Ex-Footballer's Hair Transplant Surgery Broadcast Live on Periscope

Former Sunderland and England football player Micky Gray has taken hair transplants into new territory and what is thought to be a world first by using live social media streaming app Periscope to broadcast his procedure.

Second hair transplant

This is the second time that the footballer-turned Talksport pundit has undergone hair restoration, and his first transplant operation in 2012 was also streamed live on the internet.

The Periscope first was performed by internationally-renowned surgeon and Belgravia transplant partner, Dr Bessam Farjo.

He confirmed on Twitter that he had re-purposed "Just over 1400 grafts or 3000 hairs" to top up the work from Gray's previous transplant as well as "lowering the hairline a little".

After his latest operation Gray tweeted: “Anybody who has thought about having a hair transplant but are nervous trust me, you should do it.”

Receiving plenty of online support following his procedure, ex-pros Don Hutchison and Francis Jeffers seemed keen to go next, whilst former West Ham winger Trevor Sinclair noted he would definitely be '#stayingbald'.

Footage of Micky Gray's hair transplant operation can be seen in the video at the end of this story, although obviously we would advise viewers to proceed with caution.

Different types of restoration procedures

There are two main transplant procedures available to people who choose the surgical path: FUT and FUE.

Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) is an advanced type of hair restoration surgery where ‘follicular units’ tiny groups of hairs plus their sebaceous glands, nerves and a minuscule muscle are taken from the donor site and transplanted into the recipient area of the scalp. The donor units are usually taken from the back of the head in a 'strip' which is why FUT can also be known as 'Strip Surgery'.

When done well, the overall effect once everything has settled down can be impressive. Dr Farjo, who was recently named by Tatler magazine as one of the top 30 anti-ageing specialists in the UK, says that FUT is ideally suited to patients who are in the advanced stages of hair loss, and whose scalps would greatly benefit from large levels of restoration. Micky Gray's hair transplants were FUT procedures with the first involving 1,500 grafts, as he had advanced hair loss with a receding hairline and high forehead.

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is a similarly advanced procedure but it is less invasive. The donor hair is taken out one hair at a time using a special 'punch' device, or by a robotic device. This type of procedure is said to produce natural looking results with less scarring. It generally works best for men who are in the early stages of hair loss, where a smaller area is involved.

FUE appears to be becoming the more popular method and is the procedure celebrities including Calum Best, Gordon Ramsay and Wayne Rooney have allegedly opted for.

Whilst FUT and FUE are by far the most used, new transplant methods are evolving all the time with India currently leading the way in new techniques, according to reports. New styles of transplant include the Hair Multiplication method where the donor hair is plucked out, rather than being surgically removed, and Vertical Harvesting which is similar to FUT but the strip of donor hair is taken vertically instead of horizontally. Both methods are designed to be less invasive and leave minimal scarring.

Preparing the hair for surgery

Not everyone needs or is suitable for a hair transplant so if you want to look into options for restoring your hair, the first thing to do is to seek professional advice from a hair loss specialist.

Potential hair transplant clients are advised to follow a six-month course of hair loss treatment before a transplant. This is to help stabilise shedding and ensure the hair is in the best possible condition for the surgeon to work with. Hair loss clinic treatment advisors can arrange this for you, tailoring a course to your specific level and pattern of shedding.  In some instances clients are so pleased with the regrowth results from their bespoke treatment course that they change their mind about needing the transplant procedure.

Your specialist can also refer you to a respected hair transplant surgeon for a free initial consultation, meaning you would not have to pay for this usually chargeable appointment. You can then decide for yourself which option is right for you. It should be noted that, in order to maintain your new look, it is advisable to follow an aftercare regime of male hair loss treatments on an on-going basis. This is to prevent the hair around the transplanted area from shedding.

Please note the video below shows live footage of a hair transplant operation and, as such, viewer discretion is advised.