International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery Addresses Trend Buzz
Geneva, IL – May 5, 2014.Sporting a beard has become quite popular among Hollywood’s leading men, but the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) finds recent reports of a growing trend in beard or facial hair transplants may be more hype than reality for the average man.
When the ISHRS polled its members via an online survey recently and asked if members’ practices have seen an increase in the number of “facial hair transplantations” or beard hair transplants over the past 12-18 months, 60 percent of the Society’s members reported that they have not seen an increase in these procedures.
Similarly, the ISHRS 2013 Practice Census polled members about the number of facial (moustache/beard) hair transplants performed around the world in 2012 and found that this type of procedure accounted for only 1.5 percent of all hair transplants. While there was a small bump in the number of facial hair transplants that ISHRS members reported performing from 2010 to 2012 (4,302 to 4,707 procedures, respectively), the most notable increases occurred in the Middle East and Asia.
“In some cultures, beards are quite common and symbolize a man’s masculinity and even prosperity,” said Vincenzo Gambino, MD (Milan, Italy), president of the ISHRS. “While a clean-shaven appearance is still popular, beards are now very trendy among more males than ever before thanks to their resurgence in Hollywood and among professional athletes. For those who prefer a fuller beard or more facial hair, beard hair transplants offer excellent results.”
Dr. Gambino added that hair restoration specialists agree that beard hair transplantation is a trending area in hair restoration that will continue to grow in popularity – particularly in more metro areas of the world where trends are commonly observed.
“We do see hair restoration physicians in larger markets, such as New York City, who have a specialty in facial hair restoration reporting a significant increase in patients requesting beard hair transplants,” said Dr. Gambino.
During a beard hair transplant procedure, tiny hair follicles (or grafts) are harvested one-by-one from a donor area of the body and transplanted to the beard area. The transplanted hair typically starts growing in immediately, and usually patients can shave two weeks following the procedure.
So for those who are follicularly challenged in the beard department, beard hair transplants are an option to consider for permanent facial hair as natural-looking as a Hollywood A-lister.
About the ISHRS
The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) is a global non-profit medical association and a leading authority on hair loss treatment and restoration with more than 1,200 members throughout 70 countries worldwide. Above all, the ISHRS is dedicated to achieving excellence in patient outcomes by promoting the highest standards of medical practice, medical ethics, and research in the medical hair restoration industry. The ISHRS also provides continuing medical education to physicians specializing in hair transplant surgery and is committed to delivering the latest information on medical and surgical treatments to consumers suffering from hair loss, and most commonly from androgenetic alopecia—male pattern baldness and female pattern hair loss. It was founded in 1993 as the first international society to promote continuing quality improvement and education for professionals in the field of hair restoration surgery. For more information and to locate a physician, visit www.ishrs.org.
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