Hair loss is normal - but surgery might not be the answer

The hair transplant industry is booming, but it's not risk free...

- Adam Taylor

Thinning hair can be distressing and hair transplants may seem like the answer, but prospective patients should consider their options carefully, writes Adam Taylor.

Hair loss will affect everyone at some point in their life. But, despite its prevalence, treating baldness is big business.

In Europe, for example, there was a 240 per cent increase in interest in hair transplant surgeries between 2010 and 2021, and Turkey has become such a popular destination for hair transplant surgery that some staff have renamed Turkey Airlines as 'Turkey Hairlines'.

Hair loss is a normal process. Humans typically lose 50 to 100 hairs a day - which are replenished - but like other bodily processes as we age, hair growth slows down.

The sebaceous glands producing the oil that makes our hair shiny reduce their activity, which makes hair look duller. Some hair follicles will reduce their productivity, making hairs thinner and some may stop altogether, which results in fewer hairs.

Thinning hair and baldness, however, are still stigmatised and increasing numbers of people are opting for hair restoration treatments.