Ant and Dec hair transplant: what patients should know

Photographs, lighting, styling, hair fibres, medication and surgery can all change how a hairline looks. A suitable plan depends on your diagnosis, donor-hair supply, scalp health, hair characteristics and likely future loss rather than another person's appearance.

Hair transplantation moves follicles from a donor area, commonly the back or sides of the scalp, into areas with thinning or loss. The relocated follicles do not create extra hair, so donor density and careful distribution shape what can be achieved.

A clinician should first establish why hair is being lost. Pattern hair loss may suit transplantation when it is stable enough to plan around, while active inflammation, scarring disease or ongoing traction may need treatment before surgery is considered. Native hair can continue to thin after transplanted follicles are placed.

Choose a clinician who examines the scalp and donor area, asks about the pattern and pace of loss, reviews medicines and medical conditions, and explains who will perform each part of the procedure. Bring photographs that show how your hair has changed rather than requesting an exact celebrity hairline.

Discuss the proposed hairline, graft distribution, extraction method, scarring, aftercare and the possibility of further loss. Ask to see results on people with hair texture and loss patterns similar to yours. Do not stop prescribed hair-loss treatment unless the prescribing clinician advises it.

Arrange a dermatology assessment before pursuing cosmetic surgery if loss is sudden, forms new bald patches, or comes with scaling, sores, marked itching or scalp pain. These features can point to a process that needs diagnosis and treatment.

After a transplant, contact the treating clinic promptly for increasing redness, warmth, swelling, drainage, worsening pain or fever. Seek urgent care if swelling affects breathing or vision, or if you feel severely unwell.

Ask: What is causing my hair loss? Is it active? How strong is my donor area? What change is realistic without overharvesting? Who performs the extraction, hairline design and placement? What scars should I expect? How will we protect the hair I still have, and what follow-up is included?