Ben Stokes shares reasons he underwent hair transplant: 'It gives you so much confidence'

Ben Stokes has shared how his hair transplant has boosted his confidence, revealing how he underwent the procedure when the hair loss was "getting too much".

The England cricketer, 32, had the FUE transplant (Follicular Unit Extraction) in 2018 after overhead camera shots while he was playing revealed a growing bald patch.

"I saw the footage of myself, and the angle would be a bird’s-eye view, straight on top," he told Telegraph. "I thought, 'God, this is getting worse and worse'."

Stokes said he decided to have the procedure when the way he felt about his hair "got to the point where it was getting too much".

He said the results gave him "so much more confidence" and hopes by speaking about his experiences he will continue to help breakdown barriers to widen the discussion surrounding male hair loss.

"Men and hair, it’s a thing," he explains. "The procedures used to be kept quiet. It was almost one of those things where you didn’t want people to know you had had it done.

"There’s so much more to it than just losing your hair. If you start thinning, you notice, and you’re constantly trying to do something to make it not look as bad. As people get older, they want to have a good head of hair. So whatever they can do to make them feel better about themselves, why not?

"I know how I felt, from all the compliments I received. It gives you so much confidence. The stigma and the secretiveness have gone."

Stokes isn't the only celebrity to discuss the subject of hair transplants. Lee Mead, 42, recently chatted openly about the procedure he underwent in Turkey earlier this year.

"There's nothing wrong with being bald, but it's a very personal thing and for me I wasn't ready to go bald yet so I went and had the operation," the actor told Ranvir Singh on Lorraine.

Watch: Lee Mead says hiding receding hairline 'affected confidence' before transplant

James Haskell also revealed earlier this year that he hasn't ruled out getting a transplant.

The 37-year-old rugby star who is married to Chloe Madeley, said that he may think about getting his hair “sorted out” because it is thinning.

“Would I have cosmetic surgery? Probably, if I need it,” Haskell said, as reported by Independent.

“I’m going to get my hair sorted out at some point because it’s thinning."

Read more: Man who suffered from hair loss gives confidence to others with ‘cure’ for baldness (Yahoo Life UK 3-min read)

Meanwhile Robbie Williams also shared that he had previously undergone the procedure in 2013, and in 2020 was keen to have a further treatment, but was told this wasn't possible as his hair was now too thin.

Jimmy Carr and James Nesbitt have also talked openly about having the hair replacement procedure.

What does the hair transplant procedure involve?

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) hair transplant treatments are now widely known as one of the best transplant techniques. This is compared to Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) which was previously the standard procedure.

"FUE is a process that replaces lost or thinning hair by taking healthy follicles from a donor area of the head (usually the back and sides) and transplanting them to a thinning area of the head, such as the hairline or crown," explains Nadeem Uddin Khan, CEO of Harley Street Hair Clinic. "FUE is a minimally invasive hair restoration option carried out under local anaesthetic, that achieves the best and most natural results."

During the procedure, local anaesthetic is injected into the donor area of the scalp, with patients awake and able to chat to their surgeon while undergoing treatment.

Read more: Hair loss in men: Signs, symptoms, causes and treatments (Yahoo Life UK 5-min read)

According to Mr Khan, there is minimal bleeding during and after the procedure and recovery is usually complete within seven days, with almost no side effects.

How much does it cost?

There is no one price fits all when it comes to hair transplants, as each transplant is entirely bespoke to the patient; the cost can vary depending on many factors.

According to ISHRS 2022 practice census, the average cost of a UK hair transplant is £4,820.

Mr Khan says some of the factors that can influence cost include the overall complexity of the transplant, the type of hair loss experienced, the likeliness of future hair loss and individual characteristics such as the amount of grafts needed and hair colour and texture.

Read more: Jamie Laing shares his hair loss worries (Yahoo Life UK 6-min read)

What to do if you’re considering a hair transplant

Hair transplant surgery can be a lifeline for many people, providing a confidence-boost that would otherwise be impossible. But how do you know if you’re suitable for one and where to go?

Research is key, says Mr Khan.

"It’s important to first be educated on the process, what’s involved, what recovery is like – but more importantly who’s doing the transplant, why you should pick them and whether you trust them," he adds.

Once you do your research, visit the clinics for a consultation and seek surgeons you can trust that have a good history of results.

It is also recommended you check whether your surgeon or clinic of choice is part of the IAHRS.org (International alliance of hair restoration surgeons) as this is an organisation to screen surgeons so they are ethical, honest and work in the patients' best interest.

Additional reporting PA.