The month of November is also known as Movember. Started by the non-profit Movember Foundation, this annual observation held since 2003 focuses on raising awareness of men’s health issues. The activity most closely identified with Movember is growing a moustache to start conversations about how men can live healthier, longer lives. The emphasis on facial hair during this month can make men who want to grow a mustache, beard or sideburns but can’t due to genetics or scarring think about looking into a facial hair transplant as a way to improve their self-image and confidence—which may very well improve their emotional health.
Why Can’t Some Men Grow Facial Hair?
Certain misconceptions persist as to why some men have only light or patchy facial hair growth. Genetics is often blamed, and actually is the culprit, but not in the way that you may think. Men start to develop facial hair—which is regulated by testosterone—during puberty, and it doesn’t fully mature until their early 20’s. The interaction between testosterone and the hair that already exists causes it to grow thicker and darker.
It is typically believed that men who can grow a beard have a higher testosterone level. However, most men have about the same level of testosterone. What really influences facial hair growth is how one’s body responds to this hormone—which is the factor that’s genetically determined. Being highly sensitive to testosterone results in more facial hair. While this may seem positive, it also contributes to baldness.
Dr. Marco Barusco—founder and Chief Medical Officer of Tempus Hair Restoration—is a proudly bearded man himself, as well as having undergone hair transplant procedures. In his experience with facial hair transplant patients, Dr. Barusco notes that sparse growth and patchy growth are equally prevalent conditions—and normally coexist in the same patient, who can have areas of sparse growth (defined as a low density of hairs), as well as areas where the beard is patchy.
“Genetics is the main factor,” says Dr. Barusco. “Even men with a family history of a full beard may have thin, patchy areas.”
Don’t Fall for Beard Growth Product Scams
Bogus products claiming to grow beards have, unfortunately, become as widespread as those being sold to cure baldness. Beard growth product scams often involve overhyped claims and marketing tricks, such as promising “rapid” or “instant” growth, using misleading “before and after” photos, and selling products with secret or vague ingredients. While some products like minoxidil can stimulate hair growth, they are often not FDA-approved for facial hair and may cause side effects. Similarly, supplements are generally only useful if you are deficient—which is rare in well-nourished healthy adults—but they cannot create a beard if you’re not genetically predisposed to one. Our blog post—“More Hair Restoration Scams”—covers this topic in detail.
Products falsely claiming to promote beard growth exploit the wish for a quick, relatively inexpensive result. If you’ve tried one such product that didn’t work, don’t think you just bought the wrong product, and another one with a more convincing claim might do the trick. They’re all ineffective. The only proven way to achieve the goal of a full beard is with a beard transplant procedure.
What a Beard Transplant Involves
As with hair transplants to the scalp, a facial hair transplant may be performed as a Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) or Follicular Unit Excision (FUE). Which procedure is used depends upon the area to be covered. For large areas, hair is harvested from the same donor site as that for a hair transplant. This provides an advantage for those who want to grow a longer beard. Dr. Barusco describes the procedure in greater detail in a video for his YouTube video channel, Hair Loss Medical Advice.
The hair for facial hair transplants is typically harvested from the sides and back of the head, which are the same areas used in hair transplant surgery for bald and thinning areas of the scalp. However, the hair removed is usually from lower down toward the neck, where the hair quality is more compatible to that of facial hair. This includes the critical part of planning the angle and direction of hair for the most natural looking result. Success depends upon the surgeon’s knowledge of how hairs from different areas of the body behave, skill and artistry in harvesting those that are the best match, and ability to angle the hair grafts correctly when transplanted.
“The challenges with transplanting into the face are many,” says Dr. Barusco. “From a technical standpoint, the most crucial is the angle and direction in which the hairs have to be placed to produce a natural result that will allow the patient to grow it long, if they so desire.
“Another aspect of the facial hair transplant is the donor area selection. Most of the time, we use scalp hairs from the safe donor zone, and the patient may need these hairs in the future, should they develop male pattern baldness. This factor becomes more important because most of the patients looking for facial hair transplants are young men.”
In another Hair Loss Medical Advice video, Dr. Barusco focuses on one case study of a 44-year-old male who wanted a fuller goatee and to better connect the goatee with his mustache. The video includes photos of the pre-op planning process and the final results one year later.
Those seeking a facial hair transplant to conceal scars have an additional challenge. In such cases, Dr. Barusco takes care to place hair grafts farther apart to provide an adequate blood supply to guarantee that the grafts “take” and grow.
“Patients who do hair transplantation into scars are always warned that they may have to do one more procedure for final hair density into the scar. But when done correctly, hairs will grow well in scarred areas.”
Regardless of the circumstances, healing of both the recipient and donor areas is typically complete in one week. Transplanted hairs will fall out two to three weeks post-op, which is normal. New, permanent growth will begin within three to four months. Once permanent growth is established, the transplanted hair will blend in with any surrounding original hair. It may then be shaped and groomed in the same way as natural facial hair.
“Mo” About Movember
We began with the purpose of Movember, and the importance of men taking charge of their health and well-being. As Dr. Barusco emphasizes educating people about a variety of topics relating to hair loss and hair restoration through his YouTube channel, we highly recommend taking time to watch “Movember, Finasteride for Hair Loss and the Post-Finasteride Syndrome” —regarding the prevention and early detection of prostate cancer. The life you save may be your own—or that of a family member or friend.
You Can Get the Beard and Self-confidence You Want When You Choose Your Surgeon Wisely
If you believe that a beard represents strength, individualism and self-confidence, but nature isn’t cooperating, you can get the beard that allows you to express all of those qualities and more with a beard transplant. However, do careful research, as not all hair transplant surgeons have the experience and skill to perform facial hair transplants that look like natural growth.
It’s important to select your surgeon based on experience, results and integrity. Dr. Barusco’s long list of accomplishments, his notable artistic ability and his successful surgical team make Tempus Hair Restoration a renowned practice worldwide. Contact us to schedule your free virtual consultation. Dr. Barusco conducts every consultation himself, giving you the opportunity to learn your options in the comfort of your home – or any location, on any internet-enabled device.
Dr. Barusco conducts consultations in English, Spanish and Portuguese. For your greater convenience, Tempus Hair Restoration offers a two-night complimentary hotel stay to out-of-town clients who travel 100 miles or more to our Port Orange, Florida, surgical center. No matter how far the distance, we welcome the opportunity to help you on your hair restoration journey!