“In the three months leading up to the operation, I was so much better off seeing my hair that I wore caps all the time.” A few weeks ago, the kinesiologist and founder of FD Fitness, Félix Daigle, traveled to Turkey to receive a hair transplant, after having been obsessed with his hair for a good year.
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What he dreaded above all: losing all his hair on the front of his head, like his father and grandfather. At 36, to put an end to this complex and because he could afford it, he decided to undergo a hair transplant.
He and a friend traveled to Now Hair Time clinic in Turkey to have the procedure. He chose this clinic because it is well known on social media and has treated many celebrities.
He does not regret his choice. “I just want to be able to do whatever haircuts I want,” insists the coach.
But although he is satisfied with the result, the transplant was not painless. He received between 20 and 30 stings on the skull, which hurt him. In the days following the operation, he also bled heavily and a scab formed on the top of his skull.
About twenty days later, healing is going well. It is currently in the process of shedding, he explains, that is to say that his transplanted hair will fall out before growing back in a few weeks.
Men write to him
Since undergoing his operation, Félix Daigle talks about it openly on Instagram, where he is followed by more than 52,000 people. His experience also seems to appeal to other men: they are “hundreds and hundreds” to have written to him.
For the trainer, it is proof that hair loss is “an issue that men don’t talk about enough, because it’s so taboo”.
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How does a hair transplant actually work?
Hair transplantation is a minor surgery that involves moving hair from the back of the head upwards, explains Francis Touchette, president of Groupe Médical PAI in Quebec, which includes several clinics specializing in hair loss.
The number of displaced follicles, also called grafts, varies depending on the amount of hair present on the back of the head or the degree of baldness on the top of the head. For example, Felix had 2500 grafts implanted in the front of his head. However, the number of grafts could be much lower if a person has little hair in the donor area.
The procedure usually takes three to five hours and can be done in two ways.
The first technique, practiced for about ten years, consists of extracting the follicles one at a time from the donor area and replanting them in the desired locations. This method causes no scarring, and the risk of infection is low. Félix Daigle underwent this type of surgery.
The second technique consists of removing a strip of skin with hair from the back of the head and then placing it in the balding areas. The person will keep a scar after the procedure.
Is the graft good for life?
Once the hair is transplanted, they stay in place for life, assures Francis Touchette.
The hair keeps the same genetic code as when it was behind the head, that is, it is not “programmed” to fall out.
Are there any risks of having a hair transplant abroad?
Undergoing such surgery abroad necessarily involves risks, argues Francis Touchette.
In some countries, where such procedures are offered at lower prices, safety standards differ, he says.
Since the patient returns home quite quickly after the surgery, Francis Touchette is also concerned about the lack of postoperative follow-up.
How much does it cost?
The price of a hair transplant in one of the Groupe Médical PAI clinics varies according to the number of hairs to be transplanted. On average, follicle extraction costs between $7,000 and $16,000.
Félix Daigle paid $4,000 Canadian for his surgery. His entire trip, including plane tickets, cost him $6,000.
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