Area and Extraction of Roots from Donor Area

Local anesthesia and graft collection

The first step in beard and mustache transplantation is local anesthesia of the donor part. The response to pain during anesthesia depends on the patient’s pain threshold. Some people say they experience a lot of pain, while others are not bothered by the pain. It depends entirely on the individual. Grafts must be extracted with roots using the FUE method from the back of the head or other healthy parts of the beard (from beard to beard). Hair transplants from other parts of the body to the beard are undesirable. When transplanting the beard, it should be taken into account that the follicles must be single (1 root = 1 follicle). Multiple follicles must be separated. This condition is important to create a natural-looking beard. If the number of necessary grafts is small and the hair in the donor area is long, the collection can be done by the FUE method without shaving.

Transplantation of Hair to Target Area

There are two stages here: first is applying anesthesia to the target area and implantation of grafts.

Anesthesia of Implanting Area

The implant area is anesthetized locally so that the patient feels no pain or soreness. Roots for transplantation are selected from the chin, cheek, sideburns, and lower throat, as appropriate. For anesthesia in beard transplantation, and infraorbital and mental nerve block is preferred. The facial area is very sensitive and ice can be applied to the anesthetic area to alleviate pain. Sedatives can be prescribed if necessary. Anesthesia of the mouth and mustache area is best performed after the patient has had a meal.

Beard Implantation

We use the implanter pen technique. It is also known as the DHI or Choi method. There is another stick and place method suitable for beard transplants. Here, 20-22 G needles are used for dermal injections. We consider beard transplantation using the channel method to be undesirable, the so-called classic FUE. 

The transplantation starts with the sideburns and the cheek area, followed by the chin and the area under it.

Below are pictures of a man with a transplanted beard. The photos show the stages before the procedure, the 2nd and 20th days.

Determining the implant angle is more difficult in the canal method. The correct grafting angle is critical in beard and mustache grafting operations, the natural appearance of the hair depends on it. Beard roots should usually be planted at an angle of 15-25 degrees. Planting at the right angle with a pen is easy enough, so it is not surprising that the resulting transplanted hair is indistinguishable from natural hair. Also, a clear advantage is less bleeding and a faster healing process of the wounds.

Pain intensity is different for each part of the mustache or beard. 

The angle of the transplant varies in different parts of the beard or mustache. It is best to plant the grafts relative to the directions and angles of existing hair growth. Beard hair grows in the cheekbone, cheeks, and throat area at a 15-20 degree angle. In the chin area at an angle of 25-30 degrees. If the direction does not match the course of the man’s beard, an unnatural appearance occurs. Also, the open channels should be small in diameter. We use 0.6 and 0.8 mm tips. No scar remains as a result of the healing of the openings of these diameters. While the doctor performs the transplant, the assistant gently stretches the skin in the opposite direction. Stretching makes the transplantation process easier because the facial skin is very elastic.

By the end of the procedure, the patient looks in a mirror to get his or her opinion on the shape of the new beard. This helps us to determine symmetry as well. According to the patient’s opinion, small corrections or changes are made.

After the Beard Transplant

Actually, there is not much difference between the following recovery periods of hair transplant and beard. Moreover, after a beard operation, the recovery comes sooner.

There are no special restrictions in the period after beard and mustache transplantation. You can continue with your daily activities. We recommend avoiding heavy exercise in the first days, in order to eliminate the risk of injury. For several days after surgery, you should pay attention to your sleeping position. You should sleep on your back and not face down. Otherwise, while sleeping, you may unconsciously hit the transplanted part of the beard on the pillow, and the roots can move or fall out even with the slightest friction.

• Redness. After transplantation of the beard and mustache, redness of the skin may occur for up to a week. The redness appears at the roots of the transplanted hair. After a week, the beard and mustache crusts will fall off and the redness will disappear. After 10 days, the redness will be completely gone.
• Washing  After Beard Transplant. The first wash of the beard is done the next day. Some doctors limit it to 3-5 days after the operation. We do not agree with that because this area of the face is much easier to wash than scalp hair. The washing procedure is done 24 hours after the operation. It is enough easy and you can do it yourself the first time, without any help. You need to wash it several times a day. After the first wash, you will clearly see crusts on the transplanted area of the beard.
• Shaving After the Beard Transplant We recommend waiting 15-20 days before shaving your beard and mustache for the first time after surgery.
• The Shock Loss After the Beard Transplant. Shock hair loss after a beard transplant is normal. As with hair transplants, hair follicles begin to break down and fall out after 15-20 days. This is absolutely normal. The hair that has fallen out begins to grow back in 4-6 months.

Complications After Beard Transplantation

• Unnatural Look. An unnatural look can occur due to improperly angled beard hairs and wide channels. We have already mentioned this above. Correct angles and very thin incisions are necessary for a natural look. Unnaturally positioned beard roots can be spot removed using the FUE method.
• The Bunch Looks A bunch view may be observed when the roots of the beard are partially swollen. This is usually seen when the hair roots are long, so the implantation depth should be carefully selected. Transplanting very thin roots is not appropriate.

How Much Does Beard Transplant Cost?

The cost of a beard transplant is another frequently asked question. The cost of this procedure is a little higher than the cost of a hair transplant because it requires more skills and experience than a hair transplant. Prices vary depending on the location of the surgery and the status of the doctor who will perform the surgery. Some clinics apply a single pricing policy, independent of the number of grafts. We, on the other hand, rely on the number of roots transplanted.

Contact us and we will give you the detailed information. A Beard transplant costs anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 depending on the number of grafts.

You will find it helpful to research the comments and advice of those who have done beard and mustache transplants on websites or forums about hair transplants. Celebrities who have had beard transplants also attract a lot of attention from people. There is a perception in the community that the best clinics are those where famous people have had the procedure. We discuss this issue in detail on the page about the best hair transplant clinics in Turkey. This question should be treated with caution, as this approach is not always correct.

Beard Transplant Results

People who are about to have a beard or mustache transplant are curious about the results before and after the surgery. The result of a beard or mustache transplant should be natural in the first place (that is, others should not notice that you have had a beard transplant). As we mentioned earlier, proper angle planning is very important in a transplant. If the transplanted beard or mustache is at the wrong angle and grows vertically, the result can cause serious discomfort. A repeat transplant procedure is necessary to correct this. 

We also recommend that you do not consider the widely advertised beard and mustache growth products on the market. Remember that there are no such active medicines in the world yet. Subscribe to our YOUTUBE channel to follow our results and developments in beard and mustache transplants. You can also subscribe to us on Facebook and Instagram or contact us at +90 544 882 98 82 (you can send your photos via Whatsapp). The founder of our clinic Dr. Hakan Doganay has been performing beard transplants in Antalya for more than 10 years.

Mustache and Beard Transplant Videos

You can see many mustaches or beard transplant videos online. Videos show more realistic results than images. Contact us and we will give you more information about our beard and mustache transplant results.