Beard Hair Transplant Surgery

What is a beard hair transplant?

A beard hair transplant is a type of facial hair transplant procedure that involves transplanting hair from one part of the body to the beard area. This surgery is ideal for men who have patchy or thin facial hair and desire a fuller beard. The procedure is performed under local anaesthesia and typically takes several hours to complete.

The results of a beard hair transplant are usually permanent, and patients can expect to see new hair growth within 6-12 months.

How do beard transplants work?

There are two main types of beard transplants:

Beard FUE Hair Transplant

An FUE beard transplant is a popular technique. It harvests individual hair follicles one by one from the donor area (usually the back of the scalp, level with the ears) using precise tools designed to extract hair follicles with minimal scarring.

The surgeon will then make tiny incisions in the recipient beard area (where you want your new hair to grow). This is a delicate process that is aligned to the density and direction of the new beard hair.

Once the recipient area is ready, the hair follicles can be implanted. The FUE procedure leaves small circular scars in the donor area as opposed to the FUT procedure which can leave a noticeable “line” scar. There is also a shorter recovery time than when the FUT technique is used.

An FUE beard transplant is usually completed in one session and can take from 6 up to 10 hours to complete. Sometimes two sessions are needed when there is significant facial hair loss, or when additional density is required. Local anaesthetic is administered with injections for the procedure, and you should not feel any pain after these have been given.

Beard FUT Hair Transplant

An FUT beard transplant, sometimes referred to as the strip procedure, involves the removal of a small tissue strip from the donor area (usually the back of the scalp). After the donor area is closed, leaving a single scar, the strip is placed under microscopes and divided into several small grafts containing one to four hair follicles. Then, as with the FUE transplant, grafts are then placed into incisions at the recipient site.

As the FUT technique can transplant more hairs, it can be easier to transplant larger beards with this method. The FUT technique typically takes longer than FUE, with the procedure lasting from 6 up to 12 hours – this will vary according to the area being covered and the number of grafts being relocated. Local anaesthetic is administered for FUT beard transplants to ensure patients don't feel pain during their procedure.

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How Long Does It Take To See Results?

It takes 6-12 months for patients to see the results from a beard transplant. The results of a facial hair transplant are permanent, and with proper care, the transplanted hair follicles can continue to grow and thrive for years to come.

Beard transplants before and after

A beard transplant is a safe surgical procedure that offers permanent results. There is a range of beard styles for you to choose from, according to the areas of your jawline and face you want to treat. You can expect your transplanted hair to function as normal, and you’ll be able to trim and shave your new beard as you usually would.

Preparing for a beard transplant

Before undergoing a beard hair transplant, it’s essential to discuss your plans with a hair transplant surgeon. They will need to make an assessment of your beard hair type and what hair type on your body would best match it when transplanted. As beard hair tends to be quite thick, your hair transplant Surgeon needs to pick the thickest hair calibre to transplant into the region.

You will also need to plan the directions in which your hair is reimplanted into your beard to maximise its naturalness and density. Sometimes, patients will have a whorl or spiral in their beard which can be recreated but may not give the maximal visual density. Your Surgeon will be able to outline a tailored plan for you in preparation for surgery.

In addition to careful surgical planning, patients should avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, as these can negatively impact the healing process.

How Long Does it take to perform a beard transplant?

The procedure takes approximately 5-7 hours to complete depending on the size of the case. The day is often split into the rough schedule below:

Planning of the procedure (1 hour)
Anaesthesia and incisions of beard (1 hour)
Extraction of hair (2 hours)
Lunch (45 mins)
Implantation of hair into beard (1-2 hours)
Post-operation recovery and debrief (30 mins)

Does a beard hair transplant hurt?

A beard transplant should not be painful after you have had the initial injections to numb the beard and donor areas. These injections last 5-10 minutes and once done will have numbed the area that is being operated in so you shouldn't feel pain during the procedure.

Beard transplant recovery and aftercare

You need 7 to 14 days to recover from the beard transplant procedure and to ensure a healthy beard hair regrowth. After 14 days, you can resume your normal activities.

After 3 weeks, you can start to shave or trim your new beard. After two to three weeks, the new beard hairs may start to shed and fall out. Hair shedding after a transplant is an entirely normal part of the process. When this happens, new hair will grow to take its place over the coming 4-12 months which you can style to enhance beard density and shape.

There are several aftercare measures that you will be guided on by your surgeon, such as:

Avoid touching your beard at all during the first 4 days after surgery
You can wash your face but not the transplanted beard area after the first day, but don't rub yourself dry- gently pat instead
Avoid swimming in a pool for 4 weeks after the procedure
To avoid the increased risk of swelling, sleep flat on your back, with your head slightly elevated for the first week

For more information about the aftercare and recovery process, we recommend using our hair transplant aftercare and recovery guide

Beard transplant side effects

While side effects of a beard transplant are uncommon, it’s important to remember that this procedure is still a surgery and it involves a local anaesthetic, so it’s important to watch out for and manage any potential side effects.

Among the side effects, you may experience are:

Mild swelling and bruising
Redness of the skin
Sensitivity at the donor or recipient beard area

Beard transplant scar

You can expect a degree of scarring in the donor area for both an FUE and FUT beard transplant. An FUE beard transplant leaves small scars where the hair follicles have been taken from – these are often unnoticeable and are adequately covered by normal hair grown to a length 1 or 2- minimising visible scarring.

Whereas, an FUT procedure leaves a long, fine scar at the back of the head. After the scar has been covered by surrounding hair it will be unnoticeable. Generally, hair will need to be grown long to conceal this linear scar.

A beard transplant does not leave scarring at the recipient site on the face. This means that you will be able to shave without revealing any noticeable scars after you have recovered from the procedure.

For more information about scars from FUE transplants and how to conceal them, please read our guide on What You Need To Know About FUE Hair Transplant Scars.

How much does a beard transplant cost?

Beard transplants can cost anything in the region of £3,000 to £8,000 and over. The price can vary according to factors such as:

The clinic’s reputation and the quality of the treatment that they provide
The location of the clinic
How many hair follicles are being relocated

When you are researching the cost of a beard procedure, note how the pricing is structured. Beard procedure prices could be quoted per graft or session.

A moustache usually requires around 500 to 800 grafts, a goatee beard requires 600 to 1,200 grafts, sideburns require 200 to 400 grafts, and a full beard can require 1,000 to 2,000 grafts per cheek.

However, the price will be disclosed by your surgeon at your consultation once they have determined how many grafts you will need. To find out how many grafts you may need, please visit our FUE hair graft calculator page.

BEARD TRANSPLANT FAQs

1. How much does a beard transplant cost?

The cost of a beard transplant depends on various factors, such as the clinic, the expertise of the surgeons, the number of grafts needed, and the clinic's location.

The average beard hair transplant cost in the UK ranges between £3,000 to £8,000.

2. Does a beard transplant last forever?

3. Does a beard transplant look natural?

4. How long does recovery take after a beard transplant?

5. How does a beard transplant work?

6. Does a beard transplant leave scars?

7. How many grafts are needed for a beard transplant?

8. Can you shave after a beard transplant?

Are you looking to have a beard transplant?

You can be confident in the knowledge that your beard transplant at The Treatment Rooms London is in the best possible hands. We provide a complete beard transplant package, with an aftercare package tailored to your individual requirements.

For more information, or to book a consultation with one of our lead surgeons, please contact us today.

The Treatment Rooms London Reviews

Authored by

Dr Roshan Vara

Hair Transplant Surgeon & Co-Founder

Full Medical Member of the British Association of Hair Restoration Surgery (BAHRS) Associate Member of International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS)

GMC Registered - 7458409

Reviewed by

Dr Dilan Fernando