Men Everywhere Are Getting Beard Transplants
If you’ve got a baby face, it doesn’t mean a beard isn’t in your future. Just get a beard transplantDoes the power of beards know no bounds? We knew they were wildly popular as of late because, you know, we have eyes, but The New York Times today reports that beard transplants are on the rise (and, yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like). Hair surgeon Dr. Jeffrey S. Epstein informed the paper that about ten years ago, he used to perform five or so transplants a year. Now, he says he does about three a week. While we can blame part of that on grooming trends, it’s also thanks to technology that makes the transplants way less obvious. Previously, hair plugs would be made of several hair follicles in one, creating a patchy appearance. But now, they can be done one by one to make something more real. Science!
During the procedure, single hair follicles are taken from the back of the head, where hair is thickest, and find new homes in the beard region. What comes next is a natural, functioning, growing beard. It’s certainly not cheap, though. For the men surveyed by the Times, costs ranged anywhere from $4,000 (for filling in some patches) to $22,000 for the full monty. Though we should note that the guy who dropped $22,000 had three procedures done—the first for a general transplant, the second to make it denser, and then one more touch-up.
While you may be scratching your own god-given beard at all this, the motivations behind it are not that suspect, or even purely cosmetic. Though Jose Armos concedes that he “wanted that stronger, manlier look,” he also mentions that his natural appearance interfered with his work as a paramedic. “It was hard for people to trust me because I had that baby face.” We can’t blame the dude for wanting to be treated like a man and for wanting people to trust in his care. No shame in that. Nor is there shame for Ray, who preferred not to give his last name but summed it all up quite eloquently: “A lot of guys go through a midlife crisis and they buy a sports car. I just got a beard.”
During the procedure, single hair follicles are taken from the back of the head, where hair is thickest, and find new homes in the beard region. What comes next is a natural, functioning, growing beard. It’s certainly not cheap, though. For the men surveyed by the Times, costs ranged anywhere from $4,000 (for filling in some patches) to $22,000 for the full monty. Though we should note that the guy who dropped $22,000 had three procedures done—the first for a general transplant, the second to make it denser, and then one more touch-up.
While you may be scratching your own god-given beard at all this, the motivations behind it are not that suspect, or even purely cosmetic. Though Jose Armos concedes that he “wanted that stronger, manlier look,” he also mentions that his natural appearance interfered with his work as a paramedic. “It was hard for people to trust me because I had that baby face.” We can’t blame the dude for wanting to be treated like a man and for wanting people to trust in his care. No shame in that. Nor is there shame for Ray, who preferred not to give his last name but summed it all up quite eloquently: “A lot of guys go through a midlife crisis and they buy a sports car. I just got a beard.”
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